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In 2008, the Crosstown Classic between the Cubs and the White Sox was more than just the annual spectacle that takes place every summer. For the first time, both Chicago baseball teams were in first place, and the heightened intensity added fire to an already fierce rivalry. It was a moment in Chicago unlike any other.

Filmmaker Bryan Bankovich, an alumnus of the Art Institute of Chicago, captured that history in his documentary “A Crosstown Classic Story,” set to be released this October. An outsider from Atlanta, Bankovich set out to film the fan culture in Chicago by gathering footage outside each ballpark for all six games. The final product, a 30-minute snapshot, is hilarious, shocking, interesting and even repulsive. For non-baseball fans, it’s a sociological piece on human behavior. For baseball fans, it’s, as Bryan describes it, a blooper real of fan behavior. And for Chicago baseball fans, it’s a mirror that reflects both the passion and insanity that comes with an undying allegiance to the Cubs or Sox.

Bryan recently took some time to speak with Red Line Rundown about the film, Chicago baseball fans and the rivalry.

Red Line Rundown: Talk a bit about yourself and the project.

Bryan Bankovich: The project came about with my fascination with the 2003 Cubs. The Cubs almost make it to the World Series, that Bartman guy, the whole fan interfering with the play costs them the chance to go to the World Series, and everyone was so outraged that the guy had to leave the city in exile. That interested me in the whole fan culture, and then to see the Sox win the World Series and see how the city reacted. One time I got trapped in Wrigleyville because, you know, you go there and the parking sucks so you just get stuck in the bars, and the whole culture was interesting.

Myself, I’m not a huge sports fan. I’m originally from Atlanta and I came to Chicago to pursue a degree in film so I went to the Art Institute of Chicago and I used that time and made this film while I was a student.

RLR: Tell me about the process, how you came up with idea, how you shot it, etc.

BB: I had a couple of friends help me out. Three of us shot the series ^— three games on the north, three on the south — so we all had our own cameras and I just said “go out and shoot it. “I didn’t really care about going into the stadium because the film wasn’t really about that specifically. So we went out and we shot and we shot and we shot 30 hours worth of footage, and the end result was pretty interesting. The editing process was pretty intense. If you have the script and know where you’re going you can pound it out pretty fast, but this being a documentary, we didn’t have that. I had this concept in my head how I wanted this go about, but once I had the footage I was like “Oh shit what am I doing.” I had a friend help me out and it always helps to have another opinion and another eye. It was fun, but it wasn’t. Many long nights of drinking a beer and just staring at the screen.

RLR: As someone who was an outsider coming into Chicago witnessing the rivalry for the first time, what was your initial reaction to what you experienced?

BB: Not being from Chicago and not watching baseball — I liked to play it and I was pretty good as a kid. I made the All-Star team once (laughs). But I really had no idea what to expect. One day I went to Wrigley to start and I was thinking, “I’m going to Wrigleyville, this is going to be interesting.” But once I started meeting people and telling them what I was doing, people were really open. One guy who lived across the street let me stay with him with my equipment for the whole series. It was cool. Stereotypes I thought were in my head, were defied. It’s much more than getting drunk and debauchery. There’s this whole beautiful thing going on. I learned something from that whole experience. And then on the south side it’s a completely different feel. More family oriented. More calm. More people barbequing and playing cornhole, but its such a contrast.

RLR: When you switch between Wrigley Field and U.S. Cellular, you can see a stark difference in not only the stadiums, but the traditions that take place in and around the game and throughout the film they’re sort of juxtaposed against each other. What about these traditions stood out to you?

BB: It wasn’t about the specific neighborhoods; it was about Chicago and the baseball fan culture. I was comparing and contrasting, but at the end of the day, everyone’s the same, everyone is a Chicagoan. It felt like it flowed so well, at least as far as the structure. I didn’t want to narrate the film because it’s not my place to narrate it. I don’t really root for either team. So for me I tried to be as unbiased as possible.

The similarity is the passion between both sides for their team is the same. People would talk about being a Cubs fan, how their dad was a Cubs fans, great grandfather Cubs fan and it’s the same with the Sox. There’s this whole genealogical tie, and I thought that was really cool. To me I view the traditions as the same. As far as the neighborhoods and what they do differently has to do with the geographic tradition. There are a lot of people who go to Wrigley just to get sloshed and there are the Cubs fans that are diehard and know every statistic and it’s their love. And I saw that on both sides.

RLR: How would characterize each teams’ fans?

BB: It’s really hard to say. I don’t really believe all the stereotypes. There are Cubs fans on the South side and Sox fans in Wrigleyville. If you took a snapshot on a game night in Wrigleyville, I could see where people could easily draw their stereotypes from the drunkenness and the madness that goes on during the game and in the bars and I could see Sox fans shaking their heads saying, “They’re all frat boys. It’s terrible. I don’t believe this.” The truth is no, there really isn’t a stereotype. I could see both sides have them but I don’t view them as that.

RLR: In the beginning, the fans start as objects to admire. They’re loyal to their teams. They enjoy themselves and the game. But as the film continues they begin to look crazy. What do you think motivates this behavior that a game of baseball turns into a venue for such absurdity?

BB: That’s one thing I was going for. My idea wasn’t to appall people but it kinda turned into that. I didn’t know what to expect. I knew there was a lot of insanity but I didn’t think it would come unglued like that.

It’s not even about baseball. It is but it isn’t. It’s kinda about people’s leisure time.

RLR: Let’s talk about the scene where the guy in the Sox hat gets thrown out of the game, nearly gets in a fight and then police have to use force to take him into custody. As you’re making this documentary, you’re probably praying for a moment like this. When it finally came, what was your reaction?

