World Serious Thread

[brewcity77]

People in Kentucky might think that, but nobody else in the country does, and rightfully so. Just like, apparently, St. Louis people (and maybe Chicago people) are the only people who think their rivalry with the Cubs is the best rivalry in baseball.

Depends on your definition of "best". If you are talking about the most competitive, most played, most historic, it's not Cubs/Cards or Yankees/Sox.

Looking at the numbers, Cubs/Cards is probably second best behind Dodgers/Giants. The Dodgers/Giants have played more times and is slightly closer.

Yankees/Red Sox gets the most media attention because it's on the East Coast, but it's really not all that close (certainly not compared to the other two), though it is likely amplified by three playoff series in recent memory. That said, the Dodgers/Giants series for me gets more credit because it spanned two coasts.

Other than those three, are there any even worth mentioning from a historic "all-time great" perspective?

1) Dodgers/Giants
2) Cubs/Cards
3) Yankees/Red Sox

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Depends on your definition of "best". If you are talking about the most competitive, most played, most historic, it's not Cubs/Cards or Yankees/Sox.

Looking at the numbers, Cubs/Cards is probably second best behind Dodgers/Giants. The Dodgers/Giants have played more times and is slightly closer.

Yankees/Red Sox gets the most media attention because it's on the East Coast, but it's really not all that close (certainly not compared to the other two), though it is likely amplified by three playoff series in recent memory. That said, the Dodgers/Giants series for me gets more credit because it spanned two coasts.

Other than those three, are there any even worth mentioning from a historic "all-time great" perspective?

1) Dodgers/Giants
2) Cubs/Cards
3) Yankees/Red Sox

I'd put the Yankees/Red Sox on top.

[wadesworld]

I'd put the Yankees/Red Sox on top.

Agreed.

[Chili]

Depends on your definition of "best". If you are talking about the most competitive, most played, most historic, it's not Cubs/Cards or Yankees/Sox.

Looking at the numbers, Cubs/Cards is probably second best behind Dodgers/Giants. The Dodgers/Giants have played more times and is slightly closer.

Yankees/Red Sox gets the most media attention because it's on the East Coast, but it's really not all that close (certainly not compared to the other two), though it is likely amplified by three playoff series in recent memory. That said, the Dodgers/Giants series for me gets more credit because it spanned two coasts.

Other than those three, are there any even worth mentioning from a historic "all-time great" perspective?

1) Dodgers/Giants
2) Cubs/Cards
3) Yankees/Red Sox

Dodgers / Giants goes back to pre Cali days in Brooklyn & Manhattan.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

People in Kentucky might think that, but nobody else in the country does, and rightfully so. Just like, apparently, St. Louis people (and maybe Chicago people) are the only people who think their rivalry with the Cubs is the best rivalry in baseball.

How do you know what anyone else in the country thinks?  I'm curious. 

[wadesworld]

How do you know what anyone else in the country thinks?  I'm curious.

Because I am part of the "anyone else in the country" category.  There's one rivalry in baseball that is considered by far the best rivalry in baseball and then there's everyone else.  Sure, we could just look at records and number of times played and conclude that whoever has the greatest combination of number of games played and competitive record against each other is the best rivalry, but there's more to a rivalry than just one team's record against another.

By your logic, I could claim the Brewers vs. the Rays is the best rivalry in baseball and anyone who questions it just doesn't know what anyone else in the country thinks.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Because I am part of the "anyone else in the country" category.  There's one rivalry in baseball that is considered by far the best rivalry in baseball and then there's everyone else.  Sure, we could just look at records and number of times played and conclude that whoever has the greatest combination of number of games played and competitive record against each other is the best rivalry, but there's more to a rivalry than just one team's record against another.

By your logic, I could claim the Brewers vs. the Rays is the best rivalry in baseball and anyone who questions it just doesn't know what anyone else in the country thinks.

You're one person.  What you happen to think is not representative of the rest of the country.  Just an FYI. 

[cheebs09]

I think unless your team is involved in a big time rivalry, you use ESPN's opinion to judge. At least I do as someone in my 20s who hasn't lived through a lot of the iconic moments that make it great.

Thus Yankees/Red Sox and UNC/Duke are two of the biggest in my opinion. Largely because ESPN promotes the heck out of them.

I didn't really know Syracuse/Georgetown, Dodgers/Giants, and Louisville/Kentucky were in the neighborhood until watching ESPN whenever those games were on. I don't live in those areas. It's all subjective and ESPN is a big driver in my opinion.

[GGGG]

These types of things are fun for debates, but fundamentally it doesn't matter to me what "the biggest rivalry" is.  Unless it involves my team, I don't really care. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I think unless your team is involved in a big time rivalry, you use ESPN's opinion to judge. At least I do as someone in my 20s who hasn't lived through a lot of the iconic moments that make it great.

Thus Yankees/Red Sox and UNC/Duke are two of the biggest in my opinion. Largely because ESPN promotes the heck out of them.

I didn't really know Syracuse/Georgetown, Dodgers/Giants, and Louisville/Kentucky were in the neighborhood until watching ESPN whenever those games were on. I don't live in those areas. It's all subjective and ESPN is a big driver in my opinion.

