Dusty Baker provides example #1 of the 2005 season for why he is a poor in-game manager. With two outs and Derrek Lee on first in the top of the 9th tonight, with the Cubs down 5-4, Baker had 4 options to choose from as the pitcher's spot in the lineup came up. Jason Dubois is the best hitter on the bench. Too obvious. Henry Blanco is the backup catcher, so cross him off. Jerry Hairston, Jr. is the second best hitter on the bench. But, like Dubois, apparently too good for Baker. Instead, Baker chooses his worst hitter: Neifi Perez. Perez grounds out to end the game.

Hello, everybody! Ah, victory! Mother McRee—hide the children! They shouldn’t see such a beating. Sometime around the sixth inning, I clearly heard Howard Cosell yelling, “Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb, for the love of God, please go down!” A team record for runs on opening day; eclipsing the 15 we (yeah, I’m gonna say ‘we’, what of it?) hung on the Mets in 2003. Yesterday was sweet, even though I could quibble about a couple of decisions. I was skeptical of going for the two-point conversion after both touchdowns, but you gotta make hay while the sun shines. The D-Backs narrowly escaped the ten run rule, while the Cubs were busy knocking balls to every corner. Walker even got a hit by smacking one off the first base bag. When things are going your way…let’s hope the Cub bats stay lively tonight.