(670 The Score) For the first time in more than a decade, the Cubs and White Sox on Friday will meet as legitimate playoff contenders.
The Cubs are 16-8 and lead the NL Central entering the three-game series at Wrigley Field, while the White Sox are winners of five straight and sit at 15-11, which is currently good for a wild-card berth in the American League in the expanded MLB playoff structure.
Of the two franchises, the Cubs have had more success in recent memory, including a World Series championship in 2016 amid this window of contention. It was with that as context that White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson was asked on the McNeil & Parkins Show on Friday afternoon about how he views the Cubs and the increased stakes in the crosstown matchup.
“The ultimate goal is to beat them and not feel sorry about it,” Anderson said. “Nothing’s different. Nothing’s changed. They’re just another team as well. They just happen to be across town. They’re human too. They put their pants on just like we do. And I think tonight is the night to show who has the bigger pants. We’re just going to continue to keep playing. We’re not going to treat them no different from anybody else. We got the same approach. We ain’t scared of nobody. Just because it’s a name doesn’t mean anything. They’re human too.”
Anderson shot down the notion that he and the White Sox have been annoyed by the Cubs receiving more attention than them for years, noting it’s all about what happens on the field.
“I’m not bothered by that,” he said. “I don’t worry about what they do, and they don’t worry about what we do. We do play against them, and it’s much respect, all love. But once we step between the lines, it’s competitive.”