Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella should be happy that today is the same day as the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup parade. And that there’s reported in-fighting between White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen and GM Kenny Williams. Otherwise, we’d have a slow news day on our hands, and his latest rant, right before the BP Crosstown Cup, would be ubiquitous right now. I can’t find the video yet, but it will be all over YouTube soon I assure you.
By Paul M. Banks
For now here’s what was quoted by ESPN Chicago’s Jon Greenberg. (Coincidentally a guest panelist at last weekend’s Blogs with Balls 3)
Piniella unloaded on media criticism after a seemingly innocuous question about his strong rookies, and the only person he took on by name was White Sox broadcaster Steve Stone.
On June 8, Stone criticized Piniella on Comcast SportsNet for not playing rookie outfielder Tyler Colvin more.
“Because with Tyler Colvin, if you take a look at what he has accomplished in a short period of time, with limited play, you realize that he very well could be the one thing the Cubs have been looking for for six years. That’s a left-handed run producer. Colvin could be that one guy. But he can’t do it on the bench, so you make a decision that you play the guy.”
Stone said. Lou’s response:
And Steve Stone, he’s got enough problems doing what he does with the White Sox,” Piniella said in the home dugout, his voice raising. “What job has he had in baseball besides talking on television or radio? What has he done? Why isn’t he a farm director and bring some kids around? Why isn’t he a general manager? Why hasn’t he ever put the uniform on and be a pitching coach? Why hasn’t he been a field manager? There are 30 teams out there that could use a guy’s expertise like that.
And Piniella had some vitriol for the media in general too:
“I’m trying to do the best job I possibly can, and the only people I need to listen to are the people in my organization, that’s it. I get tired of being nitpicked, and I get tired of being criticized unjustly. Why don’t they talk to me first before they do it, OK? And get my viewpoints and my feelings and then make a determination.”
“You know? The same way I get called ‘ridiculous,’ they’re ridiculous in the way they report things, too…And another thing I’m going to say. I’ve won over 1,800 games as a manager, and I’m not a damn dummy,” Piniella said. “There are only 13 others that have won more games than me, so I guess I think I know what the hell I’m doing.”
By the way, if you want to see what the actual BP Crosstown looks like I’ve included some media pics here. Yes, we’ve all made jokes that only a corporation responsible for such a monumental environmental disaster such as the BP oil spill in the Gulf could be the corporate sponsor for the the monumental local disaster that is Chicago baseball this season. Those jokes are accurate and funny. Now, on to the specifics of this series.
Under the rules of the recently established BP Crosstown Cup, the Cubs and White Sox will continue to meet in a yearly six-game series as they have since 1997, though now the team with the most wins in the series will be formally awarded the Crosstown Cup. If the annual series is split 3-3 this season, the Cup will be awarded to the winner of the series’ last game. The BP Crosstown Cup will be awarded in a formal ceremony at U.S. Cellular Field following the deciding game of the six-game series.
The newly formed BP Crosstown Cup is the latest professional sports rivalry formally established by two competing franchises. While numerous rivalry trophies change hands within the ranks of collegiate sports each year, the Crosstown Cup represents a rare partnership between two professional sports teams to elevate their ongoing rivalry into official standing.