Chicago's Baseball (BP Crosstown) Cup Runneth Over

First Toyota, now BP. Call me a purist, but I'm getting tired of these advertisers honing in on our baseball territory.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the annual Cubs-White Sox Crosstown Series will now be known as the BP Crosstown Cup. The Cup will be awarded each year to the winner of the six-game series between the two clubs, and in case of a 3-3 tie, the Cup goes to the winner of the sixth game.

Like Chicago baseball fans needed a Cup to intensify this rivalry.

Will the addition of a tangible trophy make fans more excited to watch this series? Probably not, seeing it's already the hottest ticket--and one of the most expensive regular season tickets--in town for both teams and their fans each season. The games are usually sellouts, leaving desperate fans to turn to their friendly neighborhood scalper. Fans are always wiling to pay a bloated fare to ride the crazy train and get in on the revelry. After all, you can't put a price on trash-talking the other team's fans in person, especially if you share the same zip code.

Even the players and coaches have a history of helping to heat up the rivalry. Who can forget the 2006 collision at the plate which ended in Cubs catcher Michael Barrett punching A.J. Pierzynski in the jaw? If you forgot, here's a fabulous photo gallery recalling the moment.

Pierzynski was one of two White Sox players present at Monday's announcement. While watching clips from the press conference, I couldn't help but wonder if the players and coaches were pretending to put on a nice act (and pretending to actually care about the Crosstown Cup) for the sake of their new sponsor. Especially the always-outspoken White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen, who isn't shy about expressing his feelings towards Wrigley Field every year (perhaps he was rolling his eyes underneath his sunglasses):

"But one thing about Wrigley Field, I puke every time I go there," he was quoted in the Chicago Tribune as saying before last year's series with the Cubs.

No wonder BP wanted in on the action.

I hate the fact that America's Favorite Pastime is becoming increasingly covered in advertisements. But I understand the way business works, and in this economy, who would say no to a sponsorship? I just wish that the official bragging rights of this local baseball competition went to a local company rather than to British Petroleum (BP will be the presenting sponsor of the Crosstown Cup through 2012).

While the new BP Crosstown Cup didn't make an appearance at the press conference, fans won't have to wait too much longer for it. The series kicks off at Wrigley Field from June 11-13 and concludes on the South Side at U.S. Cellular Field from June 25-27. The all-time record between the two Chicago clubs tips in the White Sox favor, 37-35. The Sox won the 2009 Crosstown Classic 4-2.

Ready, Set, Brawl! I mean... Play Ball!!

**I originally wrote this as a post for RedEye Wrigleyville**