'The Cadillac Of Baseball Rivalries' Is Renewed

Ed. Note: Yeah, I had to use a picture of Jim Edmonds, who is killing the ball as a Cub to the tune of a .279/.381/.588 clip with 12 homers and 36 runs batted in.

Back in January, when Cubs fans were desperately conjuring scenarios in which Ryan Dempster was dealt to a team in the North Pole and Kosuke Fukudome was projected to hit .330 with a .400 OBP, I came upon a story calling Cubs-Cards the Caddie of baseball rivalries.

And even though it takes a backseat to Yanks-Sawks, it's an analogy that hits it on the head. Because unlike Yankees-Red Sox, there isn't much personal hatred between Cubs and Cards fans...just that whole Brock for Broglio thing and that Sammy-McGwire thing and that Kent Bottenfield-won-18-games-for-you-how? thing.

It's purely a baseball thing.

Wanna start trouble at a bar? Tell a Cards fan that the Cubs have taken every season series since Dusty Baker took over the helm. Tell 'em they can't excuse Rick Ankiel's HGH-usage if they won't be willing to do the same with Barry Bonds. Tell 'em how much you love the Belgians.

They'll come back with 2006 and 100 years.In the end, it's baseball purest rivalry. Two teams representing what some would call the Midwest's finest cities in America's Game.

(Half-hearted joking sidebar: sorry, I'm not sold on a city whose main attraction is an arch...if I want arches, McDonald's has two.)

And in 2008, the stakes are bit higher.The Cubs are lead by nine All-Stars and are rolling with the best record in the National League, winning eight of its last 10 ballgames. The Cardinals in third place, six games back led by Albert Pujols and Ryan Ludwick, whose out-of-nowhere season is seemingly a yearly occurrence for at least one of the Cards' everyday players.

And even though they're six out in the division, the Cards are sittin' pretty in the Wild Card standings, one game behind the Brewers who are bound to have another dugout slugout before this year is done.

A series win by the Cubs could push the Cards further (or is it farther?) out of contention. A series win by the Cards gives the Saint Louisans a glimmer of hope and something to brag about until the next series.

So park your Chevrolet (or Cadillac, in this case) and break out the Apple Pie because it doesn't get more American than this.