It's Crosstown Classic Time Again

Once again, it's that time of the year that seems to matter most to casual Chicago baseball fans. Cubs vs. Sox.

This year, for some unknown reason, the games are in the middle of the week. Usually, this series, on both sides, is a weekend long spectacle. Maybe that's part of the reason for the move. Then again, it could just be a scheduling snafu. Because who deserves an interleague series against the White Sox on a weekend more than the Pirates?

The players used to get jazzed up for this meeting every year. Since the drama has waned, mostly because of the White Sox 2005 World Series win, it's become just another series. Albeit, a still anticipated series, it's a shadow of its former self.

Gone are the Michael Barrets, the Jose Valentins, the Juan Uribes and the Sammy Sosas that drove the teams to really battle. The best that anyone can come up with this year is Ozzie Guillen's hatred of Wrigley Field. Not the players or the personnel, or the fans, just the building itself.

John Kruk even mentioned that Wrigley was his least favorite place to play as a player because he had to use a urinal that was inside the dugout, next to the manager.

While the series isn't as important a series as it used to be, it's still an exciting way to spend roughly three hours. In the past, whichever team proves victorious in a series, usually goes on a hot streak right after. This year, both teams look like they could use the boost.