Major League Baseball's Love Affair With Chicago

Chicago is a great city. It's one of my top 10 cities in the entire world. Every time I go to Chicago have a blast. The Magnificent Mile is always thriving. Everyone should experience Wrigleyville once. Some of my favorite rappers (Common, Kanye West, Rhymefest) hail from Chicago. With that said I'm getting tired of Major League Baseball's obsession with its two Chicago teams.

Here's what has me upset. Back in September the Chicago Cubs were supposed to play a three game series in Houston against the Astros. But because of Hurricane Ike the Astros home field, Minute Maid Park, was unavailable and the first two games of the series had to be postponed. When the teams eventually did get to play that Sunday they didn't play in Houston. Not even in the state of Texas. Instead it was played in Milwaukee. What? Yes, the same Milwaukee that is roughly 90 miles north of Chicago. Major League Baseball's reasoning? MLB's Senior V.P. of Public Relations, Rich Levin says "What with all the rainy weather, the chief reason was finding a place where we knew we could get the games in. Miller Park has a roof. That was a determining factor." Puhlease. You mean to tell me not one of the other 27 stadiums around the country was available?

The Cubs went on to win the first two games (the third was never played.) Cubs Pitcher Carlos Zambrano even went on to throw a no-hitter in the first one. But there's no doubt having a pro-Chicago crowd even when Houston is the home team definitely helped out the Cubs. Major League Baseball should be ashamed of itself.

The other thing that has my blood boiling on this day is the American League Central tiebreaker between the White Sox and the Minnesota Twins. After 162 regular season games the two team finished tied for the division lead. Under MLB rules the teams have to play a one game playoff. To determine where the game was to be played there was a coin flip, with the White Sox winning the right to host the game. Are you kidding me? Next time why don't they just do rocks, paper, scissors. Or even have a thumb war between the two managers. I understand a coin flip is what the rules mandate, but when the Twins beat the White Sox 10 out of 18 times this season, the rule needs to be changed. Each team had the same number of home games in the series, and the Twins still came out on top. Instead of rewarding them for being the better head to head team they ultimately get punished by losing the coin flip.

U.S. Cellular Field was rocking for the one game playoff. And with the White Sox winning 1-0 there's no doubt the frenzied crowd gave them a boost. The win gives them the division and puts them into the playoffs. The Twins meanwhile are left on the outside looking in. I'm sure Major League Baseball is happy to have both Chicago teams in the playoffs. That hasn't happened since 1906. But in my eyes a couple of their regular season wins are questionable thanks to MLB.

Let me know what you think.