White Sox vs. Cubs: The Saga Continues

It's been a topic of nationwide concern for months. This weekend, leaders of the Western Hemisphere meet in President Obama's adopted hometown of Chicago for this year's NATO summit. Police and citizens are on high alert, storeowners fear unruly protesters and many Chicagoans just want NATO to go somewhere else.

Traffic is sure to be backed up on South Lake South Drive for miles (for once, I'm happy to be out of the city). Vocal opponents of the current so-called "New World Order" (as opposed to the former NWO) plan to protest the event and do their best to disrupt the summit.

These possible demonstrations pale in comparison to the fierce battle that will take place approximately 6.5 miles north of McCormick Place. The ongoing civil war, renewed each year about the time schoolchildren bid goodbye to the classroom for three months and the calendar officially turns over to summer.

The fight for bragging rights. The clash of the city. The war of Chicago.

Cubs vs. White Sox.

Even in a slow-starting year for both teams, the intercity series is bound to be hotly contested once again. Cubs and White Sox beats the stuffing out of Mets-Yankees, Dodgers-Angels, Athletics-Giants and the always marquee matchup of Twins-whoever they'll play.

No matter the year, this matchup of Chicago's finest promises to provide some great moments. Here's a few the Sox provided. (Ed. note: This is going to be biased in favor of the Sox, because the Cubs really suck.)

July 1, 2006: White Sox 8, Cubs 6

About 40 days earlier, the Sox whipped the lousy Cubs (no, really, they were bad that season) in front of a packed house at U.S. Cellular Field. However, then-Cubs catcher Michael Barrett gave Cubs fans a measure of vengeance when he punched fellow backstop A.J. Pierzynski square in the jaw following a play at the plate (more on that later).

Flash forward to the first of July. The scene has shifted to Wrigley Field, and the Cubs and Sox have gone punch-for-punch all day. Aramis Ramirez is a single shy of the cycle and has driven in five runs, and after a pinch-hit Paul Konerko tied the game in the top of the seventh, Jacque Jones knocked one out to give the Cubs the advantage in the bottom half.

The Sox are down to their last out in the top of the ninth, and Ryan Dempster is poised to lock down the save. The Cub fans, in the midst of a disappointing season, will have something to cheer about, on national television, no less.

It's not clear if A.J. had revenge for the punch on his mind, but he certainly made sure the Cubs didn't forget. On a 1-1 pitch from Dempster, Pierzynski ripped a deep fly onto Sheffield Avenue and arrogantly flipped his bat toward the Cub dugout. Boos and trash rained onto the field and when the final pitch was thrown, the White Sox had come from behind to win, 8-6.

The Sun-Times sports headline the next day? It simply read, "Take That." Take that, indeed.

June 28, 2008: White Sox 6, Cubs 5

Ah, 2008. The most famous summer of dreams in Chicago history. The unfathomable was unfolding: the Cubs and White Sox had a stranglehold on first place in their respective divisions. For the first time in 102 years, it was possible that the North Siders and South Siders could meet in the World Series.

That's right. Eat your heart out, NATO summit.

True to their 2008 form, the Cubs and Sox dominated at their home parks, and the city series was no different. The Cubs swept the Sox at Wrigley, with Aramis Ramirez late inning heroics taking the Friday game and a scintillating performance from Ryan Dempster sealing the sweep. White Sox fans burned while the Cubs celebrated. It would be a tough task to return the favor at the Cell.

Well, maybe not that tough.

The White Sox murked Ryan Dempster and the Cubs on Friday afternoon and shut down the North Siders on Sunday night behind homers from Brian Anderson (remember him?) and Jim Thome. The Saturday game, however, provided all the drama of the series. Derrek Lee went off, driving in three runs in the first four innings, while rookie shortstop Alexei Ramirez continued his hot hitting, tying the game in the bottom of the fourth with a home run. The bullpens on either side dug in, not allowing a run until the eighth inning. Then fortune shone on the Sox.

It was Carlos Marmol time.

Young slugger Carlos Quentin led off the eighth against Marmol and on what looked like an emergency swing, lifted a deep fly ball to right field. Instead of dropping into Kosuke Fukudome's glove, the ball landed in the seats, giving the Sox the lead. After a Derrek Lee double put a scare into the home fans, Bobby Jenks nailed down the save.

It wasn't the first time the season series ended in a tie, but it was the first time two heavyweight Chicago clubs had fought to a draw. The playoff future looked bright, and even though it ended rather suddenly for both teams, 2008 remains my favorite season of baseball.

May 20, 2006: White Sox 12, Cubs 2


It remains the indelible moment of the Chicago baseball rivalry: Michael Barrett tumbling head-over-heels as AJ Pierzynski slams his hand onto home plate. It's true that the series had wacky characters before the arrival of AJ and Carlos Zambrano (who gets honorable mention for cursing out Derrek Lee and destroying a Gatorade cooler), but Pierzynski, who is the only Major Leaguer who is booed at every single road game, has added the necessary spice to the annual series.