Why else is every Yankees / Red Sox game end up in the dreaded Sunday evening 8:00 pm ESPN game.

In Ocean's 12 in the scene where they need to stage a fight on the train where one wears a Yankees hat and the other a Red Sox hat.

[wadesworld]

You're one person.  What you happen to think is not representative of the rest of the country.  Just an FYI.

You asked how I knew what "anyone else thinks."  I am "anyone else."  I am neither a Cubs nor a Cardinals fan, so I fall into "anyone else."

Everyone else?  I'm sure there's research out there.  I don't really care enough to put in the time to look it up.  I find it very doubtful that many people outside of Chicago and St. Louis think the Cardinals/Cubs is the best rivalry in baseball, but sure, I can't prove it.  Just like I can't prove the Brewers/Rays isn't the best rivalry in baseball according to "everyone else," so it must be!

[🏀]

You asked how I knew what "anyone else thinks."  I am "anyone else."  I am neither a Cubs nor a Cardinals fan, so I fall into "anyone else."

Everyone else?  I'm sure there's research out there.  I don't really care enough to put in the time to look it up.  I find it very doubtful that many people outside of Chicago and St. Louis think the Cardinals/Cubs is the best rivalry in baseball, but sure, I can't prove it.  Just like I can't prove the Brewers/Rays isn't the best rivalry in baseball according to "everyone else," so it must be!

Well, you could find media support that it isn't?

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/162607668/mlbs-hottest-rivalries-entering-2016-season/

Like Castrovince says, all rivalries are judged by the current temperature. Cubs/Cards is way hotter than Yanks/BoSox right now, but not historically in my opinion.

Just like Bears/Packers or Minny/Packers. Who's the biggest rival depends on the temperature.

Cubs/Cards is the best NL rivalry.
Yanks/BoSox is the best AL rivalry.

My opinion, if I lived on the west coast, I may think differently.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Yea, I think Dodgers and Giants fans would have something to say on the matter.

[Coleman]

Because I am part of the "anyone else in the country" category.  There's one rivalry in baseball that is considered by far the best rivalry in baseball and then there's everyone else.  Sure, we could just look at records and number of times played and conclude that whoever has the greatest combination of number of games played and competitive record against each other is the best rivalry, but there's more to a rivalry than just one team's record against another.

By your logic, I could claim the Brewers vs. the Rays is the best rivalry in baseball and anyone who questions it just doesn't know what anyone else in the country thinks.

Yankees-Red Sox
Cubs-Cards
Giants-Dodgers

You can argue about the order, but the three listed are far and away the biggest rivalries in baseball. There's those three and then there's everyone else.

The Brewers are no ones rival. They have had almost no real success and no one cares about them.

[wadesworld]

Yankees-Red Sox
Cubs-Cards
Giants-Dodgers

You can argue about the order, but the three listed are far and away the biggest rivalries in baseball. There's those three and then there's everyone else.

The Brewers are no ones rival. They have had almost no real success and no one cares about them.

According to who?

[MerrittsMustache]

According to who?

Just about every level-headed baseball fan.

What rivalries would you consider to be bigger/better/more intense than those three?

Sure, there are going to be the one-off, short-term rivalries like the Rangers and Blue Jays currently have or like the Cubs and Astros did in the late 90s-early 00s but, at the end of the day, the 3 mentioned above stand head and shoulders above the rest in terms of intensity and longevity.

[CTWarrior]

This cracks me up.  Thought you would enjoy it. 

What, the White Sox don't count?

Edit:  I didn't yet see all other people point this out when I posted. 

MUFIC ad I live in the battleground area of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry (which is roughly around New Haven).  Hard for us to think any rivalry is bigger than Sox-Yanks.  Truth be told, it isn't now what it was from 95-2009 or so.

[muwarrior69]

What, the White Sox don't count?

Edit:  I didn't yet see all other people point this out when I posted. 

MUFIC ad I live in the battleground area of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry (which is roughly around New Haven).  Hard for us to think any rivalry is bigger than Sox-Yanks.  Truth be told, it isn't now what it was from 95-2009 or so.

No...Joe, say it ain't so.

[muwarrior69]

I'd put the Yankees/Red Sox on top.

Well we could argue about the order, but growing up in the 50s as a Yankee fan there was no rivalry that could ever match the Giant/Dodgers.

[wadesworld]

Just about every level-headed baseball fan.

What rivalries would you consider to be bigger/better/more intense than those three?

Sure, there are going to be the one-off, short-term rivalries like the Rangers and Blue Jays currently have or like the Cubs and Astros did in the late 90s-early 00s but, at the end of the day, the 3 mentioned above stand head and shoulders above the rest in terms of intensity and longevity.

It was a joke.

[wadesworld]

Tom Crean in the house?

[GGGG]

Cue the haters asking if he's gonna kiss his kid...

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Probably cheering that kid from Indiana. What's his name? Schwarber or something like that?

[GGGG]

I think putting Schwarber in the line up was a good idea.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I think putting Schwarber in the line up was a good idea.

He already has more hits than Soler and Heyward combined.