Litmus test for Wood

I mentioned it on Opening Day, but has anyone else noticed that when Kerry Wood hits the first batter he faces, he has a bad outing?

In the opener it was a hit batter, a sac bunt, an intentional walk, a single, a strikeout and a two-out double. It cost the Cubs and Wood a win when Kosuke Fukudome's 9th-inning homer only tied the game.

It happened again May 1 against the Brewers for a blown save and another Cub loss, a hit batter, a double, a single, a walk, a strikeout and another double, with Wood escaping more trouble when a runner was thrown out at the plate.

Tonight it sent the game in Pittsburgh to extra innings for another blown save on a hit batter, a single and two sacrifices.

Woody's been almost lights-out outside of those appearances, and if you can tell that quickly when it's not his day, taking immediate action might put a few more ticks in the Win column.