Pete Crow-Armstrong: Emerging Chicago Cubs Villain in St. Louis Rivalry

In the storied rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals, players often find themselves cast as villains. Names like Dusty Baker, Carlos Zambrano, and Kris Bryant come to mind. Pete Crow-Armstrong has now joined their ranks, drawing intense dislike from St. Louis fans.

Crow-Armstrong has yet to understand why he elicits such strong reactions from Cardinals fans. During a recent three-game series at Busch Stadium, they had an opportunity to express their feelings. As he approached the plate in the eighth inning on Saturday, the crowd chanted about his supposed overrated status. His response was a dramatic 444-foot home run into the “Tarps Off” zone, followed by a bat flip to emphasize his point.

It’s hard to embarrass a full group of people, manager Craig Counsell noted concerning Crow-Armstrong’s triumphant moment.

The home run also highlighted a fan’s struggle to return the ball, underscoring Crow-Armstrong’s point. This display will likely ensure Crow-Armstrong’s notoriety whenever he returns to St. Louis, making him both a target of scorn and a hero to Cubs fans.

Anthony Rizzo, a former Cub and now an analyst, drew parallels between Crow-Armstrong and Kris Bryant. Bryant became unpopular due to a casual remark about St. Louis being boring. Despite never flamboyantly reacting to boos, Bryant’s joke sparked a lasting rivalry, much like Crow-Armstrong’s recent performance.

After the game, Crow-Armstrong admitted finding energy from the crowd’s taunts, though he downplayed his gestures back at them. Rizzo found Crow-Armstrong’s approach apt, stating that giving back to vocal fans in a sporting rivalry adds excitement to the games.

As an example of living with fan rage, Alex Bregman from the Houston Astros also embraces the boos he receives. Known for standing quietly amidst disdain following the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, Bregman sees these moments as catalytic.

It’s fun. It kind of puts you in that mode, Bregman remarked.

Crow-Armstrong’s actions recall historical moments in the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry, from Zambrano’s confrontations to Rizzo’s incidents, when Cardinals pitcher Matt Belisle’s retaliation became notable. Manager Joe Maddon’s colorful critique of such events remains part of Cubs lore.

Dusty Baker’s conflict with Tony La Russa exemplified the fiery dynamics present in this rivalry. Both managers’ exchanged words highlighting the antagonistic atmosphere and setting a tone for future encounters.

Craig Counsell said Pete Crow-Armstrong remains true to himself, displaying emotions and embracing the game’s dramatics. For Crow-Armstrong, being authentic is key, even if it occasionally fuels rivalry fires in places like Busch Stadium.