A much better start

This season's Cubs team has begun this 2008 campaign with a 11-6 record, already better than last year's 10-win April. As action gets underway today, the Cubs are a half-game out of first place behind the Cardinals. It will be interesting to see how long the Cardinals can make this start last. How long can Cub castoff Todd Wellemeyer pitch as well as he has or Braden Looper or some of the other Cards starters. If the Cards hang around through the All-Star break, I'm sure they will welcome the return of Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder to their staff so it is imperative that the Cubs find a way to get some distance between themselves and the Redbirds. Carpenter is not going to be back at his 2006 form right away but he will bring a stability to their staff that they don't have right now and could light a fire under them. After today's game, the next four is extremely tough with the Mets for two at Wrigley and going to Colorado for two games and after a series with the Nationals, the Cubs see the Brewers and Cardinals back to back. Now the fun begins with the schedule.