The preceding play is simple: Brian Anderson hits a medium fly ball to left field. Matt Murton (wow, this whole post is a trip down memory lane) fires home as AJ races in from third. Barrett blocks the plate before receiving the ball, and Pierzynski runs through him, and emphatically pounds home plate. Barrett grabs Pierzynski and yells, "I didn't have the ball" into his face before clocking him with a short right hand. Benches clear, Scott Podsednik tackles Barrett, and Anderson gets into it with John Mabry. A few minutes later, Tadahito Iguchi sends a grand slam into the left field bleachers and the rout is on.

The aftermath? Pierzynski dyes his hair and beard blond before going back to his natural brown, all while being one of the few starting catchers in the AL who doesn't make the transition to DH or first base. Meanwhile, Michael Barrett is waived in free agency and ends up in San Diego before making the transition to the Oaxaca League in southern Mexico.

The present day


The White Sox won yesterday in Anaheim, pushing their record to a stellar 18-21, four and a half games behind the division-leading Indians. The Cubs are even deeper in the muck at 15-23, dead last in the NL Central.

What does that mean for this series? Absolutely nothing. Throw records, streaks and odds out the window when this series start. Sabremetricians are not invited to the Crosstown Classic.

Phil Humber, he of the third perfect game in White Sox history and resultant 9.45 ERA, takes the mound against former Notre Dame football star Jeff Samardzija.

My prediction? Humber and Samardzija throw gems over seven innings, the Cubs take the lead on a sac fly in the eighth, only for Dayan Viciedo to come off the bench in the ninth and blast a two-run homer onto Waveland Avenue. Of course, it could just be an unruly slugfest.

See you in the cheap seats, Chicago. 1:20 pm, at the corner of Clark and Addison.

Oh, and if you were wondering who D-Rose will be cheering for on his couch this weekend...

South Side, all day.

JS

Albert Pujols and the Bitter End

It's all about the money.

Okay, let me back up. It can be about the stability of a long-term contract, a less-hostile sports environment, moving closer to family, or playing for a proven team.

None of that was in play this time. So it comes back to the money.

Albert Pujols had a choice: take big money and stay in St. Louis for a long time, or take big money and move out to the bright lights of...Anaheim (Seriously, can we pull the "Los Angeles" tag already? Orange County is a far cry from South Central). Even choice, but let's delve deeper.

Pujols had a choice: take a long-term contract for 200 million dollars-plus and stay in St. Louis, the town that he rebuilt. Take big money and stay in St. Louis, where he was a three-time MVP and two-time World Series champion. Take long-term stability and stay in St. Louis, probably retire as a Cardinal and have statues and memorials built in every conceivable green space that was not already occupied.

Stay in St. Louis and retain your public image as a prolific hitter that happened to be the most genuine unselfish ballplayer since Cal Ripken, Jr.

Or take a little more money and run...to Anaheim.

It was all about the money.

Legacy...

The immediate response has been awful toward Pujols. Many Cardinals fans are distraught their hero took a fast powder out of town. Some, like my friend who uploaded the photo below, are angry at him for stringing them along. Meanwhile, some writers are trashing him and his agent for pulling out every holdout trick in a ploy to get more money.

I wish it said "Muestrame la dinero", a la Rod Tidwell.

Is this unfair to Pujols? No. Plain and simple.

I said in February that Albert should stick around in St. Louis. He was the king there, the biggest face of the town since Kurt Warner/Marshall Faulk. The Rams were huge, but STL loves baseball, and the Cardinals are always going to be the draw. Simply put, Albert was "The Man."

Now, he's just another greedy ballplayer.

...of Champions

Three hundred miles up Route 66, another sentimental favorite and quality player chose sunnier climes as well. Mark Buerhle took about $15 million-per-year to play for Ozzie Guillen and the suddenly wealthy Miami Marlins after eleven years with the Chicago White Sox. Now if you don't know by now that I am a completely biased White Sox fan, your vision needs to be checked or adjusted. I wanted Mark Buerhle to stay with the Sox forever. I wanted him to pitch on the South Side for 20 years and win 300 games, three more Gold Gloves and at least one more World Series.

All of those desires were pipe dreams, but the sentiment remained: in my mind, Mark Buerhle was a South Side lifer. This is the guy who used the infield rain tarp as a slip-and-slide. The same guy who said "he hated going over to Wrigley Field" right before he started a game there. The same Mark Buerhle who pitched a no-hitter, perfect game and set the record for consecutive batters retired in a White Sox uniform.

Mark Buerhle was the best White Sox pitcher since Doc White (and if you don't know who that is, you're not alone: he retired sometime before World War I). He was a South Sider all the way.

But the White Sox were rebuilding, Ozzie was in Florida, and the Marlins were spending the money to win. The choice was clear for Buerhle. So he packed up and left.