BB: I actually didn’t shoot that scene. My friend captured that one. But shortly after that he was like “You’re not going to believe what I got.” We would go hours without anything interesting and then suddenly there’s this heightened spike. But that scene was pretty incredible. Most incredible was that the cop was kinda just sitting there and not doing anything, he’s kinda chicken shit to get in there to break it up. He’s just spectating because he couldn’t get in there. He had to call backup in there to calm everyone down.

RLR: What do you think drives a fan to that point?

BB: I guess passion for your team and alcohol. For the most part the rivalry is in good spirits on both sides. There are people who get out of control. I definitely think that the rivalry does heighten that. Would that have happened if it was the Sox playing Brewers, would that same thing have happened or is it the fact that it was at Wrigley Field? For all I know maybe he lived in Wrigleyville. I can’t really tell his perspective because I’m not that guy, but I can definitely say that passion for his team and alcohol.

RLR: Was this behavior more common among Sox fans or Cubs fans?.

BB: It’s pretty split. The behavior was really on both ends. I can’t really say one was worse or better than the other. I think its just passion that drives people to that point. I’m passionate about filmmaking, some people are passionate about their sports teams. Then again, I don’t know if I could get in a fight with another filmmaker (laughs).

RLR: Do you think some fans go to a game trying to get into a fight with fans of the opposite team?

BB: I think they’d fight anyone. I think they’d fight the bus driver. If you have the intentions to fight you have the intention to fight. If you perceive the other team as wronging you in your mind then you’re going to get in a fight. You’re going to get those kinds people all the time.  I think people do go out looking for violence, but that doesn’t reflect the overall game itself. Although it would be pretty interesting if that’s what it was. I’m sure people would watch that.

RLR: (laughs) Just a show about fans of different teams fighting instead of showing the actual game?

BB: (laughs) Yea I’d definitely watch that.

RLR: Has your opinion of Chicago baseball fans changed through this documentary?

BB: Yea. I went into it with no idea and came out with an idea of the fans. I think they’re spectacular. To have an allegiance so passionate that goes back for generations in your family, it’s just a really awesome feeling of camaraderie. It brings the city together. I didn’t really understand its intensity when it first started. I never really saw six games and go on both sides and meet all these amazing people. Of course I got the ruffians and the guys starting fights. It was a part of the whole experience. As a filmmaker you try to get a fair assessment of the experience, so you mix the good with the bad. But I wish there was that kind of camaraderie and enthusiasm and it could be applied it to everything.

RLR: How much do you think the camera incited the reactions you got?

BB: It definitely happened. A lot of it is a fly on the wall, but for some reason people are attracted to the idea of being captured on a camera. Maybe in people’s minds they think they’ll get noticed like American Idol. We’ve arrived in this time in our culture where it’s about me and getting on video. There’s a guy right off the bat and he’s trying to get me to film him and says “Put me on video, I’m the wildest mother fucker. I got kicked out and the game didn’t even start yet.” That was really interesting. Some people would ham it up more but for the most part people approached me. I didn’t go up to them and be like “I’m making this documentary, want to get in it.” It was like “What are you doing with that camera?”

There was a point where the camera guy was kinda scared. There was a heard of people and these kids were trying to take a picture and suddenly people were slowly rushing toward the camera and then all these people are trying to crush the camera and singing “Go Cubs Go.” And my friends was like “I didn’t’ know what has happening. I just kept the camera going.” It’s really one of the most intense moments in the whole movie.

RLR: How do you think non-Chicago baseball fans will view the rivalry after seeing this?

BB: I think they’ll view it as an interesting snapshot of a particular time in Chicago history. From an anthropological standpoint, it’s interesting in itself. So I think they may view it as ridiculous. Different types of people are going to see this in different ways. Like my sister doesn’t get it at all. She doesn’t understand Chicago culture. She thought it was interesting seeing how it was constructed but didn’t get it. But then I had people who thought it was an interesting journey to see this moment in time when both teams were in first place and politically, we have the presidential race going on. You can see all these remnants going on in our culture in 2008, like when Ronnie Woo Woo says “Obama 08!” It’s not a movie about the history of the rivalry, it’s a time capsule of where it was in 2008.

It really depends on what kind of lens you view it through. On one side you can see it from a cultural perspective. I went into it thinking about National Geographic and that kind of style. Then there’s the fact that these are like America’s team. Across the board, if you’re a baseball fan I think you’re going to like the film. There’s that rivalry between Boston in New York that’s insane and someone who lives in New York watched this and said it was more insane than Boston-New York.

I think it translates and I did make it with that intention, for baseball fans who I think will really dig this as kind of a blooper real for fans. But it’s also interesting just to see it from a cultural perspective. I showed it at my school and they don’t really care about baseball, and they thought it was really interesting.

While perusing the World Wide Internet, I stumbled across this site called “The Facebook.” It’s a really interesting concept. It combines a picture of your face with a book about you. I’m not sure if it’ll catch on, but if it does watch out, America!

Anywho, there’s a Cubs fan page on The Facebook, in which fans of the Cubs can write things about the Cubs. Like Rodney Stevens who wrote “ill be at the game tonight rooting for the cubbies!” You go, Rodney! Or Steve Toomey who said “The Cubs suck! 101 years and counting! HAHAHAHAHA! FUCK THE CUBS!” Haha, those crazy Cubs fan.

I also found a post by Bryan Bankovich, who soiled the wall with a well-placed and intriguing advertisement. Boo spamming. Bryan’s post was about his documentary on the 2008 Crosstown Classic aptly titled “A Crosstown Classic Story” which will soon be released. I decided to call Bryan and yell at him for abusing The Facebook and using it to create interest in his product. But Bryan turned out to be a pretty interesting guy and the idea for his documentary was right up this blog’s alley. So I decided to interview him instead.

You have that to look forward to early next week. In the meantime, below I’ve posted a trailer for the documentary. The film is in the cinema verite genre in that its a series of video vignettes. It focuses on the fan culture created by the rivalry and anyone who has been to or observed a Cubs-Sox game will find the stark images familiar, hilarious and, at times, disturbing. Highly entertaining, it’ll be a must-see for any Cubs or Sox fan.

