YANKEES & CUBS OPEN FIRE!

When you're talking spring training, everybody talks predictions and excitement over the players returning from the offseason, how will the new acquisitions pan out. One of the most overlooked things about this time of year is how the rivalries heat up. Everybody's record is 0-0, and every fan is laying claim to the prediction that this is the year for their team and the trash talking reaches fever pitch. It's like Alec Baldwin told John Krasinski a few years ago, "Go ahead. Celebrate in April. We'll dance in October."

That said, we have reached new heights because apparently teams' Twitter accounts aren't immune from the rivalry bug. Yesterday, the Yankees and the Cubs got into it on the popular social media site that started with an innocent tweet from a fan about how the Yankees Twitter account was better than the Cubs. Then this happened:

Not to be outdone, the Yankees responded with a Derek Jeter "Wow" picture. Which got the Cubs to return fire with a Joe Maddon "That's right." Maybe it was the fact that there's no love lost between Joe Maddon and the Yankees (think Elliot Johnson sliding into home and breaking Francisco Cervelli's wrist in spring training back in 08). So the Yankees fired this off that brought a whole lot of media attention.

Okay, maybe it was a bit much. Like the John Krasinski's response ("We will kill you in October!") I have to admit, I thought it was hysterical. It was the online equivalent of benches clearing. Grown adults managing these accounts throwing these barbs at one another, it was the kind of contest I remember when I was in grade school. It might not win any maturity awards, but these sparring matches are part of the fun! They are a critical component of the fabric of baseball in society.

Eventually, a cease-fire was called, and both sides went back to their corners. Everybody went back to being polite, but not before a few hundred retweets, likes, replies, and taunts from both sides. Yup, we're almost back to playing baseball. As for the Chicago Cubs, here's a trivia question. When Babe Ruth hit his "called shot home run", against whom did he hit it? That's right. We will see you in October!

--Ike Dimitriadis, 
BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon






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