The space between

So what's the difference? Two icons both left their teams via free agency without, it seemed, so much as a glance in the rear-view mirror. So why are White Sox fans wishing Mark Buerhle good luck in Florida while Cardinals fans are burning Pujols jerseys? (That hasn't actually happened yet, but I'm waiting for the first report.)

Reason #1: Cards fans still have the championship afterglow, while the Sox are going into rebuilding mode.


Anytime a team wins their league's championship, there's a "grace period" granted for that particular team, from the MVP down to the trainer. It can't be quantified, but in layman's terms, that championship team's value to the fan base is equal to the number of years they can get a table at the best restaurant in town without waiting. (This formula does not apply to the 1985 Chicago Bears; Kevin Butler could get a table at 7 pm on Friday night at Smith & Wollensky's.)

The Cardinals are a very successful franchise in terms of 'chips, but they still love baseball enough to go wild when they do win. Considering they were Atlanta loss away from not being in the playoffs, this championship banner means a bit more. So for Pujols, arguably the keystone offensive player of the postseason save for David Freese, the decision to jump ship hurt Cardinals fans who are still riding the high of winning the Series.

Sox fans, on the other hand, are coming off their third consecutive underwhelming season. Alex Rios and Adam Dunn badly underperformed with Jake Peavy not far behind; Gordon Beckham made baby steps toward regaining his rookie form; the Sox had an awful start to the year and couldn't make a sustained run at first place in the division. By the end of the season, Ozzie was gone, Joey Cora with him and Greg Walker was finally kicked out the door. The painful word "rebuilding" was on everyone's lips, and the Sergio Santos trade made it official.

Buerhle's departure wasn't that much of a surprise; he won't have a chance at a title for at least two years in Chicago, and the Fish are putting their chips on the table for the coming season. White Sox fans are a cynical, sarcastic bunch, but they appreciate their heroes, and Mark Buerhle gave them the World Series championship they had lusted after for years (even though ESPN spends too much time focusing on the Cubs to admit it...sorry, I've got to stop doing that.) They realized his decision was about more than money, and for that, they wished him luck.

Reason #2: The LeBron James Effect.

It could only have been more perfect if Pujols had gone to Miami instead of Buerhle. There are differences in the respective decision: Albert had already won championships in St. Louis (feeling salty, 'Bron?) and LeBron actually took a cut in pay to play in Miami. Still, the moves are too close in chronological proximity to not be compared. Albert's decision to leave seems about as selfish as LeBron's, but for a more lousy reason: it was only for the money.

Another parallel is how both men expressed their desire to remain in their "native" cities just before they decided to dip out. Can't you see Cardinals fans making a YouTube video with Pujols quotes peppered in while they talk about how he betrayed them?

That dude with the axe is really scary. He looks normal, but yeah, scary all the same.

Take heart, Cardinals fans: he went to Anaheim. They've been scooping up free agents with little results for the past five years or so. Just like LeBron, Albert won't be winning anything in the near future.

Reason #3: What'cha gonna do with all that cash, all that cash in that contract?


Now that I've gotten the hook from "My Humps" stuck in your head, take a trip back in time with me to 2001. Alex Rodriguez was putting up absolute insane numbers with the Mariners and was finally out of his rookie contract. The success-starved Texas Rangers decided to pay him an unheard of $249 million dollars over 10 years, making him the richest player in American sports. Six years later, he walked out on Texas after not delivering them to the promised land and signed an even larger contract with the Yankees.

What's the lesson here?

In a time of economic strife around the globe, the idea of athletes signing multi-million dollar contracts is ridiculous. The possibility of them receiving 10 million dollars or more per year to play a sport is absolutely ridiculous. Without getting too preachy, I'll just say that people are leaving college without the possibility of a steady job, while jackasses like Eddie House continue to eat. There's something wrong with that.

Albert Pujols was different. He used his fame for charity work, both in Missouri and his native Domincan Republic. A center for Down syndrome patients bears his name. The man realized the idea Charles Barkley put forth in his book I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It: "If playing is all you're going to do, you've missed the boat." Pujols did more than just hit and catch a baseball, he gave back.

This time, he took. He took a lot. Money will color a lot of debates, but in this case, it's deserved.

The aftermath


I won't speculate on any other possible reasons Pujols decided to walk. Once the physical goes through (and wouldn't it be some scandal if it didn't?), Albert will be wearing a different team's red-and-white. He should be the powerful hitter the Halos have been searching for to back up their solid pitching staff. He might prove the experts and shunned fans wrong and still be a prolific hitter 10 years from now. In St. Louis, the Cards could go forward and remain playoff contenders, even with an inexperienced manager and without one of the five greatest hitters in baseball history.

These scenarios are hard to imagine, but it's baseball. Anything can happen. I should have realized that when I said that Pujols should stay in St. Louis. That he had to stay in St. Louis. I was thinking about legacy. I was thinking about the fans. I was thinking about the emotional values.

The whole time, it was just about the money.

JS