As some of you may remember, I did "The Cubbie Chronicle" occasionally for my ASB2003 Cubs franchise mode...I finally got to get World Series Baseball 2k3 yesterday for XBox, and I just completed my 6th game of the season. I was letting the game rest, and decided what the hell, I'll write another "Cubbie Chronicle". I'm hoping to perfect my journalism skills, it'd be great to pursue journalism someday, especially writing about the great sport of baseball...so without further adieu, here is the first edition of Year Two of the Chronicle...by the way, same as last year, instead of AP for Associated Press, I put CP for Cubbie Press...people sue over the most ignorant things these days, I gotta protect myself. 
--THE CUBBIE CHRONICLE--
Year Two, First Edition
Date: April 6th, 2002
CHICAGO (CP)-- The Chicago Cubs (3-3) have taken two of three from the Cincinnati Reds (3-3) in their first ever trip to the Great American Ballpark, crushing the Reds this afternoon 11-1. Kerry Wood (W, 2-0) faced off against Paul Wilson (L, 1-1), who started just two days earlier. No clue what Reds' management was thinking on that one, but it didn't pay off at all.
The Reds staff struck out a combined total of 13 Cub hitters, while every Cub hitter, even Kerry Wood, managed to get a base hit in this wild contest.
Bobby Hill got things started off early. Wilson gave Hill a little chin music, leading to Hill pointing at Wilson and warning him. On the next pitch, Bobby Hill hit a triple in the right field gap, leading off the game. However, the Cubs, who have been very weak this year with runners in scoring position, couldn't get him in.
Hee Seop Choi (2HR, 3) did the first bit of damage in the game in the 2nd inning, crushing a solo homerun, putting the Cubs up 1-0.
Wood continued to dazzle, and in the third inning, the floodgates opened for the Cubs as they put 3 more runs on the board, behind the power of Sammy Sosa (2HR, 4) and Moises Alou (HR, 1). Sosa, who hit his 500th career homerun Saturday night, slammed a two-run tater, and Alou followed up with a solo homerun, the second time in this young season that the Cubs have hit back to back homeruns. The first time happened on Opening Day when Hee Seop Choi and Mark Bellhorn slammed back to back homers against the New York Mets.
Damian Miller led off the 4th inning with a triple, but once again the Cubs could not bring in a runner from 3rd with zero outs.
In the bottom of the 4th inning, Kerry Wood gave up his first earned run of the season, giving up Russell Branyan's (HR, 4) fourth homer of the year. Wood's scoreless streak of 15 innings to open the season officially came to an end.
Not to be outdone, Hee Seop Choi and Mark Bellhorn (HR, 2) slammed back to back homeruns in the 5th inning, both solo shots. Alex Gonzalez reached base, then Damian Miller (HR, 1) hit a 2 run shot, putting the Cubs up 8-1.
Sammy Sosa added another 2 run homer in the 6th, putting the Cubs up 10-1 and giving Sosa his 4th homerun in two days, and 4th of the season.
In the 7th, the Cubs scored the final run of the game as Alex Gonzalez singled. Kerry Wood sacrificed him to second, then Bobby Hill followed up with a single to centerfield, making the score 11-1.
Wood completed the game, going 9 innings, giving up 7 hits while only allowing one earned run. Kerry struck out 9 men, bringing his season total to a Major League-leading 24 strikeouts.
Final R H E
CHI 11 17 0
CIN 1 7 0
W: Wood (2-0)
L: Wilson (1-1)
POG: Sosa, 2-5, 2 HR, 4 RBIs
HR: Miller (1), Choi 2 (3), Bellhorn (2), Alou (2), Sosa 2 (4), Branyan (4)
Notable Lines:
Wood: 9 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
Wilson: 4 2/3 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Branyan: 2-4, HR in 4th
Miller: 3-5, HR, 2 RBI
Major Leagues
Who's Hot (Week of March 31st, 2003)
Kerry Wood: 2 wins, 18 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 0 BBs, 24 K
League Leader in: Ws, Ks, IP, CGs, SHOs, ERA of 0.50, .131 OBA
Hideki Matsui: 3 HR on Opening Day, 5 HR for the week, MLB lead
Bobby Hill: 13 hits in 29 ABs, including 2 3Bs
League Leader in: Hs, ABs, 3Bs
Sammy Sosa: 4 HRs, tied with Russell Branyan for NL lead, 20 TBs 4th in NL
--500--
Sammy Sosa went 4 games without a homer to lead off the season. Once he slammed number 500 for his career at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, he went on a two-day binge, hitting 4 taters during that span, both Cub victories.
--KERRY'ING A TEAM--
Cubs' starting pitcher Kerry Wood has been red-hot to start the season, throwing two complete games, including one shutout. He's got 24 strikeouts and 0 walks, while only allowing 8 hits thus far, in 18 innings pitched. His ERA stands at 0.50, and opponents are hitting him at a measly .131 average. Kerry is scheduled to face Pittsburgh this Saturday at Wrigley Field, at 1:20 PM Chicago time.
--STRIKEOUT KINGS--
The Cubs' pitching staff leads the majors with 52 strikeouts, beating Cincinnati and San Diego by two strikeouts thus far. The Cubs, who set an NL Record for strikeouts in 2001, are looking to break that record this year and have got off to a hot start, averaging just under 9 strikeouts a game. They also have a 3.18 team ERA.
As of April 6th, here's what the standings look like in the NL Central.
Team W L GB
STL 5 1 ---
CHI 3 3 2.0
CIN 3 3 2.0
PIT 3 3 2.0
HOU 2 4 3.0
MIL 2 4 3.0
The Cubs are 0-0 at home and 3-3 on the road.
