Jim Edmonds lashed a single in his first at bat as a Cub. And when he ventured out to center field at Wrigley Field, he didn’t get his usual rough ride from the bleacher bums. Folks out there were still adjusting to the fact Jimmy Ballgame was on their side now.

“I realized I could look back in the outfield and not get screamed at as much, so that is a comforting feeling,” Edmonds told the Chicago Sun-Times.

After he got his first hit as a Cub, Padres pitcher Greg Maddux – briefly Jim’s teammate in San Diego – asked him if he wanted the ball as a souvenir.

“I thought he was teasing me because he knew I hadn’t had a hit in a month,” Edmonds quipped.

“Hopefully, I can go out there and prove that I can still play and be a part of this team. The first at-bat was about as nervous or excited as I’ve been in a long time.”

MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE

Questions to ponder while Jason Isringhausen tries to pull himself together:

• Say, whatever became of Matt Clement?
• With the Yankees in last place, will Hank Steinbrenner authorize another $100 million for the team’s payroll?
• Who could have guessed that Dennis Rodman would get arrested, again, in a domestic violence beef?

RAYS OF HOPE

The Tampa Bay (Don’t Call Us Devil) Rays just took three of four games from the Yankees, flipping the AL East standings upside down.

This is NOT a great time for the Cards to catch some Rays in interleague play.

“I want us to celebrate hard for 30 minutes postgame and then move on. I want us to dwell on a loss for no more than 30 minutes,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon told reporters after his team’s 5-2 victory over Team Steinbrenner. “Sometimes I get away from my own rule on the negative side. But I think the guys are handling this very well.

“It’s the confidence that’s been gained. It’s the momentum that you create . . . It’s a feeling that did not exist before, so first of all, you have to nurture it and grow it, and then once you got it, you have to do everything you can to hold on to it because it can go away.”

QUIPS ‘R US

Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:

Steve Rosenbloom, Chicago Sports.com: “NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell arrogantly claimed that ‘Spygate’ is over because he said so (but more because he needs it to go away). Sen. Arlen Specter (R.-Planet Grandstand) wants an independent investigation comparable to the Mitchell report on steroid use in baseball. Specter said Goodell has made ‘ridiculous’ assertions that wouldn’t fly ‘in kindergarten,’ and if there’s anyone who knows about ‘ridiculous’ assertions that wouldn’t fly ‘in kindergarten,’ it’s the former junior counsel from the Warren Commission who came up with the ‘Magic Bullet’ theory in the JFK assassination.”

Jay Mariotti, Chicago Sun-Times: “Know what amuses me about Cubdom? If Jim Edmonds rips a game-winning home run today, 40,000 fans will develop instant amnesia about why they hate him. They’ll jump, scream, dance, bow, shimmy, do the Soulja Boy thing, demand a curtain call, scream louder when he doffs his blue cap, sing ‘Go Cubs Go’ and vanish merrily into a Wrigleyville afternoon while reminding their friends, ‘Dude, I told you Edmonds was a good pickup.’ So, for now, please be quiet and see if the experiment works.”

Dwight Perry, Seattle Times: “First came allegations that former Heisman Trophy tailback Reggie Bush collected maybe $300,000 in improper benefits, and now come rumblings that basketball star O.J. Mayo had a ticket on the gravy train, too. Who would’ve guessed that USC could be an acronym for University of Santa Claus?”

Mike Downey, Chicago Tribune, after Annika Sorenstam and Justine Henin retired: “There aren’t many women 2008 has been good to, except maybe ‘Juno.’ In a 48-hour span, we have just lost Henin and Sorenstam, who are the Roger Federer and Tiger Woods of their sex.”

Greg Cote, Miami Herald: “The choreographer for the New York Jets cheerleaders said the group is open to tryouts by men dressed as women. Meaning the fat guys in the Gastineau jerseys chanting ‘J-E-T-S!’ might no longer be the ugliest people in the stadium.”

Dan Daly, Washington Times: “Can’t make up my mind which is more laughable: 1) Richie Sexson — he of the .202 batting average — charging the mound the other night. 2) Sexson charging the Mariners $15.5 million for his services this season.”

MEGAPHONE

“I appreciate it . . . It was cool. The people here are special. The fans are certainly a huge part of Wrigley Field and why this is such a great place to play. I’m sure I’ll never forget it.”

Padres pitcher Greg Maddux, after getting a hero’s welcome from Cubs fans.