(My Sportsbook) - Once again the National League-favorite, the Chicago Cubs will take another crack at ending their championship drought, as they open 2009 season Monday in the first of three straight games versus the Central Division-rival Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

Chicago has been favored to represent the NL in the World Series over the last two years and it seems its back-to-back division titles have gone to waste. The Cubs have bowed out in the NLDS each of the previous two seasons and last won a world championship 101 years ago.

Lou Piniellas ballclub recorded an NL-best 97 victories in 2008 before getting swept by Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the postseason.

The Cubs, whose last World Series appearance was in 1945, have won at least 85 games the previous two seasons.

Chicago will hand ace Carlos Zambrano the ball on Opening Day in Houston. The fiery right-hander made 30 starts a year ago and went 14-6 with a 3.91 earned run average. Zambrano pitched 188 2/3 innings in 2008, his lowest output since hurling 108 1/3 frames in 2002.

Zambrano is very familiar with the Astros, having made 26 career appearances (24 starts) against them. Zambrano is 12-7 with a 2.70 ERA lifetime against Houston.

The Astros, meanwhile, haven't reached the playoffs since winning the NL pennant in 2005.

Houston manager Cecil Cooper will begin his second full season as skipper of a team that has been a model of consistency but with no accolades to show for it.

Houston has won at least 82 games 11 times since the 1996 season and is coming off an 86-75 season a year ago. First baseman Lance Berkman carried the club with team highs in average (.312), home runs (29) and RBI (106). Berkman will be joined by future Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who signed a one-year deal with Houston back in late March.

The biggest story this offseason for the Astros was the sentencing of All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada. Tejada was sentenced to one year of probation for lying to congressional investigators about his knowledge of the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.

Tejada, who pled guilty in February to the charges, was issued one year of unsupervised release, 100 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine. He batted just .283 with 13 homers and 66 runs batted in for the Astros last year. Meanwhile, outfielder Carlos Lee is back at full strength even though he had a solid 2008 with 28 home runs and 100 RBI in 115 games.

Taking the ball for the Astros Monday will be staff star Roy Oswalt.

Oswalt, who is fresh off a World Baseball Classic appearance for Team USA, posted a 17-10 record with a 3.54 earned run average in 32 trips to the hill last year. He, too, is familiar with the opposition and boasts a career 12-11 mark and a 3.88 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) versus the rival Cubs.

Houston won nine of the 17 matchups with Chicago a year ago.