Posted By: Mike Rodbard
June 26, 2009
Part 2 of the annual "Crosstown Classic" between the Cubs and the White Sox is upon us yet again. This now-twice-a-year-and-it's-not-really-so-special-anymore "classic" surely has the makings of the snooze-fest the last one brought us.
Our guys, as you know, have been limping this week on the road, losing a 1-game series to Atlanta, and then getting swept in 3 by the Detroit Tigers.
The Sox, in the meantime, seemed to handle the diabolical L.A. Dodgers, best team in the N.L. by the way, quite handily, sans Manny being Manny (boy, that guy is as annoying as his moniker).
The story line is boring and the same: lack of clutch hitting, especially with runners in scoring position. Pathetic. I believe the magic number is 2 hits out of their last 37 chances (praises to DH Jake Fox).
It took the DH! Ugh! There's not even supposed to be a DH.
Which means I'm in a mood.
Derrek Lee, the only guy who really has been earning his ridiculous dough (if you can call playing a child's game earning, but I'm not bitter or anything,) even had his career high 21-game hitting streak snapped.
A lot of good that streak did for the team anyways.
Kosuke (Funk)udome is in a June swoon (more "Cubbie" jargon...puke).
Free agent at-large, as in large waste of time, Milton Bradley is now benched, really earning his dough.
Catcher Geovany Soto is another (outed) heinous pot-smoking degenerate, just like Olympic hero Michael Phelps. [Editor's note: Hey, hey...not so rough on my boy Geo (former Rookie of the Year and likely future captain of the team)...he admitted a mistake, hopes to move on past it...AND he powered the Cubbies past the Schlox in Game 1 Friday with a great 3-run homer...]
The future seems a bit dim, no?
Yet you wouldn't know it looking at the Cub fans. I was driving around Wrigleyville (that name is starting to grate on my nerves too) this afternoon, and the 'hood was action-packed; people on the streets everywhere. The now-famous Captain Morgan Club, occupying a staggeringly large portion of the corner of Addison and Sheffield, was filled to the gills with the typical Wrigley clientele. So was Harry Caray's place (we speak of him as if he were actually still here; we're insane0. Even Rockit Bar and Grill owner Billy Dec, famous in Chicago for being famous (how did he become famous anyways?), has gotten in on the action and opened a place on campus.
Of course, caps and jerseys of our non-hitting heroes (getting the name stitched on the back costs extra, natch) happily adorned the backs of the bulk of people, men and women and boys and girls...and even a dog I spotted.
The enthusiasm permeated the air. Fans looked giddy and eager.
Cubs vs. Sox.
No matter what, the fans love their Cubbies, brought to you by Captain Morgan and WGN ('cuz it says so on Harry's (the statue) microphone). History, and the present, be damned.
Oh, yeah, the games are at "the Cell" this weekend.
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You can read more of Mike Rodbard's drivel at his own blog, So it Goes... It's about life as a professional, working musician in Chicago, chock full of Mike's dimwitted humor and insight.
