Power Ranking Every 'Hometown' Interleague Rivalry

Whether you love it or hate it, interleague play is here to stay.

For the past 17 years, the MLB schedule has pitted teams from the American League and National League against each other in games that count, not merely exhibitions that mean little in the grand scheme of things.

While the premise has it's detractors, it has given fans the chance to see their favorite teams take on their "hometown" rivals.

Granted, not every team has a geographic rival in the other league, and that has resulted in some "rivalries" that seem forced and are relatively mundane.

Not all rivalries are created equal.

It's true that Houston's move to the American League robbed us of one of the better interleague rivalries, as the Astros and Texas Rangers are now division foes.

Yet for the vast majority of fans around baseball, games against their favorite team's "hometown rival" are as exciting and exhilarating—if not more so—than games against traditional division rivals.

Which of these "hometown rivalries" is the best of the bunch?

Let's take a look. 

*All head-to-head records courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

15. San Diego Padres vs. Seattle Mariners

Distance Between Stadiums: 1,257 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Mariners lead 46-41

There's no lengthy history of hatred between these two clubs who were seemingly paired together by MLB for three reasons:

• They share a spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona.
• Both play on the West Coast.
• Both represent cities that begin with the letter "S".

Neither team has been a contender in years, and with the two teams a combined 13 games below .500 (44-57) so far this season, that's not going to change anytime soon.

That, coupled with the tremendous distance between the two teams geographically, makes this the least intriguing and exciting "hometown" rivalry in baseball—both for the players and the fans.

14. Colorado Rockies vs. Houston Astros

Distance Between Stadiums: 1,120 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Astros lead 81-79

With Colorado not having any American League team near Coors Field and Houston unable to play interleague games against their geographic rivals, the Texas Rangers—now that they share a division—the two teams wound up paired against one another for rivalry week.

There isn't a long, tawdry history between the two clubs to draw upon. They've never met in the playoffs, one team hasn't fleeced the other in a lopsided trade and neither have battled head-to-head for a high-profile free agent.

While the Astros remain in a perpetual rebuilding mode and the Rockies have been one of the surprises of the 2013 season, neither team has the most reliable pitching staff—despite Colorado's early-season success—and that could lead to some high-scoring games that draw casual fans to the matchup.

13. Atlanta Braves vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Distance Between Stadiums: 951 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Blue Jays lead 16-15

The distance between the two "hometown" rivals makes this series feel like another manufactured series being forced upon us, but unlike those previously mentioned, at least both teams have some quality players on each side of the field.

While Toronto hasn't played up to expectations in 2013, the idea that quality, entertaining baseball being played between the two teams isn't a stretch.

That said, you won't see many Blue Jays caps at Turner Field, and Braves fans will be few-and-far between at the Rogers Centre, and the lack of buzz about this matchup among the respective fanbases makes this rivalry one of the least intriguing ones on the interleague schedule.

12. Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Texas Rangers

Distance Between Stadiums: 1,047 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Rangers lead 17-9

Another manufactured series forced upon us by Houston's move to the American League, Arizona vs. Texas at least gives us a pair of contending teams going head-to-head.

The two teams spent much of this past winter disagreeing with each other over proposed trades that would have sent Justin Upton to Texas, so I could see fans of the Rangers manifesting some dislike for the Diamondbacks from those failed negotiations.

That said, there's not much history between the two and what history there is has been largely dominated by the Rangers.

While both teams are contenders, this series lacks the kind of fire and passion that makes it one of the better interleague matchups on the schedule.

11. Miami Marlins vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Distance Between Stadiums: 265 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Tied 43-43

Had Miami not traded away nearly all of its major league-caliber talent during the winter, this would be a far more intriguing series than it is.

But the Marlins are essentially a mediocre Triple-A ballclub these days, while the Rays continue to hang around the .500 mark, in contention for a playoff spot but not playing the kind of baseball that makes you think "wow, I don't want my team playing these guys."

While both teams have had success in the past, it's rarely come at the same time.

That, coupled with the fact that neither team has what you'd call a passionate fanbase and the current, sorry state of the Marlins, leaves this "hometown" rivalry lacking the juice that other geographic rivals share.

10. Milwaukee Brewers vs. Minnesota Twins

Distance Between Stadiums: 335 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Twins lead 227-215

Former rivals in the AL Central, this series lost some of its luster when Milwaukee moved to the National League after the 1997 season.

Fans from both sides travel well for this matchup, roughly a five-hour drive on I-94, which makes for a great environment at both ballparks.

Yet you can't get away from the fact that it feels more like just another interleague matchup than an emotionally charged meeting between two teams who genuinely dislike one another.

9. Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Distance Between Stadiums: 285 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Tigers lead 19-15

A meeting between teams representing two of the iconic blue-collar cities in America is always going to get people's juices flowing, juices that are flowing fast and furious when both teams are playing excellent baseball, such as they are in 2013.

The two teams have met in the postseason once, nearly 100 years ago, when the Pirates beat Detroit in seven games to win the 1909 World Series. It's unlikely that anyone associated with the rivalry today has any ill-will towards the opposition because of that.

Yet there are still connections between the two franchises besides their geography and blue-collar history, most notably Jim Leyland. The chain-smoking skipper, who spent 11 years in Pittsburgh's dugout and is one of the most successful managers in Pirates history, has been Detroit's skipper since 2006.

