When Delmon Young face-washed White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski on Tuesday night at Target Field, it boiled up a little bad blood in an American League Central rivalry that has seemed a little too congenial recently.
Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen swore before Tuesday's game between first-place Minnesota and his second-place White Sox that his team hates the Twins.
"It's not a friendly rivalry. I hate them," Guillen said. "As soon football jersey
as the game starts, we hate each other. They're my friends, I talk to them before the game, I talk to them after the game, I always have a smile with Gardy and the coaching staff. But as soon as the game starts, we're not friends anymore."
That seemed apparent Tuesday when Young, running from third on an apparent contact play in the eighth inning, was thrown out at the plate by second baseman Gordon Beckham. Young, who was dead to rights, didn't even try to score, instead veering left and shoving Pierzynski in the face.
The move was in retaliation for a Sergio Santos pitch that nearly beheaded Twins shortstop J.J. Hardy in the top of the inning.
"I was just so hosed I couldn't slide," Young said.
So much for mutual respect.
"It's intense once the games get going," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Steelers jersey
before the game. "We like beating them and they like beating us, and that's a good rivalry. We play them a lot. ... It's not like we're throwing at them and they're throwing at us, like we hate each other, but we like to beat each other -- probably a little more than other teams."
The Twins hold a 9-4 series advantage, and a four-game lead in the Central, with five games left between the teams.
Twins first baseman Michael Cuddyer said it was clear Santos wasn't trying to hit Hardy.
"If there are repercussions, I'm sure it will be against Delmon," he said. "If that comes tomorrow or later, who knows?"
Hunter famously -- or infamously, depending on where you hail from -- bowled over Burke while tagging up from third in a 6-2 victory in 2004. That lit a fire under the series for a bit, but lately it has been a mutual admiration society interrupted by fierce competition on the field.
Maybe that old fire is back. Certainly Guillen seems to be tired of being asked about his team's ineffectiveness against the Twins. After all, Minnesota may have won five division titles in eight seasons, but the Sox have a World Series title in 2005.
Asked Tuesday if the Twins are inside his players' minds, Guillen scoffed.
"Since I got this job (in 2004)? No," he said. "I respect them as a team, I love the way they Vikings jersey
play the game, but in my mind, no. I can guarantee you, nobody in this game gives this team more love and credit than me. I respect them a lot. They should. But we've played well against them, and we'll continue to play well against them."
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