New-look Cubs kick off 2007 season in Cincinnati

Baseball Betting Lines

04/02/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The big-spending Chicago Cubs are set to begin their regular season today when they travel to Cincinnati and Great American Ball Park to begin a season-opening three-game series against the Reds.

No other team in the majors made the splash the Cubs did in the free agency waters this past offseason. In addition to the big catch of outfielder Alfonso Soriano, arguably the best non-pitcher available this winter, the club signed pitchers Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis to big-money deals, and also brought in the versatile Mark DeRosa and slugger Cliff Floyd.

Don't forget, the club also waived goodbye to Dusty Baker and brought in a World Series winning manager in Lou Piniella to pull this new squad together. He has his work cut out for him, as the Cubs finished a disappointing 66-96 last year.

Lilly and Marquis fill out a rotation that is missing two big names from season's past, but still contains the electric Carlos Zambrano. Gone from the starting five is both Kerry Wood (expected to go on the disabled list) and Mark Prior (beginning the season in the minors), as the once-promising duo has been rattled by injuries the past couple of seasons.

However, the bad news for the rest of the NL, and especially the Reds, is that Zambrano will make his third straight Opening Day start for the Cubs. However, he didn't pick up a decision in the previous two lid-lifters.

Zambrano went 16-7 last season and posted a 3.41 earned run average in 33 starts while striking out 210 batters. The right-hander was 3-2 with a 3.76 ERA against the Reds last season. He has had success against Cincinnati in his career, going 8-5 in 21 games -- 17 starts -- with a solid 2.80 ERA.

Soriano, who became just the fourth player in league history to join the 40/40 club last season with 46 homers and 41 steals, brings more power to a lineup that already features Derrick Lee. Lee had a career year in 2005 (.335, 46 homers, 107 RBI) when he won the NL batting title, but injury limited him to just 50 games last season.

Throw in re-signed third baseman Aramis Ramirez, and the Cubs should put up some big numbers on the scoreboard this season.

Cincinnati has some sluggers of its own in the form of Adam Dunn (40 home runs in 2006), Ken Griffey Jr. (563 career blasts) and Edwin Encarnacion (15 homers last season). Keep an eye on Griffey this season as he shifts from center to right field. Griffey has won 10 Gold Gloves in his career, but the Reds will hope moving him out of center will reduce the wear-and-tear on his oft-injured body.

Griffey suffered a broken left hand this offseason, but should be in the lineup today. A healthy Griffey will help Cincinnati improve on its 80-82 mark from last season.

The Reds open the season with the very capable Aaron Harang on the mound. Harang won 16 games last season with a 3.76 ERA. His NL-leading 216 strikeouts also helped keep opponents from hitting the balls out of the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.

Harang will hope this year's Opening Day start goes better than last year when he allowed nine runs -- six earned -- and nine hits over just five innings. That game was also against the Cubs.

The right-hander went on to post a 1-1 mark in two starts against the Cubs last season with a high 5.14 ERA. However, in nine career starts against Chicago, Harang is 5-1 with a 4.26 ERA and two complete games.

Harang and Bronson Arroyo should combine for a nice 1-2 punch for the Reds. Arroyo had a big first half en route to a 14-11 season. David Weathers will start the season as the club's closer, as he anchors a bullpen that started to be revamped before last season's trade deadline.

The Cubs edged the Reds in the season series last year, 10-9, while the teams split 10 games in Cincinnati. The two teams are off tomorrow before resuming the series on Wednesday.

In a related note, the Tribune Company announced on Monday its intentions to sell the Cubs at the end of the 2007 season. The news comes on the same day that the Tribune Company accepted a proposal from real estate investor Sam Zell to purchase the media establishment.

Tribune, which is one of the top media organizations in the country, also announced it will sell its 25 percent interest in Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

Tribune's sale of the Cubs will be subject to the approval of Major League Baseball when it occurs.

In 1981, Tribune bought the Cubs as well as historic Wrigley Field.