(I'm setting the over-under of Braves hits against Dice-K Matsuzaka at 1.5.)
Chipper Jones had some choice words about the so-called "regional rivalry" games:
"It's a factor (in the pennant race)," Jones said. "We play Boston six times, and they've got the best record in the American League. ... It's unfair for us and the Mets on a year-in, year-out basis to have to play the Yankees and Red Sox when other teams don't."
Here's the real question... is there really a rivalry between the Red Sox and the Braves? At all?
Of course we all know that the Braves franchise started in Boston back in the late 19th century. After changing their name more times than Dead Monkeys, the franchise did a 12-year cup of coffee in Milwaukee before settling in Atlanta in 1966.
How many Bostonians are pissed off about this? Zero. Except for this one Boston Red Sox fan named Daniel Kabila who sent me this e-mail:
I am Daniel Kabila the son of the late Democratic Republic of Congo President Laurent Desire Kabila of the blessed memory. I have a sum of US$500M(Five Hundred Million United State Dollars) which I intend to use to purchase the Atlanta Braves and relocate back to its original city of Boston. I am seeking for a reliable foreigner who can assist me in moving this money out of my country's corrupt banking system and into your country.
I would argue that Atlanta has a stronger regional rivalry with Tampa Bay than with Boston. Of course there's the NFC South rivalry between the Falcons and the Buccaneers, and then there's that time that Ybor City got really drunk and called Buckhead a bitch to her face. The Braves should definitely play the Devil Rays six times a year instead of the Red Sox.
The Sox could face the Marlins for their rivalry games. Once again, there's the NFL connection (Dolphins v. Patriots). There's the Josh Beckett-Hanley Ramirez history. And there's the fact that Massholes practically swamp Miami during the winter, which I'm sure the locals love.
My other regional rivalry that makes no sense: the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Don't the Dodgers have too much natural hate for San Francisco, as well as the Angels having too much hate dedicated to Oakland? I'm guessing this one is going to come off like that one episode of "The Tick" where another Tick tries to get him to renounce his name. "You... are... BARRY BARRY BARRY BARRY BARRY...."
(I tried to find a YouTube clip of this scene, but instead found this video using clips from the same episode, which is fucking awesome.)
9 comments:
As a Mets fan, Rickey has equal contempt for both the Braves and the BoSox.
As a die-hard Sox fan who went to college in Atlanta, I'll completely agree with you that there's no such rivalry. Sox fans hate the Yanks so much that really there's no room for a rivalry with any other team.
Although one of my fondest Red Sox memories came back in 2001 at Turner Field, where a rain delay in the late innings drove most of the Braves faithful home while the Sox fans waited it out, and when play resumed all you could hear was "Let's Go Red Sox" echoing throughout the stadium. Sox went on to rally and tie the game, take it to extras, and put up 4 runs in the top of the 10th. I will never forget the day we owned Turner Field. I remember it pissed off one of the AJC columnists so much that he wrote some tirade the next day about Braves fans. I know, that's hard to believe.
Box score: from the Baseball Almanac
But really, the vast majority of the interleague rivalries are just dumb. Other than Chicago/Chicago, NY/NY, SF/Oakland, and old World Series rematches, most of them are just marketing ploys. I only liked it because it meant I could see my boys without having to head all the way to the next-closest AL cities of Tampa or Baltimore.
I enjoy the Braves playing the Red Sox. I wouldn't mind just that. I only take issue with the addition of Cleveland, Detroit, and Minnesota also being interleague competition while someone in the nl east gets to play the Royals. That is unfair.
Also, one of my favorite Braves memories is of a Braves/Red Sox game at the Ted in 2003. Nick Green hit a walk off shot in the 12th inning after the vast majority of the Braves fans had gone home. There were maybe half a dozen of us remaining just beyond the left field wall. here's the link to that box score. If things like that keep happening over time, there will be more of a rivalry I would imagine. It just needs time to build since there's no natural reason for hatred like with the Mets and Yankees.
speaking about pointless rivalries how about Toronto vs. Philly.
Wow. This is great. Anybody else have a story about Braves fans leaving early?
Game 5 NLDS, Kerry Wood, his one healthy year, homered and was on fire. By the seventh all you could hear was "Let's Go Cubs" at the end of the game we all sang "Go Cubs Go" and stood on the top og the dugout and my drunk ass gf got sprayed with champagne by Kerry Wood and got a ton of photos, her photos of course were taken with no film in the camera. On the way out Braves fans were telling us they hate the playoffs because all the Braves fans are "Bad Braves Fan(s)"
Braves Suck. Grimey DIAF
Looks like comment moderation should be on...
"speaking about pointless rivalries how about Toronto vs. Philly."
Well, Philly fans really hate the Toronto Maple Leafs. That's something, I guess.
Matt T: No, it's cool. I know the guy.
Hell, I should know him. He's banging my mom.
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