Main Rivals

[Bazox]

Who are the Sox's main rivals apart from the Cubs , the teams when it is extra sweet to beat and the reason behind the rivalry ?

Thanks 

 

[TheTruth05]

All AL Central opponents (CLE,DET,MIN,KC).

Reason: We've had scuffles with all these teams the past 30 years and they are a direct rival to the Sox playoff hopes.

Edited May 4, 2018 by TheTruth05

[Blackout Friday]

Most recently I’d say the Royals, and that goes back to the 70’s as well.

The Yankees were a rival in the 50’s and early 60’s when they continuously beat out some good White Sox teams.

The Indians were a rival in the 50’s as well for the same reason, and again in the 90’s when the Sox finished behind them every year. They still are because of the division.

[southsider2k5]

In our division I can't hate any team more than I hate Detroit.  While we have periods of rivalry with the others teams, Chicago vs Detroit is a mainstay no matter what sport we are talking about.

[OmarComing25]

We've had some nice rivalries with all the other ALC teams in the past couple decades but I've never hated anyone more than those Twins teams from 2003-2010. Game 163 in 2008 wasn't that far off from 2005 for me. Beating those assholes in that game was so sweet.

[Eminor3rd]

26 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

In our division I can't hate any team more than I hate Detroit.  While we have periods of rivalry with the others teams, Chicago vs Detroit is a mainstay no matter what sport we are talking about.

For me it's the Royals. Over the years, I've found my hate waxing and waning depending upon which of the others is good at the time (Indians in the 90's, Twins for most of the 2000's, Tigers for the John Danks era, etc.), but the Royals never go away. And how the players have comported themselves after their victory has only made it worse.

[iWiN4PreP]

In terms of rivals the AL Central is where it's at. Depending on who you talk to and which team is sporting a good roster in a particular season you can have any order of the teams: Detroit, Kansas City, Minnesota, Cleveland.

 

These days, I find it hard to root against Cleveland and Minnesota. I love their rosters. KC and DET are more on 'our level' of competition so it's easier to despise them.

 

[flavum]

None.

The team the Sox play each day.

[TaylorStSox]

I still think it's the Twins. 

The Cubs aren't our rivals. We play in different leagues. Fans on both sides of town seem to obsess over it, but I personally could care less except when we play each other. 

[Ducksnort]

33 minutes ago, Tony said:

100% agree on the Cubs. GET OVER IT.

In terms of “rivals” honestly right now the Sox don’t really have any. I rivalry can’t be one sided, both needs to be involved. The Sox have been bad long enough now, these games don’t really have enough heat to build any sort of actual rivalry. Let’s ask again in 2020

I agree on this. There isn't a rivalry until they, and another team from the central, are good for years. Not sure if they will ever have a clear "life-long" rival, like the Yanks and Red Sox, or Giants and Dodgers, or Cubs and Cardinals, but if I had to pick I would say Detroit. I may be biased because I live in Michigan, but even just proximity purposes, Detroit and Chicago probably butt heads more than any other duo in the central. Sox and Royals might be a close 2nd. Maybe if Milwaukee were in the division it might be a different story.

With that being said, is there really any other division rivalries in the central? 

Edited May 4, 2018 by Scoots

[chitownsportsfan]

At the moment, with only the Indians really "good" there's not a lot of spirit in the intra-division games anymore.  That said I would go with Minnesota.  I just can't stand them.  Too many horror stories from the Metrodome era.

[knightni]

I went to games in Cleveland years ago and asked fans who their rivals are. 

Even though they're in the ALC now, many Indians fans still hate ALE teams - because of their days in that division - more than the Sox.

The Twins have been a Sox rival going back to the era when they left Washington DC (1960s). Many Twins fans loathe the Sox.

[daa84]

its the cubs, then the cubs, then cubs,  then probably the cubs for me. within the division KC is the only team to have recently won a WS, but they still feel like the least among the rivals. The sox and royals really havent both been good at the same time so i think that hurts the rivalry. I really hated the Pirhana twins teams - and same goes for the 06-08 tigers teams, god i can still remember craig monroe hitting every big home run against the sox. Cleveland in the 90s certainly was the big one - but since then it hasnt had the same feel as the other teams...after all that, i guess id say the twins 

[LittleHurt05]

Ignore everyone being too cool for school in this thread, it's the Cubs without question.  It's a derby, it's the most attended series every season, it's the loudest the Cell will be all year, the media will preview it more than any other series.  Rivalries are about the fans, and the Cubs are the rival the fans care about most.  

 

When the Sox are competitive, rivalries between the divisional teams start brewing again, but at times like now they are pretty dormant.  With the new schedule format, each divisional team is faced 19 times, so it's hard to get too excited for a particular matchup if you aren't fighting for the postseason, especially when each team will win minimum 4 or 5 of those games given the nature of baseball.

[reiks12]

I hate the twins because of the 2000's. They always had our number and their offenses were always so annoying. They were dubbed the piranhas 

[Buehrle>Wood]

The Twins are our biggest rivals thanks for a decade of battles during the 00s.

[caulfield12]

Cubs, Twins, Tigers/Indians (tie)

[Bazox]

Ok my tuppence worth after reading all your replies , because of the way the three major sports are run in the States ie  .the drafting pick , there does not seem to be any longevity in rivalries like for instance Boca Juniors and River Plate in soccer , so I have made my own mind up and decided to be intensely bitter towards the Cubs  ? and just for good measure I would like us to give the Yankees a routing everytime .