WELCOME TO THE FUCK-YOU DOME! 

Sorry, I've been wanting to do that for weeks now.  New Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome played a key role in the season opener at Wrigley Field, going 3-for-3 with a game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth in a game that comfortably reinforced conventional baseball wisdom.

Staff aces Ben Sheets and Carlos Zambrano both worked into the seventh inning, shutting down their opponents.  With the score tied 0-0 entering the 9th, new Cubs closer Kerry Wood coughed up three runs to give the game away.  But wait!  The Brewers signed Eric Gagne to be their closer!  Enter Kosuke, who delivered a three-run blast with no outs to tie the game and earn a curtain call from the drunken Northsiders.

Of course, the Cubs are still the Cubs, so they lost in the 10th.  But still… Kosuke Fukudome, man.  That was an exciting couple of minutes.

Other MLB "action": Nats break Phils' back in 9th with five-run outburst… Royals surprisingly plucky, edge fearsome Tigers in 11… Johan Santana's debut for the Mets: 8 Ks, 2 runs, and a W for seven innings of work against the Fish… Yankees-Blue Jays postponed; I root for five more months of rain… M's beat Rangers in chilly opener; Ichiro on why he stole second base to start a rally: "I was cold."