Chicago Cubs' Bullpen Exposed in Opening Day Loss.

For six and two-thirds innings on Monday afternoon, Carlos Zambrano looked like the Big Z that we've all come to know and love.

First pitch strikes and a fast-moving game are Zambrano staples, and Opening Day was no different.

Then it happened. His cramping problem from last year made a grand entrance.

Understand this dear readers, this is not an isolated occurrence. This has happened no less than three times in the past two seasons. So he departed and the Cubs went to the bullpen, a position that normally sends the Cub faithful into cardiac arrest.

Not today, well not at the beginning at least. The electric Carlos Marmol entered the game, and Marmol played up to his new found cult hero status by putting the untimely home run he allowed in game one of the division series far behind him.

Marmol faced four batters and fanned three of them. It would be fair to say that he was the most effective pitcher on the field.

That was until he was pinch hit for in the bottom of the eighth in an attempt to push a run across.

Then the wheels came off. Kerry Wood plunked the lead-off man, Rickie Weeks. Tony Gwynn Jr. sacrificed him over to second. Prince Fielder was walked to get to Ryan Braun and the second year third baseman made the Cubs pay with a bloop single that put the Brewers up.

The Brewers would tack two more on, but Kosuke Fukudome's heroic three-run home run tied the game. The problem, however, wasn't with the Japanese sensation, it was with the pen.

In extra innings, Bob Howry, another runner-up in the closer race allowed the go-ahead and eventual winning run. Ballgame over, Brewers win.

Sure, it was opening day, but the bullpen was supposed to be the strength of the team and it was exposed on Opening Day.

While it is true that the Brewers probably have the best lineup in the National League, it would have been nice to get off on a good foot against a good team and get a step ahead in the division.

Instead the bullpen put them behind, where the Cubs will be a lot this season if two of the three guys who were in the running for the closer job can't get it together.