Zambrano steams as Sox, Danks blank Cubs / nwi.com

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With the Windy City Series coming to an end, Ozzie Guillen took one more jab at the Cubs. Paul Sullivan noted how attendance at U.S. Cellular was much higher compared to the previous series in which the best team in baseball, the Dodgers, were in town. Ozzie didn’t shy from the question.

So the Sox need the Cubs to help them draw fans? White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was asked why attendance was so low at the Sox-Dodgers series, and said: “Because our fans are not stupid like Cubs fans. They know we’re (expletive).”

Guillen said Cubs fans will go watch any game at Wrigley Field because “Wrigley Field is just a bar.”

At least he’s honest?

It’s hard to take issue with this because he bashes his own team as well. But there are two things that are bothersome. 1) Ozzie defended all his Wrigley hating earlier this month by saying he never made disrespectful comments about the fans, players or the franchise. He definitely crossed that line here. 2) Let’s say it’s true that there are a lot of people that go to Cubs games just for the experience/to drink heavily and don’t know much about baseball. Let’s say that number is as high as 1 in 5 people at the stadium (which it’s not). The average attendance at Wrigley last year was more than 40,000. Even if you remove all those “stupid” fans, the Cubs would still have 32,000 people at the game. That’s still more than the White Sox would normally draw.

Lou Piniella was much more eloquent when discussing what impact the Cubs traveling fans have on ballpark attendance.

“You know what? We went to Detroit, in Michigan, and we lost three ballgames. But you know what? There were 42,000 people at the ballpark everyday, and it was great for the economy. It was great for the restaurants, It was great for the people who worked at the ballpark. It was great for the people who sold products there. We lost baseball games, but it was good for the economy in general. And here- look what the City Series does over here.”

Cubs fans may be stupid, but they’re also everywhere. Even in your house, Ozzie.

Saturday’s game saw a lot of big hitting and a lot of bad baseball.  Who’s most to blame for the Cubs’ loss?  Who did the most he could to shoot the Sox in the foot?

White Sox

Alexei Ramirez had two errors (one of which Lou Piniella thought should have counted as a hit) and Gordon Beckham another, but they can be forgiven for their clutch hitting.

The White Sox’s Daily Goat for June 27 is none other than supposed ace Mark Buehrle.  Mark, we’re sorry you couldn’t make it yesterday.  Hopefully we’ll see you the next time you start.  Buehrle gave up three earned runs in five and two thirds innings, but what made his day especialy bad was his fifth inning balk that sent Alfonso Soriano from second to third.  When Soriano crossed the plate, he gave the Cubs a 3-2 advantage.  But what made this balk special was that first baseman Paul Konerko was further off the bag than the baserunner.

Mark Buehrle, congratulations.  You’re the White Sox Daily Goat.

Cubs

On Friday, Jake Fox went 2-4 with a bomb homer off a fat Jose Contreras pitch, deep into left field.  Saturday Fox couldn’t find deep left, but he found deep center.  Five times.  None of them deep enough.  “Fox hits it deep to center – back goes Wise – back – back – makes the catch.”  Five times.  At least he was consistent.  Fox has shown promise as a Cub, but as a five-time loser, he’s the North Sider’s Daily Goat for Saturday.

Beckham delivers game-winning hit to beat Cubs / nwi.com

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RECAP – Cubs 7, Sox 8

Scott Podsednik had a career-high four hits, but in the end Gordon Beckham got the biggest face full of shaving cream after his game-winning two-out hit in the bottom of the ninth.  The White Sox tied this series 1-1 and their season series with the Cubs 2-2 in a gritty 8-7 contest that saw nine ties or lead changes.

“I had a feel for what [Cubs pitcher José Ascanio] was throwing,” Beckham said of his big hit in the post-game press conference.  “What a moment.”

After the Cubs blanked the top of the first, Podsednik hit a lead-off double and scored two batters later when Dye knocked a double of his own.

Then things got crazy.

The White Sox got ahead.  The Cubs tied it.  Then the Cubs got ahead.  Then the Sox got ahead.  Cubs got ahead.  Sox tied it.  Cubs got ahead.  Sox tied it.

Though the Sox outhit the Cubs 14-9, the North Siders were helped by two Alexei Ramirez errors (one of which Lou Piniella said should have been a hit) and a Mark Buehrle balk.  Without those and Beckham’s throwing error in the third, there never would have been a bottom of the ninth inning.

A.J. Pierzynski, who grounded into a rare 3-2-3 double play with the bases loaded and one out Friday, took advantage of a two-out bases loaded situation today.  The catcher hit a single to right field, scoring two runners and giving the Sox a 5-3 lead in the fifth.

White Sox notes

• The Sox have made 12 errors in their last seven games.
• Bobby Jenks earned his first interleague win with a ninth inning non-save appearance.
• Podsednik is hitting .346 (47-136).
• A.J. Pierzynski is hitting .330 (32-97) in his last 27 gaes.

Cubs notes

• The Cubs have lost five of their last six games.
• Ryan Dempster has not won on the road in his last eight tries.  The last was April 12 at Milwaukee.
• After only two blown saves in 2008, Carlos Marmol suffered his fourth of the season.
• Derrek Lee has reached base safely in 34 of his last 36 games, hitting .341 (47-138) in that span.

RECAP: Cubs 5, White Sox 4

Randy Wells earned his second career victory on Friday as the Cubs snapped their four game losing streak beating the Sox 5-4. All five of the Cubs runs came via the long ball. Jake Fox hit a two run blast in the fourth inning, and Geovany Soto added a three run home run in the seventh. Kevin Gregg earned his 12th save on the year.

The game marks the first loss for Jose Contreras since returning from the minor leagues. He pitched into the eighth inning striking out eight giving up four earned runs and walking one. Matt Thornton pitched a scoreless 1 2/3 innings.

Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome clubbed solo shots. Thome added a two run double in the eighth inning. Sean Marshall got AJ Pierzynski to ground into a key double play in the eighth, ending a strong Sox rally.

Milton Bradley was replaced by Ryan Freel in the sixth inning. Paul Sullivan reported that the story did not end there:

After flying out in his last at-bat Friday in the sixth inning, Milton Bradley threw his helmet in the Cubs dugout and took after the Gatorade cooler. Manager Lou Piniella then followed Bradley to the tunnel leading to the clubhouse, where the two exchanged angry words.

Sullivan also reported than Bradley was seen in street cloths headed to the players parking lot during the game.

The crowd of 39,015 marks the first sellout the White Sox have had since Opening Day on April 7th.

The Cubs improve their record to .500, three games behind St. Louis. The Sox drop to six and a half games out of first place. The crosstown classic continues tomorrow at 3:05 when Mark Buehrle (7-2) will meet Ryan Dempster (4-5).

PREVIEW – Cubs vs Sox; Series tied 1-1

And so begins round two of the Crosstown Classic.

Since the Cubs and Sox split a rain-shortened series just more than a week ago, the two teams seem to have gone in complete opposite directions. After taking all three games against the Indians, the Cubs have lost four in a row, including a demoralizing sweeping at the hands of the mighty Tigers. The Sox, however, have won back-to-back series capped by taking two-of-three from baseball’s best Los Angeles Dodgers at home. The recent surge is especially uplifting for the Sox, who were 16-18 at U.S. Cellular heading into this homestand. The only downside for the Sox was that they actually lost two games on the Tigers because of the Brewers’ and Cubs’ successive pathetic performances in Detroit.

But it’s still June and both teams are in the hunt, especially the Cubs who despite their woes are still only 3.5 games behind the Cardinals. Could a big series win give either a team a boost before the All-Star break? Of course. Is it likely? Meh. They’re both playing so inconsistently, it’s not really probable. As pointed out by Phil Rogers, neither team has more than a 22-percent chance of making the playoffs.

So enjoy the next three days because they may determine bragging rights when both teams are thinking about 2010 in October.

Here’s a breakdown of the history of the series, with an emphasis on games played at U.S. Cellular.

• Since interleague play began in 1997, the series is even at 34 games apiece, and the White Sox have outscored the Cubs by three runs, 332-329 The Sox hold the series lead at U.S. Cellular at 19-14.
• The Sox have won four of the last five games by a 30-16 margin after the Cubs had won six ina row and nine of the previous 10 dating back to the 2006 season.
• The teams split a pair of games at Wrigley Field last week, with the Sox winning, 4-1, on June 17 and the Cubs rallying from a 5-1, eighth inning deficit to post a 6-5 win in the second game. The opener was rained out, the first postponement in series history.
• The Sox have won four of the last five games and are 8-4-1 in the last 13 series.
• The Sox have won eight of the 11 series at U.S. Cellular Field, with the only losses coming in 1999, 2005 and 2007.
  Each team has recorded one sweep at U.S. Cellular Field: the Cubs in 2007 and the Sox in 2008. The Sox have been in position to sweep the Cubs at the Cell six times but have won only one of the finales.
• The Cubs six-game winning streak from 2007-08 was the longest by either side in the series.
• The Sox have posted three, three-game winning streaks at home, most recently their current run. The Cubs have posted a series-best, four-game winning streak at U.S. Cellular Field spanning 2006-07.
  15 of the 68 games have been decided in the final at-bat, most recently the Cubs 6-5 win on June 18.

Series pitching probables:

Friday, 3:05 p.m. — Randy Wells (1-3, 2.57) vs. Jose Contreras (2-6, 5.23)
Saturday, 3:05 p.m. — Ryan Dempster (4-5, 3.83) vs. Mark Buehrle (7-2, 3.17)
Sunday, 1:05 p.m. — Carlos Zambrano (4-2, 3.48) vs. John Danks (5-6, 4.43)

NOTES — White Sox

Mark Gonzales brings us some more disdain of Wrigley Field, apparently the bane of Ozzie Guillen’s existence.

“I think if you stop outside in the parking lot and ask any Cub member, whoever covers the Cubs, whether they want to come here or there and I’m pretty sure they’re going to say here because of the ballpark,” Guillen said Thursday. “The facility is better.

“I bet they have a golf cart for [manager] Lou Piniella to go from the clubhouse to his car. We can’t deny it. Our facility is better, it’s more comfortable.”

Mark Buehrle even got in on the action, adding some flavor to the rivalry with this nugget:

“I mean I can’t speak for them (critics of Wrigley), but I dislike Wrigley that much,” Buehrle told Dan McNeil on the Danny Mac Show on WSCR-AM 670. “I joked around with somebody the other day, saying I don’t know if I could even sign with the (St. Louis) Cardinals, as much as everybody knows one day I want to play for the Cardinals.

“I don’t know if I could because that means I’d have to go to Wrigley three times, and that’s how much I hate going over there.”

Wrigley may well be the most fun place to watch a game for fans. But working there is another story, for players and media alike. The visitors clubhouse has a small table with six folding chairs for players to eat at. If you don’t get a seat there, you eat with the food on your lap. (Don’t mistake these comments for pity — the players get catered meals from P.F. Chang’s and other great places).The condition of the training areas and equipment are also well below average.

Unless a reporter is looking to specifically talk to a certain player, he or she is supposed to pretty much stay out of the way of the players, which is fair. They deserve their private space.

But everyone is in everyone else’s space at Wrigley. There’s no avoiding it. Could you imagine doing a crowded interview around a certain player and having Bartolo Colon changing clothes right on top of you?

And yes, it is as horrible as it sounds.

