So, we're cool now?

Win #1 of the season. Are we all calmed down now? I think we can resume freaking out if the Cubs are like, six games under .500 two weeks from now. Dempster looked strong after the rough first inning, Marmol and Wood were both solid, and I liked the four stolen bases. Talk of the bats being "thawed out," as the AP recap suggested, might be a little premature, however. I mean, seven hits is fewer than in yesterday's game - but it helps when the opposing starter tosses out five walks and a hit batsman. That probably won't happen every game, though of course I like the patience. (Two more walks for Fukudome! This could be the best free agent signing the Cubs have made since Andre Dawson, although let's not get ahead of ourselves.) Nevertheless, no one had more than one hit today and Lee has looked pretty bad with the bat in two of the three games so far (though in the middle one he had a double and homer, so go figure that one out). I'm hoping it's just the early season, the cold weather, and really re-adjusting to major league pitching (let us not forget that the majority of pitchers faced in spring training end up being minor-league castoffs). Perhaps the upcoming games against Houston and Pittsburgh will only help matters.

Memo to Rickie Weeks: If, after a game, you have to take pains to tell the media how you're not a dirty player... well, I don't know. Maybe? Yeah, Soto was kind of in the line but I'm not sure that Weeks couldn't have just zipped around him. I forget where I read it, but someone recently was saying, why is baseball not a contact sport except right at the moment where it really matters? I mean, if Soto is obstructing, call Weeks safe at home, but Gwynn doesn't score unless Weeks knocks Soto over and I'm just not sure that's fair.

Whatever. We won the game. I expect a lot more of these.