Big Z Man 1990
Registered User
2 things can make two teams in the same minor league rivals.
1. Geographic proximity
2. Whether their parent clubs share an intense rivalry.
The following pairs of teams meet both criteria:
International League:
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders VS. Syracuse Mets
Geographic significance: Both a relative short distance from each other on Interstate 81
Parent club significance: SWB and Syracuse have the Yankees and Mets as parent clubs, respectively. The rivalry between those two, the Subway Series, is one of the most intense interleague rivalries in MLB.
Columbus Clippers VS. Toledo Mud Hens
Geographic significance: Both located in Ohio
Parent club significance: Columbus and Toledo have the Indians and Tigers as parent clubs, respectively. The Indians-Tigers rivalry, which matches teams from Michigan and Ohio like Michigan-Ohio State, is among the most intense rivalries for both teams in the AL Central.
Eastern League:
Harrisburg Senators VS. Reading Fightin' Phils
Geographic significance: Both located in Southeastern Pennsylvania
Parent club significance: Harrisburg and Reading have the Nationals and Phillies as parent clubs, respectively. Philadelphia-Washington rivalries are intense in all the leagues where the cities share a division.
Texas League:
Northwest Arkansas Naturals VS. Springfield Cardinals
Geographic significance: Both located in the Ozark region of Missouri and Arkansas
Parent club significance: Northwest Arkansas and Springfield have the Royals and Cardinals as parent clubs, respectively. Both parent clubs are located in Missouri and had a memorable World Series meeting in 1985.
Corpus Christi Hooks VS. Frisco RoughRiders
Geographic significance: Both located in Eastern Texas
Parent club significance: Corpus Christi and Frisco have the Astros and Rangers as parent clubs, respectively. Both parent clubs are located in Texas and are part of the AL West Division. Both teams, both of whom Texas native Nolan Ryan played for during his career, consider each other their main rival, especially after the Astros joined the AL West in 2013.
California League (all teams located in California):
San Jose Giants VS. Stockton Ports
Geographic significance: Both located in Northern California, in adjacent television markets.
Parent club significance: San Jose and Stockton have the Giants and Athletics as parent clubs, respectively. The two parent clubs share the Bay Area market, and met in the 1989 World Series, infamous for being interrutped by an earthquake minutes before Game 3 was supposed to start.
San Jose Giants VS. Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Parent club significance: San Jose and Rancho Cucamonga have the Giants and Dodgers as parent clubs, respectively. The parent clubs have what is probably the most intense rivalry in the NL West. They have always shared a geographic location, first New York City, then California.
Inland Empire 66ers VS. Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Geographic significance: Both located in Inland Empire
Parent club significance: Inland Empire and Rancho Cucamonga have the Angels and Dodgers as parent clubs, respectively. The two teams both represent the Los Angeles market.
Lancaster JetHawks VS. Visalia Rawhide
Parent club significance: Lancaster and Visalia have the Rockies and Diamondbacks as parent clubs, respectively. These NL West parent clubs are the only two teams in the Mountain states.
Carolina League:
Frederick Keys VS. Fredericksburg Nationals
Geographic significance: Both located in suburbs of the Baltimore-Washington area
Parent club significance: Frederick and Fredericksburg have the Orioles and Nationals as parent clubs, respectively. The Beltway Series is fueled by animosity between the fanbases.
Down East Wood Ducks VS. Fayetteville Woodpeckers
Geographic significance: Both located in Eastern North Carolina
Parent club significance: Down East and Fayetteville have the Rangers and Astros as parent clubs, respectively. See Texas League for MLB rivalry info.
Florida State League (all teams located in Florida):
Jupiter Hammerheads VS. Charlotte Stone Crabs
Parent club significance: Jupiter and Charlotte have the Marlins and Rays as parent clubs, respectively. Both parent clubs are located in Florida.
St. Lucie Mets VS. Tampa Tarpons
Parent club significance: St. Lucie and Tampa have the Mets and Yankees as parent clubs, respectively. See Internatiomal League for MLB rivalry info.
Clearwater Threshers VS. Bradenton Marauders
Geographic significance: Both located in Tampa Bay TV market
Parent club significance: Clearwater and Bradenton have the Phillies and Pirates as parent clubs, respectively. Both parent clubs are located in Pennsylvania, however they have not shared a division since 1993.
Midwest League:
Dayton Dragons VS. Lake County Captains
Geographic significance: Both located in Ohio
Parent club significance: Dayton and Lake County have the Reds and Indians as parent clubs, respectively. Both parent clubs located in Ohio.
South Atlantic League:
Delmarva Shorebirds VS. Hagerstown Suns
Geographic significance: Both located in Maryland
Parent club significance: Delmarva and Hagerstown have the Orioles and Nationals as parent clubs, respectively. See Carolina League for MLB rivalry info.
Columbia Fireflies VS. Charleston RiverDogs
Geographic significance: Both located in South Carolina along Interstate 26
Parent club significance: Columbia and Charleston have the Mets and Yankees as parent clubs, respectively. See International League for MLB rivalry info.
New York-Penn League:
Brooklyn Cyclones VS. Staten Island Yankees
Geographic significance: Both located in New York City
Parent club significance: Brooklyn and Staten Island have the Mets and Yankees as parent clubs, respectively. See International League for MLB rivalry info.
Pioneer League:
Ogden Raptors VS. Orem Owlz
Geographic significance: Both located in Utah
Parent club significance: Ogden and Orem have the Dodgers and Angels as parent clubs, respectively. See California League for MLB rivalry info.
Arizona and Gulf Coast Leagues have too many rivalries for me to list, as they are based in spring training complexes which by definition are in either the Phoenix area or in Florida.