There is a long, winding tunnel that leads from the clubhouse to the dugout. With each turn you hope and pray that it will be the last, but it seems to never end. On the right side, just before getting out to the dugout, you pass a urinal and small sink dug into the concrete wall. Until last week, I’d never actually seen it in use.

I wish I could still say the same.

CCO Radio…Talkin& Cubs Before the Crosstown Classic …

CCO Radio…Talkin& Cubs Before the Crosstown Classic. By Neil on June 15, 2009 0 Vote 0 Votes. After struggling to score runs over the weekend and letting go of Gerald Perry on Sunday, the Cubs spend a day off before welcoming Ozzie …

It&s Crosstown Classic Time Again. Once again, it&s that time of the year that seems to matter most to casual Chicago baseball fans. Cubs vs. Sox. This year, for some unknown reason, the games are in the middle of the week. …

It&s Crosstown Classic Time Again. Once again, it&s that time of the year that seems to matter most to casual Chicago baseball fans. Cubs vs. Sox. This year, for some unknown reason, the games are in the middle of the week. …

It&s Crosstown Classic Time Again. Once again, it&s that time of the year that seems to matter most to casual Chicago baseball fans. Cubs vs. Sox. This year, for some unknown reason, the games are in the middle of the week. …

It&s Crosstown Classic Time Again. Once again, it&s that time of the year that seems to matter most to casual Chicago baseball fans. Cubs vs. Sox. This year, for some unknown reason, the games are in the middle of the week. …

Local media don’t consolidate baseball broadcasts for the crosstown series.  But a kid can dream, can’t he?  The slow-firing neurons that hired Hawk Harrelson and Ron Santo in the first place probably wouldn’t see any problem in pairing them.  Here, then, in an alternate universe so bad it’s good, is their first on-air interview.

Hawk:  Dadgummit, we’ve got Ozzie Guillen here today, whose White Sox lost 7-6 yesterday to the Cubs.

Ron:  Ohhhhhhhhh yeah!

Hawk:  I’m being told the actual score was 6-5.  Dadgum numbers.

Ron:  Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Hawk:  The Cubs trailed by nine but came back to win.

Ron:  Yes!  That’s – yeah!  Yeeeeaaaahhhhh!  Cubbies yeah!

Hawk:  I’m being told the Cubs only trailed by four.  But this just a day after the Sox handed the Cubs a 10-0 defeat.

Ron:  Ohhhhhhhhhhhh.  Oh noooooooooo, ohhhhhhhh.

Hawk:  Sorry, it was 4-1.  Jim Bob Tomgummit.

Ron:  Gaaaaaaaah whoaaaaaaaaa hey awwwwwwww ohhhhhhhh.

Hawk:  Here to shine some light on the situation is the dang tootlingest best manager in baseball -

Ron:  Muh?

Hawk: – Ozzie Guillen, who’s skippered the White Sox the past hundred an’ seventy five years.

Ron:  Mawwwwwwwwwwww.

Ozzie:  Guhtuhbeehuh.

Hawk:  Good to have you.

Ron:  Your team looked ready to pull off another big win yesterday, but then poor fielding in key spots and clutch Cubs hitting turned things around.

Ozzie:  Whasyourquestion?

Ron:  I guess what I’m asking is, boy, the Cubs sure got some runs, huh?  Yeeeeaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!  They were hitting the balls with their bats and yeah Cubbies!

Ozzie:  Weneebetterreliefpishing.

Hawk:  A total of 17 Sox pitchers gave up 42 runs in the 9th inning yesterday.  Don’t that just beat all?

Ozzie:  Sorianoagoodplayer,weneetadobetterindafuture.

Hawk:  What gosh darn rootin’ tootin’ changes ya gonna make for the series at U.S. Cellular in 129 weeks?

Ozzie:  Joomeaninoneweek?

Hawk:  Sorry, I always get those doggonnit numbers confused.

Ron:  Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Hawk:  Well, Ozzie Guillen, I’m being told we’ve exceeded our 4,312-minute limit for this interview, so we have to thank you for your time, dungboobit.

Ozzie:  Janoprolem.

Ron:  Buhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Hawk:  “Buh” means “thank you.”

Ron:  Unnnnnnnggggggg.

Hawk:  Not now, you just went 15 minutes ago.

Ozzie:  Ihatogonow.

Hawk:  That’s it for us.  Be sure to tune in tomorrow when we cover all 5 million Chicago baseball teams, as always.

Ron:  Fffffffttttttt.

Hawk:  TWO teams.  Two teams.  Until then, have a dadgum darn okie-colloquialistic super dang dootly spootly tootly night.

*End Credits*

Ron:  Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

ANALYSIS – Cubs

A day after Lou Pinella threatened to drop Alfonso Soriano in the lineup, the free-swinging left fielder not only got two hits for the first time since May 17, he also got the game-winning RBI.

Just when I thought you couldn’t possibly be any worse, you go and do something like this … and totally redeem yourself!

Or not.

Before anyone starts to forgive the atrocities he committed on the baseball diamond this past month, let’s remember a few things:

1. .154/.230/.275 — that’s Soriano’s batting line in the last 28 days.
2. When leading off an inning, Soriano has reached base just 35 times in 119 plate appearances for a .294 OBP (his career OBP is just .338. in these situations).
3. Soriano has struck out a team high 68 times. He only has 57 hits on the season.

This hasn’t just been a slump. Soriano has seen his batting average fall from .313 on Arpil 28 to .225. He has one 3-hit game this entire season. The only thing that suggests today’s performance was the end of a very, very bad string of the 2009 campaign was that Soriano has never had a season this bad. He may not be a leadoff hitter; he may never be as good as he was with the Nationals in 2006. But the type of regression he’s had this season is David Ortiz-like. There’s more than a chance that Soriano will bounce back and start to produce at a far more respectable level.

