Cross Town Classic Concluded

Due to Tuesday's postponement of the Cubs/Sox game, I decided to just combine the series into one article. I'll take each game on its own.

Wednesday: Sox 4 Cubs 1
Wednesday's game was a perfect exhibition for Chicago baseball this year. Both teams got decent pitching, and both teams left a lot of guys on base. Now, it was only 11 total, and with two teams that's not that high of a number. But watching the replay, it seemed like every inning each team got someone on base and left him there. John Danks and Ryan Dempster are good pitchers, but the two offenses are just so bad that anyone could have done what they did. The Sox, though, reverted to some small ball, including a beautiful squeeze by Scott Podsednik late in the ball game. The Cubs' hitters just struggled. This game was about what was expected. The Sox just happened to win.

Thursday: Cubs 6 Sox 5
Thursday's game was the type of game that changes seasons. Potentially. It's up to the teams to determine their fate from here on out, but in a big time series like this, where everyone in the park is amped up, the possible directions from blowing a 4-run lead and coming back from a 4-run deficit are many. As for the game, it was going the way of the previous day. Gavin Floyd and Carlos Zambrano were dueling, despite Floyd not having good stuff. The Sox got to Big Z in the 7th, and went on to open a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the 8th. Scott Linebrink gave up a 3-run shot to Derrek Lee, and Geovany Soto followed with a solo blast to tie it. The Cubs went on to win in the 9th. This game was more in line with the Sox/Cubs games of years past. Not over till the last out.

What the series means for each team:
Cubs: They can use this as a kick-start, possibly. One big inning doesn't necessarily mean the slump is over. But it does give confidence to the hitters, and they certainly can use this as a starting point. The next few games are key for the offense to see if they actually have turned things around or if they just had a good inning. They can also forget about Wednesday's game, and focus on the momentum they created for themselves Thursday. But it's up to them to use Thursday's game as a starting point, or will turn into just another game and series.

White Sox: Wednesday's win was on par with how most of their other wins have gone this year. They like to get solid pitching and score a few runs when they win. So just like for the North Siders, Wednesday's game doesn't tell or mean a whole lot for the team. Thursday, on the other hand, hurts. To give up that lead is just bad. This is the kind of game that, by losing, can put a team on the skids in a hurry. Again, the emotion level in the series is extremely high, and to give up that lead is more than losing. Somehow, they have to put it behind them. But it still will sting. It could have been four in a row for the Sox, and they simply blew it. This is why it's hard to get excited about them when they win. They are so inconsistent. If this were '05, they win this game. If they were a better team on the whole, they win this game. Blowing the lead just points back to all their deficiencies.

Note #1: Perhaps in September when the first game of the series is made up, the teams will be better and the game will be interesting. It certainly has the potential to be a HUGE game. And that will make the emotion even higher, but not for the "I hate the Sox! I hate the Cubs!" reason. If playoff implications are on the line, more important things than bragging rights will be at stake. And THAT will be worth all the hype.

Note #2: I've generally liked Hawk Harrelson over the years, but this year, he's been beyond ridiculous with his complaining about umpires and missed strikes or balls. In Thursday's game, there was a close call on Alfonso Soriano in the 8th inning that went Soriano's way. It would have been strike three, but all Soriano did was get a hit. The next two batters were out before Lee hit his home run. Hawk went on endlessly (into the 9th) about how one call changes everything blah blah blah. The bottom line is, Getz made an error, and Linebrink couldn't get the job done. Please Hawk, for your listeners' sanity: Shut up.

Note #3: I will admit it's funny listening to Hawk whine about ump calls, only for Steve Stone to calmy comment on the same pitch and show just how lame it is for Hawk to cry like that.

Note #4: Scott Linebrink should never pitch in Wrigley Field again.