THE ONLY TIME I WILL EVER SAY THIS: ROOT FOR THE CUBS (FOR 2 DAYS ONLY!!!)

No need to rub your eyes or adjust your computer screens. Your eyes are not deceiving you. I just asked you to root for the Cubs. There is no need to go out and buy a Zambrano jersey or a blue hat; please have more class than that! I am simply asking that you cheer on the South siders for the next 2 days ONLY, while they finish their series with Milwaukee.

Thanks to the Cubs 1-0 win last night, St. Louis is now tied with the Brewers for 1'st place. We didn't even have to step on the field. Please root loudly for your beloved St Louis Cardinals, but keep an eye on the score in Chicago. I know it's a "Cardinal" sin (pun intended) to root for the Cubs. I would never ask fellow St Louisans to do such a thing unless it was really important...

The Cubs are 11 games out of first place right now. In my opinion, they are not a threat to us. If I end up regretting that statement and the Cubbies win the division, I will eat a bar of soap. They are however playing the Brewers: the team that literally gave us a spanking over the weekend and knocked us out of first. Meanwhile, the Birds are in the nation's capital, preparing to do battle with the Washington Nationals. Tony La Russa has no control over what happens at Wrigley. Unfortunately neither do we...The Cubs can really help us out tomorrow and Wednesday.

Most fans would say that we don't need the Cubs help, or we just don't want it. After the pounding that I witnessed this weekend, I would have to disagree. I hate to say it, but we could use all the help we can get.

I know it's only June 14. There is still a lot of baseball left to be played. It seems to me that St. Louis WAS getting by just fine. We lost 3 of 4 to the Giants, but then we swept the Cubs and took 2 of 3 in Houston. We went to Miller Park with high expectations, but Braun, Fielder & company showed us what they are capable of...

If you can't bring yourself to do it, that's okay. I completely understand. It's going against every fiber of your being as a member of Cardinal nation. Mark my words: this is (hopefully) the only time I will ever cheer on Chicago. Who knows, we might need their help down the stretch if they match up with the Brewers again, or when they take on Votto and the Reds. I'm hoping that it won't come to that, and we will be so far out in front by then that nothing else will matter. A girl can dream, right?

CARDINALS VS. CUBS: THE BEST "REAL" RIVALRY IN BASEBALL

Cardinals vs. Cubs. This is one of the biggest and best rivalries in the game of baseball today. Fans from Chicago (just a meer 4-6 hour drive away from downtown St Louis, depending on how hard you press on the gas pedal) pour into Busch Stadium in their Cubbie blue every year to take in a weekend series. Later in the season, St Louisans clad in Cardinal red will fill the friendly confines of Wrigley Field to cheer for the Birds on the Bat.
As a big baseball fan, and an even bigger Cardinals fan (in case you hadn't already noticed) I must say that Cardinals-Cubs games are some of the best I have ever witnessed. The atmosphere is intense, and every pitch or play gets loud cheers from the home fans, and sometimes even louder boos and heckles from those rooting for the other side.
Personally, I have never seen this rivalry turn ugly. Sure, you might give the Cubs fans sitting in front of you a little bit of friendly grief for an error or strikeout, but I have yet to see a fistfight break out in the stands. The key word here is friendly. I would have to bet that the rivalry is more from the fans perspective than the players. Sure, the atmosphere gets the Cubs and Cardinals players pumped up, and each would like to win the game, but I'm not quite sure of they have as deep a fire in their hearts about who they are up against as those sitting in the stands do.
The Cubs aren't much to look at this year. (Are they ever? :) Gone are the Cubbies of old, with Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson, and Shawon Dunston up against Ozzie Smith and Willie McGee. Now it's Pujols and company taking on a bunch of guys who should really still be in the minors, if not for the unfortunate injuries to Mike Quade's starting squad.

I would consider the Cardinals vs. the Cubs a rivalry, and a fun one at that. As for the Cardinals vs. the Reds? That is nothing but pure hatred in my opinion. Do the Cardinals hate the Cubs? Probably not. Do the Cardinals hate the Reds, with "Big Mouth" Brandon Phillips and the infamous Johnny "Kung-Fu" Cueto"? Most definitely. I wouldn't call Cardinals Reds games fun for either side. I could see a fight breaking out at the hot dog stand between fans.
Bob Costas interviewed Tony La Russa the other day, and told him that some say the Cardinals are the most hated team in baseball. La Russa's response was that he didn't believe it, and said that the source was unreliable and you shoudl discredit where the words were coming from. The person who said it was none other than Reds Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman, if that tells you anything. The teams rip each other in the media, and can't wait to have the last word on the field. At the end of their last meeting, closer Francisco Cordero beaned Albert Pujols with a pitch. After the game, Cordero was yelling at the Cardinals bench, and pitching coach Dave Duncan was hollering right back. Luckily neither team charged the field again, but the games between these two clubs are intense to say the least.
When does a rivalry go too far? It's long been said that anyone wearing a visiting a team's jersey should watch their back at Dodger Stadium. On Opening Day this year, this unfortunately came true as Giants fan Brian Stow was brutally beaten and left unconscious in the parking garage after the game. Do the Giants and Dodgers players hate each other? Once again, probably not, but some Dodger fans obviously had a problem with Mr. Stow's clothing choice that fateful day. This is disgraceful and I wish Mr. Stow to have a full recovery, and the assailants to be arrested and to have to pay for their actions.

Everyone goes to a ball game for different reasons. Some go for the beer, some go for the brats, some go simply because all of their friends are going. People like me go because they love the game of baseball. I hope that the true rivalry never dies out, and everyone that is at Busch today, no matter what team colors you are wearing, know that I am 1,200 miles away and extremely jealous watching on TV. Just please don't wear this jersey...