McKnight: Cubs, Sox learn quite a bit about themselves
Both the Cubs and White Sox carried a good deal of noise with them when they began series with their rivals last week. The types of noise each was making before their respective showdowns, however, couldn't have been much different.
The Cubs, albeit with slightly wounded pride having lost two of three to a horrendous Milwaukee club, trumpeted a 13-10 record. There was a chance to chip away at the seemingly impervious 18-6 Cardinals. Adam Wainwright was gone. The NL Central lead could have been halved.
The White Sox were moaning and licking their wounds. Maybe worse. Instead of a chance to receive praise for an off-season plan praised by many, general manager Rick Hahn started the homestand preaching patience for hitters, a return to greatness for pitchers and giving the vote of confidence to manager Robin Ventura.
It felt like this could be breaking point in the season for each team. Taking three of four from the Cardinals may have been a springboard for the Cubs. We'd have been writing and singing their praises.
Losing two of three to the Tigers would have surely buried the White Sox. Or at least we'd have handed out shovels to all ready hands.
Baseball did its thing.
It humbled the Cubs. There were blown leads, awful starts and fits of ineptitude - especially against John Lackey, who struck out 10 in 7⅔ innings. But the futility of the Lackey game was an outlier. The Cardinals had an answer for every push the Cubs made. When Starlin Castro - the "cold guy" in the series (4-for-18, all singles) - still manages 5 RBI, the luck feels stacked on the other side.
It rewarded the White Sox. There was a gutty performance by Jeff Samardzija, who endured 7 innings to snag the win Tuesday. There was a heroic comeback Wednesday night when the Sox tortured Joba Chamberlin with 7 straight hits en route to a Game 2 win.
Both series can stand as lessons for these clubs, regardless of the songs they were singing on the way in.
Sure, the White Sox' spirits are buoyed by taking a series from a division leader. Detroit's spot is where they expect to be when it's all said and done. Still, it's sobering to be stifled when there's a chance to sweep. Maybe worse, if the Joakim Soria who struck out all four batters he faced Thursday is the guy the Tigers will have closing games for the rest of the season, take note. Losing Joe Nathan for the season was a shot to Detroit's already leaky bullpen, but Soria seems to have found his stuff of old.
For the Cubs the message is simple: Keep grinding. They've long known chatter and hype won't win them ballgames. Now they know sometimes even bringing the big sticks into Busch Stadium doesn't guarantee a win.
In a way, both teams learn the same lesson. One series against a first-place team does not a season make. Especially not before June. While the White Sox caught some wind in their sails and the Cubs were knocked down a peg, both have stared the enemy in the eye and should be better for it.
• Connor McKnight can be heard regularly on WGN 720-AM and is a co-host of The Beat, the station's sports talk show on the weekends. Follow him on Twitter @McKnight_WGN.