Fussin’ and feudin’: Cards, Cubs stoke rivalry, trade barbs

ST. LOUIS – To St. Louis pitcher John Brebbia, this fussin’ and feudin’ between the Cardinals and Chicago Cubs is a perfect winter warmup.

“Honestly, people were kind of forgetting baseball season was coming up,” Brebbia said Sunday. “So I think it was a good way to remind everyone that Cardinals-Cubs are going to be back in action soon.”

“No more of this football or whatever it’s called now,” he said. “It’s our time.”

The whole thing started innocently enough at a Cubs fan event Friday when retired pitcher Ryan Dempster, in a playful talk-show format, asked Chicago star Kris Bryant about the Gateway City.

“Who would want to play in St. Louis? So boring. It’s so boring,” Bryant said. “I always get asked like, `Where do you like to play? Where do you not like to play?’ St. Louis is on the list where I don’t like to play.”

Quipped Dempster: “I remember when I was getting traded, and they asked me, `Hey, how about St. Louis?’ I said, `Zero chance, pal. No way.’ I wouldn’t even go there as a free agent. Not happening.”

Predictably, the flippant banter drew a loud cheer from the Cub rooters in attendance.

In St. Louis, the reaction was a bit different.

“All stars, elite players and leaders of their teams do not speak bad about any city,” Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina posted on Instagram. “There should be respect, and you should play and compete with respect. Only stupid players and losers make comments like the ones made by Bryant and Dempster.”