For the next three days, the Chicago sports scene will experience a rarity -- Sox fans will be cheering for the Cubs.
Coming into Tuesday's action, the Sox sit in third place, five games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers in the AL Central race. The Sox have a difficult three-game set at home starting tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the NL's best team.
Almost certainly, the Sox are going to drop a game or two in this series. Therefore, all of us Sox fans are hoping the Tigers lose a game or two as well. Who is Detroit playing this week? Well, it's none other than the Cubs.
The Sox have already helped the Cubs out during this stretch of interleague play. The South Siders beat Milwaukee two out of three earlier this month. Over the weekend, the Sox took two out of three in Cincinnati, allowing the Cubs to move up to third place in the NL Central race.
Will the North Siders be as charitable to the Sox and beat the Tigers? I have my doubts. The Cubs have already lost two out of three to Minnesota in interleague action this year. One break for the Cubs this week: They'll miss Detroit ace Justin Verlander, who beat the Brewers 3-2 on Sunday.
This is probably the only time you'll ever read this sentence on this blog: Go Cubs. (Note the lack of an enthusiastic exclamation mark at the end of that sentence.)
Don't bet on the Cubs helping the teams in the AL Central.
I sure am not going to get my hopes up on the Twins gaining games in the standings this week. Right now, Detroit is doing what they have to do, which is to beat the teams in the inferior league, which is the NL. The only reason why the Cubs had success against the Indians was because the Indians stink, and Chicagoans saw it firsthand this past weekend.
The Tigers have a comfortable lead right now for what they did. The division will come down to head-to-head matchups in the division not getting help from the other team.
Oh, I'm not betting on the Cubs. The Tigers won tonight in dramatic fashion, and that's hardly surprising. Detroit is a better team than the Cubs.
The Sox are six games behind. They are too far back to win the division on head-to-head matchups. They are going to need some help. They likely won't get it from the Cubs.
Looking at the standings in the AL Central, the Tigers are up by 5 games in the division after the games were over last night. That's a good cushion for them right now, and it's a lead that can come in handy come September.
I am surprised at what the Tigers are doing now. I did not think they were going to be in first place for this long when the season started. Their starting rotation and their bullpen had issues, but so far, they have done a good job, and that's why they are in first. Plus, Leyland sure looks like he gives a damn unlike Lou, who sleeps in the bench too often.
I am glad Leyland got his extension too. He is a good manager despite what Tigers fans think, and it has showed this year.
To me, they are the surprising team of the season of all teams in what has been a medicore Major League season.
Justin Verlander has returned to 2006 form, which has been a huge key for the Tigers. Edwin Jackson has also been a great acquisition for them, although I'm skeptical that he can keep it up for a full season.
I think the big question mark for Detroit is the back end of their rotation. Bonderman and Willis are both on the shelf again. I think Rodney is the shakiest closer in the division, too, so we'll see how he holds up.