Is city series losing some luster?
The White Sox and Cubs have been playing six interleague games a season since 1999.
And during spring training, their first in Glendale, Ariz., the Sox played five exhibition games against their North Side rivals, including two in Las Vegas.
Is the series becoming a classic case of too much of a good thing?
After Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Cubs at a somewhat subdued Wrigley Field, White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said overkill is becoming a factor.
"I thought it was down a little bit," Pierzynski said of the energy level in the stands. "I think maybe it's the fact that we play them six times a year, once here and one there, and we played them like 10 times in spring training this year.
"It's still fun to come here and still a great atmosphere, still fun games to be in. It just seemed like there wasn't as much energy as there has been in the past for this series. But I'm sure with (Carlos) Zambrano pitching tomorrow it will be there, and this place will be loud and they'll be into it."
Different take: Gordon Beckham played in his first Sox-Cubs game Wednesday, and the rookie had a busy day at third base.
Beckham, 1-for-3 with an error, loved every minute of the new experience.
"Just awesome," Beckham said. "I mean Wrigley Field, I've been watching games here since I was 5 years old. WGN is on in Atlanta, too. It was special to step in the box."
Konerko weighs in: Here's what White Sox captain Paul Konerko had to say about the New York Times report that Sammy Sosa tested positive for using performance enhancing drugs in 2003.
"To me, it's just not a story," Konerko said. "Some guy writes an article, the sources aren't public. One of two things needs to happen. Either whoever is going to report these sources, put your name behind it and put your face out there and tell people who you are. Or someone admits to it and that's what happened in the Alex Rodriguez thing.
"That's the only two ways that this becomes a story. Obviously, you guys (media) are standing here, so it's a story. But I just think that it's just sad it has come to the fact that news now is on reports, unnamed sources and that kind of stuff. It gives it a bad name for you guys."
Pudge vs. Pudge: Houston's Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez on Tuesday tied Carlton "Pudge" Fisk for most major-league games caught at 2,226.
Manager Ozzie Guillen and Fisk were White Sox teammates from 1985-93.
Guillen said Rodriguez is the better overall player.
"I think the young Pudge, he can do more stuff than Fisk," Guillen said.
Guillen has already said Rodriguez is the best player to ever come out of Puerto Rico, ahead of Roberto Alomar and Roberto Clemente. He stood by that opinion Wednesday.
"If Clemente caught two innings, he couldn't play baseball for two weeks," Guillen said. "If Pudge Rodriguez played right field, he'd have a longer career. I'm the biggest Roberto Clemente fan. And I think at the end of his career, Pudge Rodriguez will be No. 1 in Latin America, not just Puerto Rico."