According to the Chicago Tribune home page, there are two hours, fourteen minutes, and thirty seconds until the opener of the famed Red-Line series between the Cubs and White Sox.
This series used to be a big deal, back when both teams were mediocre at best—because essentially the outcome represented the only bragging rights you'd get for the rest of the year.
To everyone else outside of Chicago however, it was about as embarrassing as watching those contestants lose on Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?
Now, while it's still a matter of bragging rights, the point is: With both clubs in first place, there's a bigger picture here. While I certainly can't speak for Cubs fans out there, I know I'm personally a bit more concerned with Detroit being healthy and creeping up on the Sox than I am about us facing a team that isn't even in our league.
Granted, given the cesspool that is the NL Central, I suppose the Cubs don't have too many concerns standings-wise, and they need a diversion from the fact that their roster is starting to drop like flies onto the DL.
So even though the Red Sox-Yankees, Ohio State-Michigan, Lakers-Celtics series are all grossly over-hyped in their own right, the difference between those series and this one is that, quite simply, in the grand scheme of 162-games, it doesn't matter.
Will the Sox gain the respect of the national media with a win? Of course not.
Will Cubs fans be silenced should they lose the series? Try again.
Now I'm not going to lie. Would I love to see the Sox take it to the Cubs? Of course. That being said, the Cubs can win every single game this series by double digits if it means the Sox win in October.
It don't mean a thing if you ain't got the ring, Cubs fans—remember that.
Now, come back to me when the Cubs and Sox face off against each other in the World Series...if I'm still alive.
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2 months ago
Good article. Your point about one series being an insignificant part of the long season is the reason I try not to get too upset when the Braves drop a series (or get swept).
2 months ago
Thank you Thomas! Derrek Lee was on PTI earlier this week and he said that the rivalry is nothing more than media hype. The players could care less.
2 months ago
its about the fans... and the media.. some players like the hype and most are not a fan of interleague play period. But its great for MLB. But I think on the surface these players see it as just another series, but deep down they enjoy it as much as the fans.(especially when they win) This series is just as overrated as the Bosox/yankee series or the bay bridge series. It's about the fans. good article.
2 months ago
That figures that Lee would say that, he doesn't seem to care about anything. Especially about driving in runners in scoring position. Listen, it's still a big deal to the fans. I have a neighbor who's a Sox fan who gives me hell whenever the Sox win the series and puts up his Sox flag and everything. So you say you may not care, though I don't believe you, that the WS is the thing that matters. I get that, but believe me, there are plenty of Sox fans especially that would love to beat the Cubs. In fact, it's the Sox that have always taken this more seriously.
2 months ago
I look forward the a Phil's vs O's series. Haven't gotten into the Nats coming to town yet.
I always check intercity series box scores and wish that I was there.
If I was a Chicagoan (wtf is that right?), New Yawka or a fan in any area with intercity play I would enjoy the hype a great deal.
2 months ago
Good read. I consider the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry a bigger one personally.
2 months ago
I still believe that the series carries SOME importance, at least in the Chicagoland area. People get really excited about this series, and it comes down to what the fans make of it. It doesn't matter what the game means in the grand scheme of things. What matters, to the fans at least, is the ability to rub the win in face of the Cubs or Sox fan living next door. So, I believe that this series does carry a lot of importance; maybe not to the players, but, to the fans, it does.
2 months ago
What makes this series great is that you know exactly where people are who you can rub the victory in their face. Also, you say that the Cubs don't have a strong division, but the third place team in our division is a close second in yours. Also, the Cardinals are playing extremely good baseball, even though they don't have a lot of talent. If anything, the Sox have the lackluster division (which they do) and the Cubs have a strong division. (which is true at the very top)
from 2 months ago
Not sure how you can say that the AL Central is weaker than the NL Central outside of simply looking at standings-- I'm pretty sure you know that the Tribe and Tigers have been playing half of their AAA roster this year. That being said, outside of Milwaukee (who always finds a way to screw up in the end), none of the other teams in the NL Central are teams that the Cubs really have to worry about-- that was my point.
2 months ago
I feel just as pissed about that loss as I did when the Sox did the EXACT SAME THING against Tampa Bay. They can't hit w/RISP, they can't make productive outs, and as a result, they waste another stellar performance by John Danks. They should be embarrassed.
from 2 months ago
Sounds like you are quoting the "Managing for Dummies" book written by Ron Gardenhire.
from 2 months ago
Yeah, the Sox have just looked awful this series-- I also haven't been very happy with a few of the decisions Ozzie Guillen has been making, I guess this mean's he's in mid-season form.
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