CHICAGO SPORTS BLOG - BASEBALL SEASON IS LONG, BUT MIGHT WE HAVE A SUBWAY SERIES IN CHICAGO?
WHO DOESN'T LOVE A CROSS-TOWN CLASSIC?
C'mon, whether you're a Cubs or Sox fan, or maybe both, you have to wonder what it would be like if the two teams squared off in a World Series. Now, being a Cubs fan, I know I'm jumping the gun here especially with 2008 being the 100-year celebration of the Cubs' last world championship. But, you can't tell me to the casual or serious Chicago baseball fan that this thought hasn't already crossed their mind.
The Sox have already positioned themselves better than most people thought with a first place lead over the Kansas City Royals by 1.5 games. The Sox record is 10-6 and puts them ahead of the two teams favored to finish ahead in preseason polls, the Cleveland Indians and the Detroit Tigers. Looking closer at these two teams, they easily have major concerns to deal with as the early season progresses and if the Sox can continue to play good ball they can make a very strong run at the American League Central.
Since last week, Sox starters have collectively been much tougher on American League hitters with Javier Vazquez and Gavin Floyd leading the charge. Vazquez now has three wins and an E.R.A. of 3.20 with just 31 base runners in 25.1 innings pitched. Gavin Floyd is 2-0 and boasts an E.R.A. of 1.40 with just 18 base runners in 19.1 innings pitched, very impressive. Floyd took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in his last start and is beginning to show the promise that the Sox hoped he would. Meanwhile, the Sox are beginning to really put very good offensive numbers on the board. The team has hit 10 homers and has 39 RBI's in the last seven games with a total of 53 hits. They are clearly an offense to be reckoned with as the season progresses.
The Cubs are playing pretty good ball too and have the benefit of competing in a weaker league and division than the Sox. The Cubs have encountered some early difficulties with the injury to Alfonso Soriano and two starters, Jason Marquis and Ted Lilly, are off to very bad starts. The Cubs are 10-6 as well and are chasing the St. Louis Cardinals by 1.5.
In the last seven games, the offense has begun to hit the ball really well. Derrek Lee has led the charge with his 11 hits, 2 homers and 6 RBI's in this stretch while Ryan Theriot has a .375 average with 9 hits including a homer, a triple, and two doubles. Mark DeRosa is hitting .368 with two homers and 7 RBI's with an on-base percentage of .500. The pitching staff has been improving with Carlos Zambrano leading the effort. Zambrano has two wins for the season and an E.R.A. of 3.04 allowing just three walks in 26.2 innings. Ryan Dempster has two wins also and an E.R.A. of 2.37 and the two together have held the starting staff together although the bullpen has been used extensively so far this year. Despite the challenges the Cubs face, they are in the mix and promise to be there for the remainder of the season.
Chicago is headed for an exciting summer of baseball and whether you root for one or both of these teams it will certainly be entertaining. These two teams could give a new meaning to the "Cross-town Classic" played in the regular season; so, time will tell if a subway series is in our future.
JEFF ARDITO & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
