SB Nation Reacts: We Hate The Dodgers edition

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Diamondbacks fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.

While the 2020 season will be extremely shortened, the new schedule does put an increased importance on winning divisional games. That often means needing to beat a team’s biggest rival.

During Rivalry Week, SB Nation Reacts asked baseball fans who specifically they saw as their favorite team’s biggest rival. There were a few teams that clearly draw that kind of attention from many teams.

Almost exactly a decade ago, I ran a poll asking D-backs fans to rate all 30 MLB teams. According to the article, I was supposed to post the results the following Sunday. However, on the following Sunday, Dan Haren was traded, and it appears the poll results got lost in the resulting kerfuffle. But I actually still have the numbers. I’m tempted to run the poll again, so we can see how teams have changed over the 10 years since. But according to the SB Nation resuls, Diamondbacks fans specifically, currently believe the team’s biggest rival is the Los Angeles Dodgers by a wide margin.

There are many different kinds of rivalries. For some teams, that rivalry includes begrudging respect. That respect, however, is not universal. When fans were asked what team they disliked the most, results clearly changed.

Many different things can contribute to the creation of a rivalry. But when it comes to what most fans dislike about their rival, the answer is clear.

If the MLB schedule is able to reach the playoffs and conclude as planned, the winner of these rivalries will shape the season. More than that, it will give fans additional bragging rights.

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