Heating Up
Chicago, IL – There’s been plenty of animosity created on the field and off between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox in their cross-town rivalry in recent years.
Despite a win in the opener of the most recent installment between the clubs, the Cubs provided their own sideshow.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook SBG Global have made the White Sox -130 moneyline favorites for Saturday’s game against the Cubs. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 61% of more than 147 bets for this game have been placed on the White Sox -130.
Milton Bradley’s latest meltdown prompted Cubs manager Lou Piniella to send him home, but Piniella says he’ll stick with Bradley as his team continues its three-game set with the White Sox on Saturday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field.
For a rivalry that once saw a brawl when former Cub catcher Michael Barrett punched counterpart A.J. Pierzynski, and regularly features White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen disparaging Wrigley Field, there’s been no shortage of tension between the clubs separated by 13 stops on Chicago’s red line train.
Bradley, who signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Cubs (35-35) in the offseason, made his first memorable impression on the rivalry on Friday – though the White Sox (35-38) were mere onlookers.
Bradley had previously been ejected in his first game at Wrigley for arguing a called strike and earlier this month mistakenly tossed a fly ball into the bleachers with two outs and runners on. On Friday, Piniella sent Bradley away after his outfielder threw his helmet and went after a water cooler following a fly out in the top of the sixth inning.
The Cubs’ manager told Bradley to get dressed and go home, though he claimed he’d start him Saturday.
"I don’t like those things to happen, but I’m just tired of watching it,” Piniella said. "This has been a common occurrence, and I’ve looked the other way a lot and I’m tired. I’m not into discipline, I’m really not. I’m going to put his name in the lineup tomorrow and that’s it.”
With Bradley gone, it was another controversial Cub who lifted Piniella’s club to its second win in three games against the White Sox. A day after it was revealed Geovany Soto tested positive for marijuana at the World Baseball Classic, the catcher’s three-run homer in the seventh gave the Cubs a 5-4 victory.
"As soon as I come through those doors, nothing matters but the game,” said Soto, who is hitting .232 but has four of his seven homers in his last eight games. "In here, it doesn’t matter. Everything goes out the window when I step in here.”
Soto and the Cubs on Saturday will get their first look this season at Mark Buehrle (7-2, 3.17 ERA), who’s 4-4 with a 4.57 ERA in 10 starts against the North Siders and has given up five hits in 11 matchups with Derrek Lee. His last outing against them was one of his best, however, as the left-hander gave up an unearned run over seven innings in a 5-1 win at U.S. Cellular Field last June 29.
Buehrle’s latest start was similarly effective. He gave up five hits over seven shutout innings Sunday at Cincinnati, picking up his first win since May 19 in a 4-1 victory.
"Vintage Buehrle," left fielder Scott Podsednik, who struck out to end Friday’s game, told the White Sox’s official Web site. "It was big for him to go late into the game. You pretty much expect that out of this guy, to battle from pitch one."
Ryan Dempster (4-5, 3.83) will counter for the Cubs as he seeks his first win in June. He’s pitched well – posting a 2.10 ERA in four starts – but the Cubs have scored a total of five runs for him, none Monday when he gave up two runs over 6 2-3 innings.
Dempster gave up three runs over six innings – walking six – in a 4-1 loss to the White Sox on June 17. He’s 1-2 with a 6.61 ERA in three career starts against Guillen’s team.
Posted: 6/27/09 6:00AM ET