--LOOKING AHEAD--
The Cubs will host Montreal for a 3 game set at Wrigley Field Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday (April 7th, 9th, and 10th). Monday is Opening Day at Wrigley. The Cubs then face Pittsburgh Friday April 11th through Sunday the 13th, and host Cincinnati
Monday the 14th through Thursday the 17th.
--THE CUBBIE CHRONICLE--
Year Two, First Edition
Date: April 6th, 2002
CHICAGO (CP)-- The Chicago Cubs (3-3) have taken two of three from the Cincinnati Reds (3-3) in their first ever trip to the Great American Ballpark, crushing the Reds this afternoon 11-1. Kerry Wood (W, 2-0) faced off against Paul Wilson (L, 1-1), who started just two days earlier. No clue what Reds' management was thinking on that one, but it didn't pay off at all.
The Reds staff struck out a combined total of 13 Cub hitters, while every Cub hitter, even Kerry Wood, managed to get a base hit in this wild contest.
Bobby Hill got things started off early. Wilson gave Hill a little chin music, leading to Hill pointing at Wilson and warning him. On the next pitch, Bobby Hill hit a triple in the right field gap, leading off the game. However, the Cubs, who have been very weak this year with runners in scoring position, couldn't get him in.
Hee Seop Choi (2HR, 3) did the first bit of damage in the game in the 2nd inning, crushing a solo homerun, putting the Cubs up 1-0.
Wood continued to dazzle, and in the third inning, the floodgates opened for the Cubs as they put 3 more runs on the board, behind the power of Sammy Sosa (2HR, 4) and Moises Alou (HR, 1). Sosa, who hit his 500th career homerun Saturday night, slammed a two-run tater, and Alou followed up with a solo homerun, the second time in this young season that the Cubs have hit back to back homeruns. The first time happened on Opening Day when Hee Seop Choi and Mark Bellhorn slammed back to back homers against the New York Mets.
Damian Miller led off the 4th inning with a triple, but once again the Cubs could not bring in a runner from 3rd with zero outs.
In the bottom of the 4th inning, Kerry Wood gave up his first earned run of the season, giving up Russell Branyan's (HR, 4) fourth homer of the year. Wood's scoreless streak of 15 innings to open the season officially came to an end.
Not to be outdone, Hee Seop Choi and Mark Bellhorn (HR, 2) slammed back to back homeruns in the 5th inning, both solo shots. Alex Gonzalez reached base, then Damian Miller (HR, 1) hit a 2 run shot, putting the Cubs up 8-1.
Sammy Sosa added another 2 run homer in the 6th, putting the Cubs up 10-1 and giving Sosa his 4th homerun in two days, and 4th of the season.
In the 7th, the Cubs scored the final run of the game as Alex Gonzalez singled. Kerry Wood sacrificed him to second, then Bobby Hill followed up with a single to centerfield, making the score 11-1.
Wood completed the game, going 9 innings, giving up 7 hits while only allowing one earned run. Kerry struck out 9 men, bringing his season total to a Major League-leading 24 strikeouts.
Final R H E
CHI 11 17 0
CIN 1 7 0
W: Wood (2-0)
L: Wilson (1-1)
POG: Sosa, 2-5, 2 HR, 4 RBIs
HR: Miller (1), Choi 2 (3), Bellhorn (2), Alou (2), Sosa 2 (4), Branyan (4)
Notable Lines:
Wood: 9 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
Wilson: 4 2/3 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Branyan: 2-4, HR in 4th
Miller: 3-5, HR, 2 RBI
Major Leagues
Who's Hot (Week of March 31st, 2003)
Kerry Wood: 2 wins, 18 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 0 BBs, 24 K
League Leader in: Ws, Ks, IP, CGs, SHOs, ERA of 0.50, .131 OBA
Hideki Matsui: 3 HR on Opening Day, 5 HR for the week, MLB lead
Bobby Hill: 13 hits in 29 ABs, including 2 3Bs
League Leader in: Hs, ABs, 3Bs
Sammy Sosa: 4 HRs, tied with Russell Branyan for NL lead, 20 TBs 4th in NL
--500--
Sammy Sosa went 4 games without a homer to lead off the season. Once he slammed number 500 for his career at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, he went on a two-day binge, hitting 4 taters during that span, both Cub victories.
--KERRY'ING A TEAM--
Cubs' starting pitcher Kerry Wood has been red-hot to start the season, throwing two complete games, including one shutout. He's got 24 strikeouts and 0 walks, while only allowing 8 hits thus far, in 18 innings pitched. His ERA stands at 0.50, and opponents are hitting him at a measly .131 average. Kerry is scheduled to face Pittsburgh this Saturday at Wrigley Field, at 1:20 PM Chicago time.
--STRIKEOUT KINGS--
The Cubs' pitching staff leads the majors with 52 strikeouts, beating Cincinnati and San Diego by two strikeouts thus far. The Cubs, who set an NL Record for strikeouts in 2001, are looking to break that record this year and have got off to a hot start, averaging just under 9 strikeouts a game. They also have a 3.18 team ERA.
As of April 6th, here's what the standings look like in the NL Central.
Team W L GB
STL 5 1 ---
CHI 3 3 2.0
CIN 3 3 2.0
PIT 3 3 2.0
HOU 2 4 3.0
MIL 2 4 3.0
The Cubs are 0-0 at home and 3-3 on the road.
--LOOKING AHEAD--
The Cubs will host Montreal for a 3 game set at Wrigley Field Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday (April 7th, 9th, and 10th). Monday is Opening Day at Wrigley. The Cubs then face Pittsburgh Friday April 11th through Sunday the 13th, and host Cincinnati
Monday the 14th through Thursday the 17th.