Sun-Times columnist Greg Couch isn't one of my favorites -- he often is way off base, such as when he ceded the NL pennant to the Mets when they got Johan Santana (that article is no longer on the Sun-Times website, but basically, he said the NL race was over. That one doesn't look so good now, does it, Greg?). But in his column today, he hit the nail on the head regarding the Sox and Sox fans' hatred of the Cubs and Cubs fans:
Sox GM Ken Williams complained that the Sox' World Series win three years ago goes less noticed than the Cubs' 100-year anniversary of losing. Guillen made comments about Wrigley Field having rats. Players called it a crummy place.
That's fine. And Williams is right that the Cubs' 100-year thing seems to be a matter of celebration, when it should be humiliation.
But why can't the Sox feel comfortable enough in their own skin, with their own trophy, rather than worry about Cubdom?
This obsession, this paranoia, this whole second-fiddle, little-brother thing, is just so unnecessary and pathetic.
Instead, this stuff gets into their heads. And the Cubs-Sox series means something entirely different, and more, to the Sox than it does to the Cubs. The Cubs are having a grand old time at a big party, and the Sox are running around with an inferiority complex.
I mean, really. Boo-hoo.
A-freakin-men. I will say that at least on THIS site, we aren't "celebrating" 100 years of failure. I'd rather not mention it at all, instead wanting to look forward to the future and celebrate the present season, which is shaping up as something really special.
One other note from this morning: Jim Hendry's comments when asked about Z's injury:"Yeah, and I don't take kindly to people that refer to things that happened [and say] the Cubs were dishonest," said Hendry, who appeared to be referring to a columnist from each of Chicago's two metro newspapers, one of whom he later confronted near the press box. "I have an issue with that. I always give the writers exactly what the doctors tell us.
"In Prior's situation, it took [Dr. James] Andrews to go in and find a hairline crack in his [shoulder] capsule that no MRI ever showed. I don't know how that equates to Zambrano, but we always try to do what's best for the players, take precautions and follow the doctors' medical advice. And I report pretty much word-for-word to [media] what the doctors give me. ... I don't think that refers to dishonesty."
As far as Z is concerned, for now, I'll take them at their word that he's going to miss two starts and will return from the DL July 4, as scheduled. If that doesn't happen, then it'll be valid to question management further.
| Today's Starting Pitchers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ryan Dempster hasn't faced too many of the White Sox -- Orlando Cabrera is the only one who has more than 9 career AB against him (9-for-28, 3 doubles, 8 RBI). Dempster's particular nemesis is A. J. Pierzynski, who hit a devastating, game-winning, three-run homer off Dempster on July 1, 2006 at Wrigley Field with two out and two strikes in the 9th. But that was then and this is now. Dempster is 8-0 at home this season.
Javier Vazquez has the highest ERA of any Sox starter -- would you have guessed that would be the case before this season started? Derrek Lee has hit him hard and often -- 16-for-44 (.364/.383/.705, 6 doubles, 3 HR, 12 RBI), and the suddenly-hot Jim Edmonds has too (8-for-17, .471/.471/1.000, 3 doubles, 2 HR, 6 RBI). Lifetime he is 3-3, 4.84 in 14 starts vs. the Cubs.
Want to start a pool? What exact time will Joe Morgan first criticize the Cubs? Turn the ESPN sound off and listen to Pat & Ron, would be my recommendation. Here are today's other games at the MLB.com Mediacenter.
MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)
MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Today's overflow comment threads will post at 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm CT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.