Until then, though, Lou can’t read too much into what happened today. The Cubs can’t wait any longer for Soriano to find his swing and he needs to be benched or at least dropped in the lineup. There are plenty of players not playing up to their potential, but Soriano is the lead off hitter. He needs to get on base, take pitches, put the Cubs in a position to score runs. Instead, innings usually start with one less out, or, on the rare occassion, the useless solo shot followed by no production for the rest of the game.

If his knee really is an issue, as has been the speculation, he is not helping the Cubs by playing through it. The Cubs would be much better off giving Soriano time on the DL and playing Jake Fox in left. Getting a 100 percent Soriano down the stretch is far more beneficial than whatever sliver of himself he’s displaying day in and day out.

Cubs fans can celebrate the win today. They can hope Soriano’s performance today is more than just a glimpse of his capabilities and is the start of a big turnaround.

But I wouldn’t count on it.

The Sox topped the Cubs 4-1 on Wednesday behind John Danks’ strong pitching.  Tribune, Sun-Times, Daily Herald, AP.

35th Street Rundown

Dan McGrath writes about the Sox’s use of “small ball” to win on Wednesday.  Rick Telandar talks about how the “little guys” carried the offense.

Joe Cowley looks at the production from the young hitters in the Sox lineup. Gordon Beckham has apparently got himself out of his slump.

Paul Konerko does not agree with the way the Sammy Sosa story has been handled, writes Cowley.

Want to hear more Ozzie comments on Wrigley?  Look no further.

White Sox relief pitcher Matt Thornton and rookie Gordon Beckham both support Chicago hosting the 2016 Olympic Games, writes Mark Gonzales.

The Sox are looking for a two-game sweep on Thursday.  Dave van Dyck previews the match up.

Addison Street Rundown

Hadn’t the Cubs already tried to shake things up?  Rick Morrissey says it needs to be done again. Piniella says those changes may come.  Wayne Drehs believes a major change is needed.

Patrick Sullivan of Baseball Analysts responds to Dan McGrath’s belief that the Sox have a better chance than the Cubs to make the playoffs.

Ryan Dempster continues to attend to his ill daughter, writes Drehs.  Tuesday night’s rainout allowed him to spend more time away from the park.

The staff of the Daily Herald adds some notes to Wednesday’s round one battle.

The Associated Press is reporting the deal to sell the Cubs is still on.

The Pedro Martinez rumors continue, writes Paul Sullivan.

Danks keeps Cubs on ice in White Sox win / nwi.com

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ANALYSIS — White Sox

First of all, let me just say that I am not 100 percent sure that Ozzieball ever really existed.

I know what Ozzieball is supposed to be, of course:  Just small ball as executed by the White Sox. But the South Siders have never really been a small ball team under Ozzie, even in 2005 when they hit 200 homers, fourth most in the league that year.

But there is something refreshing about seeing the Sox playing Ozzieball at this exact moment, beating the Cubs 4-1 in the first game of the Crosstown Classic at Wrigley. Playing in front of the most voracious crowd they’ve seen or likely will see, Guillen had his club playing the way a team should play in a National League park.

Here’s a summation, as written by good guy Scott Merkin:

There was great pitching, supported by almost airtight defense. And while the scoring started for the White Sox on Alexei Ramirez’s sixth home run coming in the first inning off of Ryan Dempster (4-4), it was the baseball intangibles that really made the difference.

A hit-and-run. A perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Scott Podsednik. Young guys at the bottom of the order, such as Chris Getz and Gordon Beckham, producing on the biggest stage they will face outside of the playoffs. This effort all added up to the White Sox third straight win, their eighth win in their last 10 road games and their fourth consecutive victory over the Cubs (30-31), dating back to a three-game sweep at U.S. Cellular last year.

I don’t like the connection implied with the word “intangibles” but I get what Merkin is saying here.  It was a different brand of baseball, one marked by smarts and selflessness.

I’ve never been entirely pro-Ozzieball, but when the alternative isn’t working, all the more power to Ozzie for finding a way to win.

Some quotes from Merkin:

“I was so antsy, so excited we actually called a squeeze and I’m involved,” said a smiling Getz, who was halfway home before Podsednik made contact. “Stuff like that is fun.”

“Ozzie told me to be ready for it and continue to look for it,” said Podsednik of the bunt. “It’s just a matter of executing. He calls it up and I have to go out there and try to execute and that’s what we kind of haven’t been doing in previous serious, situational hitting, so it was nice to execute a couple of runs.”

From the sound of those quotes, it seems like the White Sox are having fun. And it’s when teams are having fun that they play their best baseball. That –not Ozzieball — is what, to me, defined the 2005 season.

As I suggested in my preview of the series two days ago, the Crosstown Classic seems like an opportunity for one of these struggling teams to turn over a new leaf this year.

Of course, it could all be for nothing if Carlos Zambrano blanks the Sox on Thursday. It’ll be interesting to see if Ozzieball returns to the fore. I, for one, hope it does.

RECAP – Sox 4, Cubs 1; Series record Sox 1, Cubs 0

Whether it was the cloudy skies, the two days of rest for both teams, or the fact two very bad offenses were playing, but the highly anticipated start to the Cubs-Sox series had all the excitement of a major on the Senior PGA tour.

The Sox took game one of the Crosstown Classic in a non-dramatic 4-1 win at Wrigley. Obviously without his best stuff, Ryan Dempster continued to be the model of consistency, lasting into the seventh inning for the 12th time this season and allowing just three earned runs despite walking six. John Danks looked more like his 2008 self than he has in a long time, but whether that can be attributed to a superb performance or the offense he was facing is up in the air. Cubs were just that bad.

The Cubs were not without opportunities though, they just failed to execute in critical situations, whereas the White Sox capitalized on and early lead and excellent game management. Twice in the game, Ozzie looked to get the best of the Cubs, calling for a suicide squeeze in the seventh to give the Sox a 3-0 lead, and a well-timed hit and run put them in position to score their fourth. It put the Cubs in a hole too big to climb out of, despite having two runners on base with no outs twice in the game.

