Special

I truly think this Cubs team has a chance to be a very special team.

First, they annihilated the Reds again today, 16-3. Scoring ten runs three games in a row is something that hasn't been done by a Cubs team since 1894. Everything went right today -- four homers with the wind blowing in , including one by Kerry Wood, a fine pitching performance by Wood, Mark Bellhorn raising his average over .200, and the club drew nine walks today. OK, so the Reds are a pretty poor pitching team, and it really showed in this series. But developing that sort of patience is really good for this team; Sosa and Choi are now #1 and #2 in the league in OBA. Some have said they'd like to see those two, particularly Choi, hit away and hit for power. But really, the more men on base the merrier. Dusty got a lot of the reserves some atbats today, and that's always good. You can see why players love to play for him. I wasn't thrilled with Alan Benes' control (three walks), but he threw three scoreless innings, so he qualified for a save.

I didn't expect to be able to sit in my regular seat today since Jeff wasn't going to be there; but when I got there the bench was empty, so I sat down. Then Dan the security guard came over and told me he and Floyd had kind of harassed the people who had sat there into leaving! What fun! Howard & Brian joined me.

Then I got stuck in traffic on my way to O'Hare to fly out this evening, although I made the flight easily, and then got to Arizona to learn that my son has the chicken pox! Luckily, I've had it already, and he's doing fine.

The Cubs head to Pittsburgh in first place; yeah, I know. It's early. But last year, the Cubs didn't win their 10th game till May 3.