1. Geographic proximity
2. Whether their parent clubs share an intense rivalry.
The following pairs of teams meet both criteria:
International League:
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders VS. Syracuse Mets
Geographic significance: Both a relative short distance from each other on Interstate 81
Parent club significance: SWB and Syracuse have the Yankees and Mets as parent clubs, respectively. The rivalry between those two, the Subway Series, is one of the most intense interleague rivalries in MLB.
Columbus Clippers VS. Toledo Mud Hens
Geographic significance: Both located in Ohio
Parent club significance: Columbus and Toledo have the Indians and Tigers as parent clubs, respectively. The Indians-Tigers rivalry, which matches teams from Michigan and Ohio like Michigan-Ohio State, is among the most intense rivalries for both teams in the AL Central.
Eastern League:
Harrisburg Senators VS. Reading Fightin' Phils
Geographic significance: Both located in Southeastern Pennsylvania
Parent club significance: Harrisburg and Reading have the Nationals and Phillies as parent clubs, respectively. Philadelphia-Washington rivalries are intense in all the leagues where the cities share a division.
Texas League:
Northwest Arkansas Naturals VS. Springfield Cardinals
Geographic significance: Both located in the Ozark region of Missouri and Arkansas
Parent club significance: Northwest Arkansas and Springfield have the Royals and Cardinals as parent clubs, respectively. Both parent clubs are located in Missouri and had a memorable World Series meeting in 1985.
Corpus Christi Hooks VS. Frisco RoughRiders
Geographic significance: Both located in Eastern Texas
Parent club significance: Corpus Christi and Frisco have the Astros and Rangers as parent clubs, respectively. Both parent clubs are located in Texas and are part of the AL West Division. Both teams, both of whom Texas native Nolan Ryan played for during his career, consider each other their main rival, especially after the Astros joined the AL West in 2013.
California League (all teams located in California):
San Jose Giants VS. Stockton Ports
Geographic significance: Both located in Northern California, in adjacent television markets.
Parent club significance: San Jose and Stockton have the Giants and Athletics as parent clubs, respectively. The two parent clubs share the Bay Area market, and met in the 1989 World Series, infamous for being interrutped by an earthquake minutes before Game 3 was supposed to start.
San Jose Giants VS. Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Parent club significance: San Jose and Rancho Cucamonga have the Giants and Dodgers as parent clubs, respectively. The parent clubs have what is probably the most intense rivalry in the NL West. They have always shared a geographic location, first New York City, then California.
Inland Empire 66ers VS. Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Geographic significance: Both located in Inland Empire
Parent club significance: Inland Empire and Rancho Cucamonga have the Angels and Dodgers as parent clubs, respectively. The two teams both represent the Los Angeles market.
Lancaster JetHawks VS. Visalia Rawhide
Parent club significance: Lancaster and Visalia have the Rockies and Diamondbacks as parent clubs, respectively. These NL West parent clubs are the only two teams in the Mountain states.
Carolina League:
Frederick Keys VS. Fredericksburg Nationals
Geographic significance: Both located in suburbs of the Baltimore-Washington area
Parent club significance: Frederick and Fredericksburg have the Orioles and Nationals as parent clubs, respectively. The Beltway Series is fueled by animosity between the fanbases.
Down East Wood Ducks VS. Fayetteville Woodpeckers
Geographic significance: Both located in Eastern North Carolina
Parent club significance: Down East and Fayetteville have the Rangers and Astros as parent clubs, respectively. See Texas League for MLB rivalry info.
Florida State League (all teams located in Florida):
Jupiter Hammerheads VS. Charlotte Stone Crabs
Parent club significance: Jupiter and Charlotte have the Marlins and Rays as parent clubs, respectively. Both parent clubs are located in Florida.
St. Lucie Mets VS. Tampa Tarpons
Parent club significance: St. Lucie and Tampa have the Mets and Yankees as parent clubs, respectively. See Internatiomal League for MLB rivalry info.
Clearwater Threshers VS. Bradenton Marauders
Geographic significance: Both located in Tampa Bay TV market
Parent club significance: Clearwater and Bradenton have the Phillies and Pirates as parent clubs, respectively. Both parent clubs are located in Pennsylvania, however they have not shared a division since 1993.
Midwest League:
Dayton Dragons VS. Lake County Captains
Geographic significance: Both located in Ohio
Parent club significance: Dayton and Lake County have the Reds and Indians as parent clubs, respectively. Both parent clubs located in Ohio.
South Atlantic League:
Delmarva Shorebirds VS. Hagerstown Suns
Geographic significance: Both located in Maryland
Parent club significance: Delmarva and Hagerstown have the Orioles and Nationals as parent clubs, respectively. See Carolina League for MLB rivalry info.
Columbia Fireflies VS. Charleston RiverDogs
Geographic significance: Both located in South Carolina along Interstate 26
Parent club significance: Columbia and Charleston have the Mets and Yankees as parent clubs, respectively. See International League for MLB rivalry info.
New York-Penn League:
Brooklyn Cyclones VS. Staten Island Yankees
Geographic significance: Both located in New York City
Parent club significance: Brooklyn and Staten Island have the Mets and Yankees as parent clubs, respectively. See International League for MLB rivalry info.
Pioneer League:
Ogden Raptors VS. Orem Owlz
Geographic significance: Both located in Utah
Parent club significance: Ogden and Orem have the Dodgers and Angels as parent clubs, respectively. See California League for MLB rivalry info.
Arizona and Gulf Coast Leagues have too many rivalries for me to list, as they are based in spring training complexes which by definition are in either the Phoenix area or in Florida.