Other than the squeeze play, the Sox also failed to take advantage of runners in scoring position, going 1-for-7 on the day. The Cubs were just that much worse though, tallying only five hits on the day, none of which came with a runner on second or third base.

To his credit, Danks was effective with his change up and was able to force the Cubs to ground into double plays in crucial points in the game (the Cubs have also grounded into 46 double plays on the season). The only run he allowed came on a groundout by Alfonso Soriano.

Unlikely heroes were the source of run production from the Sox hitters. Alexei Ramirez hit a pitch way up in the strike zone for a solo home run to open the scoring in the first, just his sixth dinger of the year. Brian Anderson then scored from first on a Chris Getz broken-bat triple in the second. For the most part, though, the Sox lineup wasn’t overpowering. Then again, they didn’t have to be.

Game two is tomorrow at 1:20. Gavin Floyd will take the mound for the Sox, while Carlos Zambrano will handle the pitching duties for the Cubs. Both have been very good in the last month, however, Floyd has had difficulty on the road for much of this season. Still, with the Cubs bats struggling to make contact with baseball-like objects, the Sox could easily walk away Sunday 2-0 at Wrigley.

Isn’t “madness” defined as doing the same thing over and over while each time expecting a different result? Someone should tell this to Cubs fans.

Each baseball season I’m astounded by the sight of untold numbers of people who fall into a predictable line to shower their love — and money — all over the hapless Chicago Cubs. No matter what the Cubs did the year before, Wrigley Field draws the faithful by the thousands game after game after game.

What sort of squad would the Cubs organization have to field to finally repel its legions of fans? Do these people have a discernible threshold of pain? Certainly, proffering a team whose history doesn’t even rise to the level of mediocrity hasn’t doused their devotion.

Those of us who are White Sox fans, by contrast, employ a carrot-and-stick approach. When the team does well, we’re happy to fill the stands. But when the team does poorly, many seats remain empty.

Garbage in, garbage out. If the Sox organization wants to roll around in dough, fine. Put something on the field that’s worth cheering. Otherwise, forget it.

A former co-worker berated Sox fans in 2003 for our fickleness about attending home games. True sports fans come to the games whatever is happening on the field, he said.

That year he saw his beloved Cubs come within a few outs of making it to the World Series — but then came the Bartman Ball and the collapse of the dream. Two seasons later, I took great delight in watching the Sox parade through downtown Chicago with their World Series trophy. Ah, it’s wonderful being proved right.

But Cubs fans still don’t get it. Among professional baseball, basketball, football and hockey teams in the United States, no squad has a longer streak of not winning a championship than do the Cubs. So that makes the Cubs not merely the laughing stock of Major League Baseball, they’re the worst team in the history of American sports. Now that’s an accomplishment!

So the rabid commitment that fans have for the Cubs is very bewildering. You’d think these people would catch on after a few decades that the Cubs are in a league of their own when it comes to utter futility, but not winning the World Series for the past century simply hasn’t daunted these individuals.

Perhaps that’s the problem — Cubs fans don’t realize that winning the league title is the objective of every professional sports teams. If this is the case, it would explain why they continue to throw money hand over fist at a team that has made its fans look like bigger losers than the players are. What other reason could there be?

My only other working theory is that Cubs fans know they should root for a team that has even a slim chance of winning a championship sometime while they’re alive, but sadly they’re caught in a vicious cycle.

They’re stunned that they somehow were trapped into rooting for the worst team in sports history, but they can’t stop. If they do, they’ll have to confront why they’ve wasted so much time and energy supporting such a squad.

To stave off being overwhelmed by such horror, Cubs fans live in denial. They decide that if they devote themselves even more to the team, this will push the Cubs over the edge of a league championship next year. But once the Cubs falter at the end of every season (as they have for 100 years), fans confront either admitting they’ve been wrong all these years or denying that the Cubs are a complete waste of space.

This denial pushes fans to increase their devotion, once again believing this is the key to the success that continues to elude the Cubs. So anything sporting Cubbie blue becomes the object of desire for these wretched souls. And when the new season opens, look out.

It’s sad, really, to see these people delude themselves year after year. If only there were some kind of intervention available. It pains me to consider that these poor sports fans will end up bitter, angry individuals when they eventually face their mortality sometime in their lives and realize they’ve been had by their favorite team.

Being a Cubs fans is to suffer from some sort of disease, and it’s rampant. To commemorate tonight’s opening of the annual Crosstown Classic between the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs, my company allowed us to come to work dressed in sports apparel promoting our favorite team. And judging by what I’ve seen, most sports fans in my newsroom are in for a life of misery.

OK, it’s not like rooting for the White Sox has been all that much better. But when I go to my eternal rest, I’ll bask in the glow of knowing that my favorite baseball team — at least once — won the World Series in my lifetime. How any Cubs fans are there who will never be able to make a similar claim?

I don’t hate Cubs fans; I pity them. But aside from speaking truth to power, what else can I do?

We’ll be opening up discussion each day of the Cubs/Sox series to hear your thoughts. Feel free to comment below, respond to each other, talk shit, brag, cry, complain, make excuses or sing “Kumbaya.” Annnnd go.

PREVIEW — White Sox at Cubs

And so begins the annual tradition aptly titled the Crosstown Classic.

A season ago, both the Cubs and the White Sox were in first place when the Classic started on June 20. The Sox held a four game lead in the American League Central and the Cubs were 3 1/2 up in the National League Central.

Of course, that was big news at the time; the series had extra special ramifications for both teams.

The storyline is just a bit different in 2009. The White Sox, four games below .500 and 4 1/2 in back of first, are at a crossroads. Kenny Williams and company seem unsure which direction to take the club. Personnel-wise, the White Sox are not much different than their 2008 counterpart that won the division after a one-game playoff with the Twins. On the field, though, the South Siders don’t even come close to resembling their past self.

