...the pennant is won folks. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

What a game. The kind of game I love to watch (in theory). I'm going to use the observations as noted in the Baseball Think Factory game chatter to pretend that I have any idea what happened after the first three innings and am not the sort of pathetic loser that plays volleyball instead of listening the all of opening day (I hate losers like that). But if you just close your eyes, you won't be able to tell the difference between my writing and someone who actually watched the game. (No, wait, open them. I forgot you have to have your eyes open to read. Carry on)

Zambrano was absolutely getting hosed by the ump in the fifth. Honestly, it was like an "Oz" (the HBO show, not the one with the flying monkeys) marathon, with Zambrano getting the standard prison treatment from the home plate ump. It was not entirely shocking that Zambrano did not take it well and was asked to leave the game by the ump. Such is life with Zambrano on the mound.

With the offense, where to start? Patterson? How about 3-5 with a walk. Garciaparra? two hits, 2 RBIs. I could go on (and I will). Ramirez? 3-4 with 4 ribbies. And you know what, none of those were the best. That honor goes to one Derrek Lee with a 4-6 night, including a monster bomb and 5 RBIs. Lee can go ahead and sit out the rest of April, as he's just equaled a career's worth of April production. The best part of all this? I haven't even mentioned Walker or Burnitz, each with 3 hits on the night. The kind of box score that keeps you up all night.

So remember back when I mentioned that the pennant was won? That wasn't just bluster, my friends. I have proof. I have numbers (numbers!). Every time the Cubs have made the playoffs, dating all the way back to 1945, the Cubs have won the season opener. 2003? 6-1 Cubs win. 1998? 6-2 Cubs win. You can't argue with facts folks, and I've got a whole bucket full.

Shut the barn and milk the cows, the Cubs are comin' home. Home to the playoffs, that is.