Detroit Tigers: Who is the Archrival? (POLL)

Who is the archrival of YOUR Detroit Tigers? Read what we think first and then you weigh in with our reader poll.

The Detroit Tigers are in the middle of a three-game series with their divisional mates, the Cleveland Indians, which is one of the major rivalries for both sides, but is it an archrivalry?

Playing in their 116th year of baseball, when you ask a Tigers’ fan who the team’s chief rival is, they may miss a beat before telling you the team that contributed to a particularly harsh personal memory. That could mean that the Tigers have lacked a historic close rivalry, and it may change through the years.

This is not the case for fans of certain teams. Ask Red Sox fans who is their rival and they won’t say the Mariners, they’ll say the Yankees. Dodgers-Giants, Cubs-Cardinals, etc.

Does the Tigers’ archrival come from the AL Central? One would think so, since they play within the division 44 percent of each season (72 games, 18 times per team). Familiarity breeds contempt, so the first inclination to bestow the honor would be to the White Sox, Twins, Indians, or Royals.

Let’s remember that Detroit didn’t enter the AL Central until 1998, three seasons after it was created. From then through 2005, they were so lousy that the only rivalry the Tigers could claim was with the empty seats at Tiger Stadium/Comerica Park.

Let’s discuss the candidates for archrivals of the Detroit Tigers in alphabetical order. After taking a trip through the slideshow, we’ll give you the opportunity to make your voice heard in our poll.

Next: Red Sox