Fu-Ko-Do-Me!!

  Long-suffering Chicago Cubs fans had a good day today, even though their team ended up falling to the Milwaukie Brewers 4-3 in eleven innings. The elation they feel is because, as ESPN announcer Brent Musburger said, "A star is born out of the gritty winds of Lake Michigan".  The Cubs' much-hyped free-agent acquisition from Japan, right-fielder Kosuke Fukodome, has been touted as a combination of Ichiro and Hideki Matsui, but possibly not quite as good as either. But if opening day has any meaning at all, even if only symbolic, then he may just end up being all that the Cubs could have dreamed. On his first at-bat at Wrigley Field, Fukodome lined the first pitch he saw over centerfielder Tony Gwynn's head and off the wall for a double. Not a bad beginning, to be sure. But the truly magical moment came later, in the bottom of the ninth, with the Cubs down 3-0. The Brewers new closer Eric Gagne was beginning to struggle, however, allowing two men to get on base with no outs.  ... [link]