The Cubs, on the other hand, can’t seem to get any sort of rhythm going. Jim Hendry relieved hitting coach Gerald Perry of his duties in an effort to enliven the club’s dormant offense. Like the White Sox, the Cubs personnel hasn’t changed enough to warrant such a decrease in performance. Especially considering they don’t have nearly the age issues the Sox do.

Despite each team’s struggles, both are still very much in the hunt for their respective divisions. And the Crosstown Classic has been suitably timed to jumpstart the season of whichever team emerges victorious.

With that in mind, let’s hit the bullet points:

• Since interleague play began in 1997, the series is even at 33 games apiece, and the White Sox have outscored the Cubs by one run (323-322). Both teams are 19-14 at home.
• The Sox have won three straight games by a 21-9 margin after the Cubs had won six in a row and nine of the previous 10 dating back to the 2006 season.
• The Sox and Cubs both were in first place at the start of each of their 2008 series for the first time in the history of the rivalry.
• Fourteen of the 66 games have been decided in the final at-bat, most recently the Cubs 4-3 win on June 20, 2008.
• A total of 153 players in Major League history have played for both the White Sox and Cubs. Aaron Miles of the Cubs has played on both the North and South Side. Sox television analyst Steve Stone and Sox radio analyst Darrin Jackson also played for the Sox and Cubs.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen does everything in his power to make the series an entertaining one. Here’s a couple of quotes from Ozzie on The Friendly Confines, where the first of the two series will take place:

“But one thing about Wrigley Field, I puke every time I go there. That’s just to be honest. And if Cub fans don’t like the way I talk about Wrigley Field, it’s just Wrigley Field. I don’t say anything about the fans or anything now. But Wrigley Field, they got to respect my opinion. That’s the way I feel.”

“You are going to take batting practice and the rats look bigger than a pig out there. You want to take a look? I think the rats out there are lifting weights.”

And that’s just from the last two seasons.

At the very least, the Crosstown Classic should provide us with some entertaining baseball, even if the quality isn’t the highest caliber.

So sit back and enjoy. And make sure you don’t get thrown up on — by Ozzie or a drunken fan in the bleachers.

Cubs vs White Sox!

The “Crosstown Classic” is always a fun and exciting series played each year between the Chicago Cubs vs the White Sox.  Years ago it was an annual exhibition game, since interleague play began in 1996 the White Sox and Cubs have played six games per year which count as regular season games in standings.

In the city of Chicago you are only allowed to be a Cubs fan or a White Sox fan.  That’s just how it is and to support the other side is sometimes considered an act of treason.  Who you root for is usually determined by which part of the city you grow up in: South Side means your a White Sox fan, North Side means your a Cubs fan.  There are exceptions to the rules though and fans of both teans can be found everywhere.

Let’s take a look at the schedule for this years Cubs vs White Sox Crosstown Classic.

Crosstown Classic 2009

Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs 2009 Schedule

Wrigley Field June 16, 17, 18

Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs Tickets June 16 2009 – 7:05 PM

Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs Tickets June 17 2009 – 7:05 PM

Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs Tickets June 18 2009 – 1:20 PM

Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox 2009 Schedule

US Cellular Field June 26, 27, 28

Chicago Cubs vs Chicago White Sox Tickets June 26 2009 – 3:05 PM

Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox Tickets June 27 2009 – 3:05 PM

Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox Tickets June 28 2009 – 1:05 PM

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If you’re ready to see all the action live then you should buy Crosstown Classic tickets right away before the remaining ones available for sale are gone.  There’s noting like baseball, summer and Chicago.  Add to the exciting fever pitch created by the crowds at these games and it’s going to be a blast.  It will be a game you’ll never forget.

This is going to be a short post because I really need to get to sleep…but just got back from the Crosstown Classic numero tres and CUBS WON! AGAIN! SWEEP! It was incredible…my aunt always gets the best tickets in town, and they were row 11…oh yeah, that’s ROW 11 from the third baseline, right over the Cubs dugout!!!!!!!! AMAZING. When we got there, I kept elbowing my dad being like, hey look, that’s Ramirez…right there…hehe…oh look, Dempster’s RIGHT THERE I COULD SPIT ON HIM! Amazing.

The game was alright. I mean, we did win, but it wasn’t as exciting as the last games. The ESPN camera guy was hilarious running back and forth up and down the field, then the seats, he was around us all the time, but I doubt we got on camera. Foul balls were coming our way, and people near us actually watched the game, instead of standing around, shootin the shit until the beer guy came by. Plus my aunt and cousin are White Sox fans, so it was fun to rub it in their faces.

The only indiscretion I would have to admit was the return of “Strapless in Chicago” and “Hairflip Hottie”.  Grr. Look. I am a girl. But I also like sports. Especially baseball. Especially the cubs. And yes, I know there are the “Wrigleyville Wenches and Lincoln Park Hussies” that come to the ballpark to, well, do anything but watch the game. Or they watch the game because they like guys in tight pants. But these girls….just put all us sports-loving-PJ on MY BOYS (the tv show on TBS) gals to shame. First off…WHO WEARS A STRAPLESS WHITE DRESS TO A BALLGAME?!!??!?!?!?! Seriously, the four girls were like Sex and the City girls, except much more annoying. They were like, take a picture! We’re so cute! Gag me. But they were not as bad as “Hairflip Hottie”. Not only did she flip her long hair repeatedly into my aunt’s face, but her boyfriend and her showed up in the FIFTH INNING, then preceded to make-out and have tickle wars with each other. The most hilarious part though, was when the stick returned to her seat, and I glanced over my shoulder to the rows behind us, and all the guys were just staring…I mean gawking, jaws dropped, idiotically infatuated with “Hairflip Hottie”.  Again, Gag me with my own flem.

But besides those things, the seats were fantastic, and the Cubs won…so not a bad Sunday night.  Like my shirt said: “It’s all about the baseball”.