How else to explain last weekend's heroes such as Felix Diaz and Timo Perez, the coming-out party of Shingo Takatsu, the key role that Jon Leicester played or the complete failure of Cub reliables Carlos Zambrano and Greg Maddux?
So we can expect more of the same this weekend when the Cubs have three games in Wrigley Field to overcome a 2-1 deficit they earned last weekend on the South Side.
Because there's not much history (interleague play dates back to 1997), no one is quite sure what the "unexpected" will be. But you can be assured the sellout audiences will not be as evenly divided as they were last weekend at U. S. Cellular Field. Wrigley will have a decided blue tinge to it, if only because nearly all tickets were sold before the season began.
White Sox fans will be relegated to myriad bars around the ballpark. That worries security officials, especially because of the night game Sunday.
And if you need more intrigue, consider the White Sox have won five of the last nine and nine of the last 15 games in Wrigley. Will this year be different?
KEYS FOR THE WHITE SOX
1. North Side one-sided. If you think Ozzie Guillen will have a tough time without double switches, what about his decision on whom to sit. Does Frank Thomas play first base, or Paul Konerko?
The South Siders have a right for being insulted about interleague injustice, because they have a major inconvenience. There is no DH in Wrigley Field and rookie manager Guillen will make his first major decision before the first pitch.
His next decisions will be how to play National League "little ball," for which he professes his love but for which his plodding team is not built.
2. Daily double. Overlooked in this homer-happy season for the Sox is what Willie Harris and Juan Uribe have done at the top of the batting order.
If the Sox are going to score big-time runs, the top two in the orderand this includes Aaron Rowand at timesabsolutely have to get on base. The Frank Thomases and Carlos Lees have someone to drive in. And then Carlos Lee and Paul Konerko can drive in Thomas and Lee.
This is why the Sox have batted around in an inning in double figures. And when the Sox score runs, they win games.
3. Make no mistake about it. It may sound trite, but the White Sox have a way of getting sloppy and losing games.
Example? Game 1 of last weekend's series against the Cubs when the Sox gave up a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning with the help of two careless errors. The Sox pitching staff is not good enough to give up four outs per inning.
Mistake-free ball means the offense as well, because the Sox can run into outs on the bases, although more last year than this. Manager Ozzie Guillen says he and his coaches work daily to cut down on mistakes and, truth be told, it looks like it.
KEYS FOR THE CUBS
1. The early bird. Let's examine what happened last weekend and then you decide what went wrong. Mark Prior allowed one White Sox runner in the first three inningsand the Cubs won the first game of the Red Line series 7-4.
Then Carlos Zambrano and Greg Maddux each allowed five runs in the first three inningsand the Cubs lost both games. And walking runners is an absolute no-no, as Paul Konerko proved by knocking in four walked runners on home runs.
Here's all you need to know: These Cubs were built on pitching, and if their starters struggle the offense has no prayer of beating the offensive-minded Sox, even without the DH.
2. Make no mistake about it, Part II. Yes, the Cubs seem to be just as prone to stupid mistakes as the White Sox. In the first Red Line series, the Cubs had two runners doubled off first base on fly balls to right field. They made three costly errors in the third game.
If your team is built on pitching (see above) and your defense is giving an extra out, it adds up to big trouble. Little League simple? Sure, but tell that to Dusty Baker, who can only shake his head at some of his team's Daffy Duck gaffes.
3. Cooler near the lake. Cub fans, pray for cold fronts.
If the wind isn't blowing in (meaning northeast winds), the Cubs will be at a huge disadvantage. Even without the DH, the Sox have a power-driven lineup that lives on the long ball. Unless Sammy Sosa, Moises Alou and Aramis Ramirez do something they haven't done all seasonget hot togetherthe Cubs will be known as a team of ifs and whiffs. With the flags blowing in, Cubs' pitchers have an advantage and Cubs' hitters can scratch out enough runs to win.