Post by Captain America on Apr 23, 2014 0:34:49 GMT -5
Over time, some intense BBSBL rivalries have developed. Some have been going on for many seasons, while others are more recent and less intense.
What exactly does a legitimate rivalry consist of? Both teams have to be in the same division and need to have been in postseason contention for the past 1-2 seasons at the very least. In addition, any shit talking between the 2 GM's will definitely help the cause as well.
Also, this isn't an all-time ranking. As a result, certain past rivalries like the Yankees and Red Sox, Marlins and Braves, and Cubs and Astros will not be included here.
Here are the top 5 current BBSBL rivalries.
5. Baltimore Orioles & Toronto Blue Jays
The Devil Rays may have a runaway lead right now in the AL East, but being that they had never had a winning season until now, they really shouldn't up for consideration just yet. On the other hand, the Orioles and Blue Jays have had a quiet but notable rivalry going for a while. Since 1999, the Orioles and Blue Jays have finished within seven games of each other in four different seasons. And in the most recent two seasons, the Orioles were the only other relevant team in the AL East while the Blue Jays ran away with the division both seasons.
This rivalry hasn't always been particularly consistent, but it certainly should be noticeable over time. This rivalry hasn't really included too much shit talking, but then again, Jah and Game rarely interact with each other if at all.
The Orioles and Blue Jays are currently within five games of each other as they both compete for the AL Wild Card.
4. Cleveland Indians & Detroit Tigers
This is one of the newer rivalries of course and one that could certainly last quite some time. Both GM's here (Dave and DRowe) got shitted on for not doing enough with their teams for so long. But after all this time, both the Indians and Tigers have now turned into big AL contenders. Both teams have spent big money and made timely trades to improve their teams.
The rivalry itself really began last season when the Indians, Tigers and Royals were all in a tight race for the AL Central title. The Tigers would go on to win the division by 6 games over the Indians. But even while the White Sox had their 7-year AL Central dynasty, the Indians and Tigers have finished within 6 games of each other in every season since the Tigers moved to the AL Central in 2002.
So while this rivalry hasn't always been prominently noticed, the competitive aspect has been around for a while here. There hasn't really been much shit talking here, mainly because Dave and DRowe have barely interacted with each other.
The Tigers currently have a 5 game lead in the AL Central over the Indians, but this race is far from over.
3. Colorado Rockies & San Francisco Giants
This rivalry is more of an old rivalry that has recently been rekindled. The Giants were noticeably better than the Rockies from 1996-1999, but while the Giants won 7 straight NL West titles from the start and won 3 championships as well, the Rockies were always battling to compete with them and made a Wild Card apperance in 1998 as well.
Since then, the Rockies went on a rebuild from 2000-2003 and the Giants did their own brief rebuild in 2005. But in 2006, as the Rockies ran away with their first ever NL West title, the Giants put together an impressive 2nd half to finish above .500. Now, the two teams are battling closer than ever before this season and more than likely, this will be the case for quite a few seasons to come, if not more.
I personally find this rivalry a lot of fun. I respect Spencer a ton for his OOTP knowledge and the amazing teams he has put together. I'm always trying to pick his brain with all kinds of OOTP nuances and because of all this, I really enjoy competing against him. The challenge of taking on one of the best GM's here is one heck of a challenge, but it motivates me more and more to put together teams that are even better than his. He is the king of the hill and being above him in the standings would always mean a lot to me.
Spencer and I get along very well, so there really isn't any legit shit talking between us. If anything, it's all in good fun because that's what it is. We're competitive and what not, but still a very respectful rivalry altogether.
The Rockies are currently 3 games above the Giants in the NL West race that will probably go down to the final week of the season.
2. Oakland A's & Seattle Mariners
The A's and Mariners have been the 2 AL West powerhouses for the vast majority of BBSBL history thus far and probably have the longest rivalry that is still in existence today.
This rivalry started in 1998 when the Mariners won the AL West over the A's by 2 games, but then the A's beat out the Mariners by 22 games in 1999. Nanz's rebuild from 2000-2001 resulted in a brief hiatus. The rivalry resumed in 2002 when the A's finished 4 games above the Mariners to win the division despite having a losing record. Broph then did a quick 1 year rebuild and the rivalry has since been as strong as any from 2004 through the present. Although the Mariners won the AL West by 16 games in 2004, the A's edged the Mariners out by 1 game in 2005 and then 5 games in 2006. The Mariners would win the AL Wild Card in both of those seasons.
This is a real rivalry for real, but may not always look like one because Nanz and Broph rarely happen to interact with each other, although when they have, they've been respectful to each other. The shit talking is the one aspect that this intense rivalry lacks, but nonetheless, still a great rivalry to follow from one season to another.
The A's and Mariners are currently tied for the AL West lead. They also lead the AL Wild Card right now as well.
1. Chicago Cubs & Pittsburgh Pirates
This shouldn't be a surprise after seeing who finished second. This Cubs and Pirates rivalry has literally everything in a great rivalry: prolonged team success, postseason success, shit talking and intensity. Enough said.
This rivalry really began in 2003, when the Cubs beat out the Pirates to win the NL Central title by 16 games. However, in that postseason, the Pirates ended up getting revenge and winning the NL pennant over the Cubs before losing in the World Series to the Blue Jays. The Cubs then continued their NL Central dynasty by finishing 19 games above the Pirates in 2004, 12 games in 2005, and nine games in 2006. The Cubs then beat the Pirates in the 2006 NLDS and would go on to lose the World Series to the A's.
Unlike the other rivalries already mentioned, this rivalry has a lot of shitting talking included. Play and Stevie B are clearly very competitive with each other and want to beat the other very badly. They're always trying to show how their rotations and teams in general are better than each other's. This rivalry is so intense that it even includes memes such as this:
Need I say more?
This great rivalry is currently more intense than ever before, with the Cubs currently in a 3 game lead over the Pirates. Will Play's NL Central dynasty continue or will Stevie B finally win the NL Central division title that is missing from his resume? That of course remains to be seen.
Enjoy the rest of the season, everyone! Until next time...
