Oxford defines the word rivalry as “competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same field’. However when you talk about the rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, there seems to be differing opinions. Both teams have had their moments on top with the Cardinals winning 11 World Series to the Cubs 3. However 2011 seems light years away compared to last season when the Cubs broke a 108 year drought by becoming World Champions. The Cubs/Cardinals rivalry is not as vicious as Giants/Dodgers, not as hateful as Red Sox/Yankees, or even interstate like Cubs/Sox or Cards/Royals. The Cubs/Cardinals rivalry doesn’t perhaps nationally matchup to some of the best rivalries in other sports like Michigan/Ohio State, Bears/Packers, Duke/North Carolina, and even one of my other favorite rivalries Bulls/Knicks. The rivalry between the Cubs and Cardinals is deeply rooted in the Midwest, and full of those same Midwest values. In most cases it’s friendly teasing. Cardinal fans always used to be able to fall back upon 1908, while Cubs fans would counter with how much better their city was, and how their dominant culinary selections with the Chicago deep dish, italian beef, hot dog, etc. etc.
The rivalry has changed.
The Cubs are no longer playing the part of “lovable losers”. This Cub team is loaded with young talent and veteran pitchers. This is the result of lots of high draft picks because of a history of losing & all the shrewd moves General Manager Theo Epstein has made. Chicago now seems poised to become perennial contenders. It’s funny to say but the Cardinals are trying to become the Cubs off the field (Ballpark Village to Wrigleyville) while the Cubs are trying to turn into the Cardinals on the field (perennial playoff contender). Late in the fall of 2014 Epstein was asked about the Cardinals to which he replied “How do you balance admiration and contempt, right? I’m a Cub, so I have to hate the Cardinals. But I also have to admire the way they run their baseball shop, and they have for basically the better part of a century.” He went on to say “In some respects — and I hate to say this on the record — but we have to do a lot of the things they do to be successful.” He went on to note that “On the other hand, I think we’re building something that has a chance to go toe-to-toe with them and surpass them. I think we have a chance to win this division on a consistent basis, and we’re going to need to in order to win the World Series.” It seems like Theo Epstein has turned into a prophet, as basically everything he said 2 ½ years ago has come true.
After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2010 last year it must now be time for the Cardinals to roll over and let the Cubs have their way with them right? Not so fast. The Cardinals currently have a better minor league system then the Cubs with their own young nucleus that they hope finds solid footing and contends with Chicago (who currently has a better 25 man big league roster). The Cardinals seem to have more pitchers on the way to the big leagues than the Cubs, however the Cubs payroll seems to be ever growing and current management seems willing to spend to do whatever it takes to keep the Cubs relevant. If the Cubs get hit with some injuries (never wish that, but as we saw in St. Louis last year those things can happen), and things don’t go as well as they did for them last year – the Cardinals could cut the gap that currently remains between the two clubs.
In my recent memory of Cubs/Cardinals baseball (circa 1990 to present) I only remember the Cubs & Cardinals both being relevant in 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009, and the last two seasons. A safe bet would be that the Cubs/Cardinals rivalry will be relevant for at least the next 5 seasons. This is a great thing for baseball. It seems like no matter where the two teams are in the standings the games have always played pretty evenly. Even last year when the Cubs were close to untouchable they went just 10-9 vs the Cardinals. As a Cardinals fan, I’ve become quite used to Cub fans acting like a win against their rival Cardinals was akin to a playoff game even when they’re 12 games back in the standings. This hasn’t happened as much for St. Louis fans based off of games won in my recent memory (the last 27 years the Cardinals have won 216 more), but there are obnoxious fans on both sides of the rivalry. I don’t think the tables have quite turned to the point of the Cubs contending yearly while the Cardinals are locked in the cellar. I think they’ll both be quite competitive. However the Cubs are no longer the Cardinals doormat in the N.L. Central.
Only time will tell how the rivalry heats up over the next few years, however I feel like it will reach heights previously unseen. Cubs/Cardinals games have always been something to give Midwest fans something to talk about. But as we move into uncharted territory of BOTH teams being good, I think the rivalry will gain the national respect it fully deserves. The Chicago Cubs are now setting themselves up as perennial contenders, while the St. Louis Cardinals just seem to shrewdly make the right moves to put themselves in contention year after year. Let’s play ball, and may the best team win!
