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Pirates, Cubs lift lid on season at Wrigley

Apr 1, 2011 - 2:51 PM (Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs haven't won a World Series in over 100 years.

The Pittsburgh Pirates haven't posted a winning campaign in a MLB-record 18 straight seasons.

Though the clubs don't come in with high expectations at ending either drought, the two National League Central residents will still attempt to get their season off to a good start with the opener of a three-game series at historic Wrigley Field.

After finishing 7 1/2 games back of first place in 2009, the Cubs took a step back in 2010. They went just 75-87 to finish 16 games off the pace and miss out on the postseason for a second straight year.

Still in search of their first World Series title since 1908, the Cubs will enter the season with Mike Quade as their manager after he replaced Lou Piniella on Aug. 23 following the former manager's abrupt retirement the day before. Chicago played well under Quade, going 24-13 to finish out the season.

Though usual suspects like Aramis Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano are still around, the Cubs traded longtime first baseman Derrek Lee during the 2010 season and signed Carlos Pena this offseason to replace him. Pena hit just .196 with the Rays last season, but did connect on 28 homers.

Chicago also added to its pitching, trading for Tampa Bay starter Matt Garza while signing former Cubs ace and now solid reliever Kerry Wood.

Ramirez will also look to get off to a stronger start after being slowed early on a year ago due to a thumb injury that led to a stint on the disabled list.

Like Chicago, Pittsburgh also has a new face on its bench, with Clint Hurdle replacing John Russell as the team's manager. All Hurdle will be trying to do is regroup his team from last year's 57-105 finish and lead the Pirates to their first winning season since 1992, when Jim Leyland was the manager and the club was being led by Barry Bonds, Andy Van Slyke and Doug Drabek.

One thing working in Hurdle's favor is that Pittsburgh's young core of Pedro Alvarez, Andrew McCutchen, Jose Tabata and Neil Walker haven't been around for much of that losing, nor have free agent additions Lyle Overbay and Kevin Correia.

"I think we have a pretty special bunch of guys," Alvarez told Pittsburgh's website. "If there is one thing we do well here, it is live in the moment. We don't live in the past. We don't look too far into the future. We look at the present. Right now, we have a great group of guys that can do some damage. Offensively, I think we're pretty balanced."

The second overall pick of the 2008 draft, the Pirates are hoping for big things out of Alvarez after he hit .256 with 16 homers and 64 RBI in 95 games last year.

Despite being a new addition, the 30-year-old Correia draws his first ever Opening Day assignment today. Correia spent his last two seasons with the Padres and will be aiming to bounce back from a 10-10 record and 5.40 earned run average in 28 games (26 starts) last year.

The Pirates hope the right-hander can look more like his form in 2009, when he won 12 games with a 2.91 ERA.

Correia is 1-2 with a 5.63 ERA in eight lifetime appearances versus Chicago, including four starts, but did throw six innings of scoreless ball when he faced the club for the only time last year on Aug. 16 at Wrigley Field.

For the Cubs, Zambrano's eight-year run as Opening Day starter will end today with Ryan Dempster set to take the hill. The 33-year-old will be making his third career start on Opening Day and first with the Cubs.

Dempster was a model of consistency for Chicago a season ago, going 15-12 with a 3.85 ERA and 208 strikeouts in a career high-tying 34 starts. In fact, in three seasons since being shifted back to the rotation from the bullpen, the righty has gone 43-27 with a 3.49 ERA while averaging 33 starts a year.

Dempster did struggle in three starts versus the Pirates last year, losing all three games while allowing 13 runs over 17 innings for a 6.88 ERA. That includes a 14-7 loss at home on Aug. 31.

Pittsburgh won 10 of its 15 games versus Chicago last year, taking five of nine in the Windy City. The Pirates outscored the Cubs, 32-14, in taking the first five meetings of 2010.