2020 NLDS: Have the Padres Become the Dodgers Main Rival?
Its fast becoming baseball’s best rivalry as the San Diego Padres have become the main rival of the Los Angeles Dodgers whether they like it or not.
What makes a great sports rivalry?
For me, it’s the combination of passion and hatred that brings out the best in each competitor on the field of play. Some of the great sports rivalries include Boston Celtics/Los Angeles Lakers, New York Yankees/Boston Red Sox, and USC/Notre Dame, but none is hotter than San Diego Padres/Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Right now, the baseball world is on the brink of these two division rivals facing off in their first-ever playoff duel. No other series will be played with as much intensity as this one, but the one question that remains is…
Have the Padres become the Dodgers main rival?
Dodgers Fans Deny the Facts
Arrogant Dodgers fans have been denying this fact for years. They treat San Diego as their personal weekend getaway and invade Petco Park like uninvited guests. The “Beat LA” chants from the Friar Faithful is often drowned out by the roar of Dodgers fans as our favorite little downtown ballpark transforms into Dodger Stadium South. They view the Padres as a spunky group of underdogs, but never their true rival.
However, recent and past history would dispute that statement.
The San Diego Padres did the unthinkable to end the 1996 MLB season.
The first on-field missive in this rivalry was sent 24 years ago. The Padres and Dodgers played a memorable three-game series to close out the 1996 season. It was pretty simple what was at stake, the Padres needed just one win at Dodger Stadium to clinch a playoff berth. However, if they could sweep the series, then the Friars would capture the franchise’s second-ever NL West title.
Easier said than done as the Dodgers were playing the best baseball in the majors down the stretch run. In typical fashion of the Padres team’s from that era, they did the unthinkable and swept the Dodgers to win the division. It was the usual suspects (Tony Gwynn, Ken Caminiti and Steve Finley) that came through in the clutch. But, it was another Gwynn that brought San Diego to its feet. Chris Gwynn drove the third pitch of his at-bat to the gap in right-center that scored Finley and Caminiti in the 11th inning for a Padres 4-2 win.
Suddenly, the gap between the two franchises closed significantly with this victory.
The brawl changed the tone in the rivalry between the Dodgers and the Padres.
It was Fight Night at Petco Park in April 2013. The Carlos Quentin and Zack Greinke fight is an important moment in this rivalry. It was one of the more involved baseball brawls in recent times and set the tone between the Padres and Dodgers moving forward.
There had been a history between Quentin and Greinke as the quirky righthander came high and tight on the slugger in a 2009 game. Old habits are hard to break, but the Dodger starter didn’t expect Quentin’s reaction after being hit in the shoulder. The results were the Padres outfielder charging the mound and fracturing Greinke’s collarbone upon impact.
The dispute continued in the player’s enclosed parking area at Petco Park following the game. Dodgers Matt Kemp wanted to confront Quentin about his actions toward his teammate, but the two were quickly separated. Collectively, the Padres were tired of the Dodgers being the ruling class in their own ballpark.
Did Greinke throw intentionally inside to Quentin? We can all speculate, but only he knows and Greinke isn’t about to share that information with us anytime soon.
Trent Grisham’s home run that ruffled the Los Angeles Dodgers’ feathers.
The 10 games played between the Padres and Dodgers in the shortened 2020 season have been more thrilling than the other 50 games on the docket. And the intensity of the rivalry went up a notch after Padres Trent Grisham homered off of Dodgers Clayton Kershaw in the opening game of a big September series at Petco Park.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts criticized the outfielder’s outward antics at the plate and around the bases after hitting the moment-changing home run. He felt the display disrespected Kershaw’s stature in the sport.
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On the other side of the diamond, the Padres were looking to make a statement and validating their legitimacy as a true contender in the National League. If the Friars are going to reach their potential, then they must go through and not around the Dodgers.
In the end, the Dodgers went 6-4 in the season series, but they can see the Padres making up ground in their rearview mirror. This young, confident team is ready to knock Big Blue off their perch. If the first 10 games are any indication, the next five games should take this rivalry to the next level.
Despite being only 120 miles apart from one another, San Diego and Los Angeles are two completely different sports markets. Lifelong Padres fans are raised to hate the Dodgers. And this group has been waiting for this moment their entire life.
Next. Time to retire Roger Clemens number?. dark
We hate them and they hate us.
Let’s play ball!!!