Sunday Night Baseball: White Sox at Cubs

Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs (-155)

A pair of cross-town rivals battle under the Sunday night lights on ESPN when the White Sox taxi over to Wrigley Field to take on the Cubs on the North Side of Chicago. Let’s take a look at this matchup.

Sub central standard

On the heels of the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup, the Cubs and White Sox play in 2010 pales in comparison with both teams currently sitting mid-pack in their divisions, a collective 16.5 games behind American League Central leading Minnesota and National League Central pacesetter Cincinnati.

“I guess we’re a hockey town now,” said White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “It’s very disappointing. It’s frustrating. We thought we were good.”

The Cubs feel the same way. Manager Lou Piniella expressed his disgust on the discouraging season when he started benching his regulars.

“All we’re trying to do is create a little sense of urgency here,” Pinella said.

Meanwhile, tension grows between the front offices and the coaches.

“Some changes need to take place,” says White Sox GM Kenny Williams.

Sounds like it could be another summer of disarray for these blasé ballers from the Windy City.

Rumor central

The Cubs’ clubhouse is rumored to be a disaster right now. Word is the Latin players - specifically third baseman Aramis Ramirez and pitcher Carlos Zambrano - have completely walled themselves off from everyone.

Ramirez has completely shut down, refuses to practice, and is barely willing to take the field for games. His.168 batting average belies a $16,750,000 salary.

Despite all his struggles, the team hasn’t turned on outfielder Alphonso Soriano, who continues to work hard despite his recent woes. But the team is supposedly turning on Ramirez, because he doesn’t, and doesn’t see a problem with it.

'We haven't been playing well. We know it,'' Xavier Nady said. ''We've got to obviously turn things around sooner or later, or it's going to be a long year.''

My cup spilleth over

Making matters worse, from a public relations standpoint, these two teams are playing for the inaugural BP Crosstown Cup. The timing couldn’t be worse.

Fans at Wrigley Field let out loud boos Friday afternoon when the Cup was presented before the series opener Friday afternoon between the Cubs and the White Sox.

Another three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field is scheduled for June 25-27. The Cup goes to the series winner, or the team that takes the final game if they split the six games.

Unless an overflow of pitching and hitting suddenly oozes for one team or the other, the fans could care less about who wins the not-so-coveted BP Cup.

Hose job

Jake Peavy has made it clear that if it's a full rebuilding mode the White Sox are looking for they better count him out.

"I just want a chance to win," Peavy said. "I believe it can happen here. I'm excited to be in the situation. Nothing's changed just because we haven't played well.

"Obviously, something's got to give. We've underachieved as a team, as a whole organization."

Meanwhile, Gordon Beckham, voted the 2009 AL Rookie of the Year by his peers, continues to struggle with a .204 average, with one home run and 12 RBIs entering Friday's series opener.

"When he comes out of this, it's only going to make him better," said Ken "Hawk" Harrelson, White Sox television play-by-play man, who has closely observed Beckham for the past two seasons.

Beckham went 112 at-bats without an extra-base hit, before a double against Detroit on June 9, and had gone 170 at-bats since his lone home run of the year. He also led the White Sox with 38 strikeouts entering Friday.

"There have been a lot of rock bottoms this year. I'm like you, kind of out of answers. If there are any, come and let us know,” pleaded Paul Konerko, on all that has gone wrong for the Sox so far this season.

By the numbers

Entering this series, the Cubs were only 12-12 this season in games in which they surrendered three or fewer runs. The Cubs have 14 one-run losses and seven more by two runs.

With Friday’s win, the White Sox improved to 8-2 in its last 10 games at Wrigley.

Cubs starter Ted Lilly takes an 8-2 career team start mark against the Pale Horse into this contest. His team is also 11-1 in his last 12 home team starts during June.

The White Sox are 4-16 in Gavin Floyd’s last 20 road starts.