Monday, June 15, 2009

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.

5 comments:

GOGOSOX60 said...

Gonna watch these games and tape them too...only save them if the Sox win!! I would like a bleacher visit for a Sox-Cup game....someday!

Dinged Corners said...

Dear S.,
Please don't use the phrase Crosstown Classic yet, because it reminds us too much of Subway Series and that's like yelling at someone with a bad hangover. It will be a while before '15-0' goes away.
Sincerely,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Idiotic Mets Fans

Steve Gierman said...

It's been labeled with that moniker since the Cubs and Sox used to play an exhibition game each year, when both teams had a day off and were in town at the same time. Michael Jordan even played in one when he was with the Sox AA club.

Unknown said...

this mid-week city challenge is a scheduling mistake; the Cubs need to catch some fire and maybe this series will ignite their bats - Go Cubs Go !

GOGOSOX60 said...

Is the rain gonna end before game time? There's gonna be a lot of watered down Bud Light!!

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