A Difference

[owensmouth]

A question asked to various reporters by the team of Mike and Mike had to do with intracity and intercity rivalries, specifically, in the day and age of free agency, do rivalries count in baseball? Do the players feel the rivalries, the ones in their league (Dodgers-Giants; Red Sox-Yankees) and the interleague (Cubs-White Sox; Yankees-Mets; Cardinals-KC; Giants-Athletics)? Or is the emotion purely on the part of the fans?

They were told repeatedly by reporters that the players saw it these games as basically, just another game against a different team than they usually play. There is more intensity among the fans, usually with a larger than normal turnout, than between the players who often know the other team members well.

The last person they spoke with was Kenny Williams. He said that the Sox players knew who they were going to play and to them the Cubs series meant a great deal. When asked what the players said, Williams couldn't comment, he said, because the FCC would get all upset. He made it clear that the White Sox were looking foreward to playing, and beating the Cubs.

Why only the Sox?

I think the White Sox players can see the double standard here in the city of Chicago. They see who's the media darlings, and who's considered the ugly stepsister. And I think they see the attitudes of their fans toward the Cubs, and that the players feed off of it.

Let's keep them going.

[Iwritecode]

I really think the only rivalry that comes close to the Cubs/Sox is the Yanks/Red Sox. Most of the other "natural" rivalries are between teams in two different cities and sometimes across the state.

Even in NY, I'm sure the Mets and Yankees fans don't get along but at least the Yankees are more popular for good reason.

Chicago is the only city were the team that has historically been worse is more popular...

[34 Inch Stick]

One thing EVERY sox fan had to appreciate about Manuel was the priority he placed on the Sox/Cubs games. He made adjustments in his pitching every year to line up his best against the Cubs. His everyday players always came out fired up in these series. Specifically Valentin and Konerko seem to have a true dislike for the northsiders.

[owensmouth]

Specifically Valentin and Konerko seem to have a true dislike for the northsiders.
Which is one of the reasons I like those two so much.

[Kadafi311]

One interesting thing I noticed prior to the last Sox/Cubs game were the pre-game interviews. They were interviewing the players asking them what they thought of their cross-town rivals.

They interviewed about 6 Cubs players who all had great things to say about Thomas, Magglio, Konerko, etc.

They interviewed 2 Sox players who really didn't have much of anything positive to say.

Now, the question is... did they interview more Cub players because they had more positive things to say... or is it the media bias striking again?

[daveeym]

This is a joke, your telling me their arent grudges and rivalries between sox/twins, sox/detroit, cubs/cards? I mean if anything it's more the nature of how quickly teams rise and fall from competing that keeps it down. If any of those teams are battling for the division it gets pretty heated.