Ryan Dempster's last start before he became the Cubs' closer was on May 4, 2005, and, coincidently, it was against the Milwaukee Brewers.

On Thursday, Dempster will return to the rotation, again facing the Brewers in the series finale for the Cubs.

"I feel prepared," Dempster said Wednesday. "I'm just going to try to be consistent and make one pitch at a time, and hopefully the results are good."

In that last start, Dempster went 6 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on six hits and five walks while striking out six. The right-hander did not get a decision. It was his sixth start that season, but Dempster was then switched to relief work as the Cubs' closer to replace injured Joe Borowski.

"It's exciting," Dempster said at the time about his new role as closer. "I'll just go out there and take whatever opportunities I can and do the best at it."

"I think Dempster can do anything," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said about the right-hander's switch from starter to late-inning reliever.

Dusty Baker, then the Cubs' manager, also endorsed the move.

"You have to be a little different, usually on the crazy side, and not take yesterday's blown save into today," Baker said.

Dempster was looking forward to the new job.

"They always say I have the makeup for that," Dempster said. "I don't know what that is."

But now he's back in the rotation, earning a spot after dedicating himself this offseason to building up endurance.

"I'd like to think it's not exactly riding a bike, but you don't forget what you need to do and what you have to do to be a starter in this league," Dempster said. "I have to be prepared, and I'm going to try to be consistent. I want to establish myself as somebody who can go out and get the job done.

"I'm sure I'll have tons of adrenaline," he said. "I'm excited for it, and I just have to control the emotions and slow myself down and make my pitches."

He does have that new wiggle with his glove in front of his face before he delivers a pitch. It helps him get his grip on the ball without giving away what he's throwing. However, Dempster still finds himself thinking like a reliever. Instead of watching the game from the bullpen, he was in the dugout on Monday.

"Not being out there was a little strange," Dempster said. "I found myself stretching with the relievers and things like that that I was used to. I know what I need to do now, and Spring Training helps with that."

Last season, he was 28-for-31 in save opportunities, posting a 2-7 record and 4.83 ERA. He heard the boo birds at Wrigley Field whenever he didn't get the job done. They were back on Opening Day and turned their vocal chords toward Kerry Wood when he gave up three runs in the ninth inning of the Cubs' 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Brewers.

"[Wood] has done a lot more in this game than I ever have," Dempster said. "If he wants any advice, I'm more than happy to give it to him. He's going to bounce back and come out there firing. The first game, there's a lot of emotions. I think he'll do a tremendous job for us."

What about the booing at Wrigley?

"This is one of the few places I notice it," Dempster said. "When you're the closer, they boo. You don't see it in a lot of other places. I'm not a guy who boos, but I'm sure people have a good reason for it. Hopefully there's not a lot of it."

He'll find out Thursday.

Pitching matchup
CHC: RHP Ryan Dempster (2-7, 4.73 ERA in 2007)
Dempster is back in the rotation full-time for the first time since 2002. He spent the offseason getting in shape physically and building up endurance and looked sharp this spring. On the day pitchers and catchers reported, he boldly predicted the Cubs would win the World Series. That's confidence.

MIL: RHP Dave Bush (12-10, 5.12 ERA in 2007)
Manager Ned Yost had to choose between Bush and Carlos Villanueva for this assignment, and Bush was a somewhat surprising choice. He's 1-5 in eight career games against the Cubs and 0-2 in four starts at Wrigley Field. That's history, argues Yost, who was impressed with Bush's work this spring on a slider and, to a lesser extent, a changeup.

Tidbits
Kosuke Fukudome had quite a coming-out party on Opening Day. He is the first Cubs player to reach safely four times in his debut since Mark Grudzielanek did so March 30, 2003, against the Mets; and the first to get three hits in his debut since Juan Pierre in 2006. He's the first to hit a home run in his debut since Henry Rodriguez did so March 31, 1998, at Florida; and the first to have a multi-hit and multi-RBI game in his first Cubs game since Jeff Reed had two hits and two RBIs on July 10, 1999. ... Ryan Theriot's family was able to sleep a lot better Tuesday. They finally got heat and hot water at their Chicago apartment. ... Second baseman Mark DeRosa was cheering his friend, singer Michael Johns, who is one of the nine remaining "American Idol" contestants. "I feel like a proud father watching him," DeRosa said.

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Up next
• Friday: Cubs (Rich Hill, 11-8, 2.92 in 2007) vs. Astros (Chris Sampson, 7-8, 4.59 in 2007), 1:20 p.m. CT
• Saturday: Cubs (Jason Marquis, 12-9, 4.60 in 2007) vs. Astros (Roy Oswalt, 0-1, 5.06), 12:05 p.m. CT
• Sunday: Cubs (Carlos Zambrano, 0-0, 0.00) vs. Astros (Brandon Backe, 0-1, 3.60), 1:20 p.m. CT