Alex Belth has commented to me on Matt Clement several times in the past few weeks, including a short email late last week sent for no apparent reason other than to inform me that "that kid's stuff is nasty!" Alex, my dear, you are correct.

Clement had his fourth great outing in a row, and the furrowed brows and beads of sweat he caused a few short weeks ago are long forgotten. He had a craptabulous spring, but since his first miserable outing ("See! He's lost it!", cried Cubbie nation) he's been practically flawless.

DATE   INN  HITS ER  BB  K   HR GB  FB  ERA 
4/14   6    2    0   3   7   0  10  3
4/19   6.3  4    1   4   6   0  9   4
4/25   8    2    1   2   13  1  7   4   
5/1    8    5    1   1   5   0  14  5   
-------------------------------------------
TOTAL  28.3 13   3   10  31 1  40  16  0.95

I'm especially wowed by Matt's effort last night, chugging through eight beautiful innings of baseball while the rain was doing its best to kick him off the field. His slider may not have been quite as deadly as it was in his previous game, but it was wicked enough, as ground ball after ground ball -- and three double-plays -- attest.

I was actually shocked that after the 6th-inning downpour the game wasn't at least delayed, if not called, but no harm done. Z's up next, and the Cubs face off against ace Matt Morris, though Morris has hardly pitched to his reputation so far this year. I'm rooting for Carlos to bring it something fierce, in the hopes that I'll get another message of surprised adulation in my inbox. That big Venezuelan dude, he's freakin' vicious!