While I'd prefer to see Pittsburgh and Cleveland duke it out (the fans truly dislike one another), a Tigers vs. Pirates rivalry isn't a terrible thing.

8. Baltimore Orioles vs. Washington Nationals

Distance Between Stadiums: 38 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Orioles lead 30-28

The Battle for the Beltway is the newest rivalry in baseball, and it has the potential to quickly move up the charts as time goes on.

For that to happen, of course, both teams must stay competitive.

Both the fans and teams seem to genuinely dislike one another, and Orioles' owner Peter Angelos did everything in his power to stop Montreal from relocating into his backyard when the Expos were on the hunt for a new home, something that certainly hasn't been lost on fans in our nation's capital.

With players like Manny Machado, Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg already entrenched with their respective clubs and prospects like Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy soon to become regulars in Baltimore's rotation, each team has plenty of high-end talent to keep this rivalry intense and entertaining for years to come.

7. Boston Red Sox vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Distance Between Stadiums: 309 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Red Sox lead 30-20

Among the best sports towns in the country it makes sense for Boston and Philadelphia to meet in interleague play, especially with neither one having a traditional geographic rival in the other league.

With rabid fanbases that have a genuine dislike for the other cities teams (across all sports) and travel well, the scene at either Fenway Park or Citizens Bank Park is always going to be electric when these two storied franchises meet.

6. Cincinnati Reds vs. Cleveland Indians

Distance Between Stadiums: 249 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Indians lead 42-40

The Battle of Ohio has never been as heated a rivalry as it is in 2013, with both teams featuring high-powered offenses and in contention for playoff spots.

After all, the Ohio Cup, a trophy that was first introduced in 1989 before interleague play began, is at stake.

Originally awarded to the winner of a single-game exhibition played at a minor league stadium in Columbus just before the regular season began, the award stopped being handed out upon the introduction of interleague play.

Yet with fans on both sides clamoring for its return, 2008 saw the Ohio Cup once again awarded to the victor of the interleague series between the two rivals, with the Reds winning three of the last four. In the case of a series tie, both teams get to show off the cup during the regular season.

Its things like the Ohio Cup that makes this one of the more enjoyable and exciting interleague series between hometown rivals in the game.

5. Kansas City Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Distance Between Stadiums: 241 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Cardinals lead 43-30

Much like the rivalry between Cleveland and Cincinnati, the in-state rivalry between Kansas City and St. Louis flies under-the-radar due to its location.

The first time these two Missouri teams met was in the 1985 World Series, won in seven games by Kansas City—the last time that the Royals saw the postseason.

While neither city is considered to be a "major market," you'd be hard-pressed to find more loyal fans on both sides, and that only helps to take this rivalry to another level.

With the Royals finally rejoining the land of contenders after nearly 30 years of ineptitude and the Cardinals remaining one of the premier teams in the game, the I-70 series has had new life breathed into it, making it one of the most hotly-contested and anticipated interleague series of the season.

4. Los Angeles Angels vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Distance Between Stadiums: 31.6 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Angels lead 54-39

We've come a long way since exhibition games between the two geographic rivals began in 1962, especially with the Angels' decision to include "Los Angeles" in their name despite playing in Anaheim.

Despite both teams having two of the highest payrolls in baseball this season, they sit a combined 12 games below .500 (44-56), making victories against one another all the more sweet for the fans of the winning team.

With each side boasting some of the biggest names in the game and fanbases that genuinely dislike one another, it's no surprise to find the Angels/Dodgers rivalry near the top of the list.

3. Oakland A's vs. San Francisco Giants

Distance Between Stadiums: 16.3 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: A's lead 48-45

I defer to Oakland skipper Bob Melvin on this one, as he explained to MLB.com's Doug Miller what makes this Bay Area battle one of the premier rivalries in baseball:

"

I've often said that people in the Bay Area, it's an exciting time in the baseball season for them, because everyone's watching. You can say all you want -- that it's just another team, another four games, and it is another team and another four games -- but in the Bay Area, it takes on more importance than that. Everyone's watching. Stands are packed, whether it's our place or their place. It's a raucous crowd, our side and their side. It's kind of cool.

"

Well said, sir.

2. New York Mets vs. New York Yankees

Distance Between Stadiums: 9.9 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: Yankees lead 54-37

The Subway Series has been dominated by the Yankees, who with the exception of a handful of years have been the dominant team in New York since interleague play began.

While this rivalry becomes far more intriguing and exciting when both teams are in contention—something that is not the case in 2013—it still carries plenty of appeal for fans of both teams.

To be fair, things were more interesting when the late George Steinbrenner was still running the show in the Bronx, as the Boss's two biggest pet peeves were seeing his team lose to Boston or the cross-town Mets.

That said, this remains one of the premier interleague series in the game and a major reason why interleague play was seriously considered when someone proposed the idea nearly 20 years ago. Since 1997, games between the two rivals have drawn nearly five million fans to both ballparks.

1. Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox

Distance Between Stadiums: 10.5 miles

All-Time Head-to-Head Results: White Sox lead 49-42

When it comes to hometown rivalries, it doesn't get any better than Cubs vs. White Sox. North side vs. South side.

Michael Barrett vs. A.J. Pierzynski.

Carlos Zambrano vs. Derrek Lee.

It doesn't matter that neither team is very good these days—the animosity and rivalry between the clubs and their respective fanbases is as real as the keyboard on which I'm typing.