The Chicago Cubs will be tested right from the start when they send new ace Jon Lester to the mound against Adam Wainwright for the opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night. The prime-time matchup for the majors' first game of the season comes after a busy winter in which the Cubs made it clear they feel they are ready to hit another gear after a top-to-bottom overhaul that tested some fans' patience. ''We were pretty transparent: It was 'It's gonna take a few years, we're gonna have to do this the right way, that probably means a lot of losses,''' chairman Tom Ricketts said. We'll compete for our division title and everyone's excited about that.'' The Cardinals, meanwhile, are seeking their fifth consecutive playoff appearance. More...