Soriano Out Six Weeks

(umm, obviously not an actual picture of Soriano's left hand)

Alfonso Soriano was hit by a pitch from Atlanta Braves pitcher Jeff Bennett in the bottom of the second, today in Wrigley. A few hours later, the trip to the hospital revealed a broken left ring finger. Ouch. Six weeks or more on the DL. And how will he be when he does pick the bat up again?

Well, I've bitched my share about Soriano and the whole "their ain't no 'D' in Alfonso Soriano" thing and/or the Captain Free-Swinger thing, but to see him out of the lineup for six or so weeks, and I'm a bit nervous of what to expect. I mean, besides DeRosa in left and maybe some more Reed Johnson. And less jacks into the seats. Also the Louisiana Twins get to play up the middle again. We'll see if Fontenot can produce or not over the next month and a half.

Channel some of that good LSU Championship magic.

Back to the issues "at hand", it just occurred to me that this might mean the return of Matt Murton! Sweet. Could be a lot worse. We'll miss the dingers, but at least we'll get someone who can actually hit the other way to move runners up, takes a pitch now and then, and can play a little (perhaps stressing the word "little") D, which is much more than we can say about the Fonz. Insert your favorite Staying Positive, Believe, or Blue Kool-Aid comment here_____.

As Good News goes, Ryan Dempster is the man. Especially at Wrigley. He improves his record in the Friendly Confines to 8-0 with a gem of an outing. We're talking Complete Game, kid. Eleven K's and ZERO walks. Seriously, En Fuego. He was pretty much one pitch away from a Shutout, but Corky Miller, part-time Kiddie Clown and part-time Braves backup catcher, came off the bench and ripped one into the bleachers in the seventh. Hey, the complete game and overall performance of Dempster may make it the best to date for the Northsiders so far this season. Sorry fact is it's the first complete game for the Cubs this season. Better Nate than Lever.

Fukudome went deep in the top of the first today with 2 on and 2 out, his fifth of the year for the Chicago National League Ballclub. DeRosa and Aramis went 2-4, and Theriot went 2-5. A good day for anyone who doesn't hop before he catches a lazy fly ball.

OK, Zambrano, can you top Dempster and go for the shutout? How 'bout a no-hitter? OK, OK, let's not get greedy here. Let's just hope Big Z rebounds from his Gatorade Cooler performance and closes out the sweep for the Cubbies.

Go Cubs!!

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