Royals fans rank their favorite MLB teams

Last week I asked fans to rank all 30 Major League teams in order of favorite to least-favorite. I tabulated 42 complete votes, awarding 30 points to your favorite team, 29 to your second-favorite, 1 for your least-favorite. Here are the results

1. Kansas City Royals

Wow, Royals fans love the Royals! If this does not show how Royals fans are the greatest in baseball, I don’t know what does.

“How could it be anyone else?”

-JacobinKansas

“Duh, the Royals are the best, they are the only major sports team I like that has won a major sports championship in my lifetime”

-GreenSapphire

2. Pittsburgh Pirates

Always felt like the Pirates were small market brothers. They have suffered quite a long pennant drought (1979) and Pittsburgh seems like a cool town. I get the love here.

“Always felt like the fans of Pittsburgh knew what we went through during the last 30 years because they were going through the same thing. Their Wild Card success inspired me. I hope we inspired them. I very much hope they break through and win it all in the next few. Small Market brother.”

-LarryGuraYankeeKiller

“PNC is beautiful, lovable loser type team. McCutchen is great.”

-ZWal93

3. Seattle Mariners

Does the Battle of Grass Creek mean nothing anymore? Mariners fans seem to be too gosh darn likable, and they currently have the longest playoff drought (2001) evoking some sympathy for a team that has never won a pennant.

“I loved the Griffey days. Ichiro was awesome. Easy to root for this long-suffering franchise. But they’re never on TV”

-Stephen Berry

“Would have been on the bottom of the list but now that Dyson is there I will cheer for them.”

-meat525

“Every interaction I’ve seen between Royals fans and Mariners fans is like a contest to see who can be more pleasant. It always results in a tie.”

-BraineyBaxter

4. Minnesota Twins

Twins fans showed Royals fans some love, and Royals fans returned the favor. Interesting to see a fellow division rival this far up, but save for a few seasons, the Royals and Twins have never really been good at the same time, even back to their days in the American League West

“Kinda hated them 10 years ago, but it was really jealousy. Never wanted them contracted.”

-BrRoyal

“First team to make me realize payroll wasn’t everything. Been to a couple games at Target Field.

-Luke Hanish

5. Colorado Rockies

Another close team geographically, but in a separate league, diffusing any sort of rivalry. It seems the Broncos-Chiefs rivalry has not spilled over into baseball.

“Awesome fanbase that still fills the stadium even though they’ve sucked pretty hard most of the team’s life.”

-Jeksumr

“A likable team with a great color palette, small-market mindset, and a beautiful stadium.”

-Matthew LaMar

6. Tampa Bay Rays

No bad feelings over the James Shields trade, as Royals fans are mostly thankful they were able to get Shields and Wade Davis to help propel them to a pennant.

“Chris Archer seems nice, It was funny when Kiermaier hung onto the wall.”

-SportingKC

“If they had a nice stadium and/or any noticeable fans they’d probably be higher.”

-Sweep_the_Leg

7. Houston Astros

This probably looks much different if the Astros don’t blow a four-run lead in Game 4 of the 2015 ALDS. But the Royals won that series, and Royals fans won’t harbor any ill will.

“They scared the living daylights out of me a couple years ago. I respect that.”

-BraineyBaxter

“They would have been a lot lower if they knocked the 2015 Royals out of the playoffs.”

-Royals87

8. Milwaukee Brewers

The Brew Crew used to be an AL opponent, but moving to the NL has caused them to perhaps be more well liked in Kansas City.

“My dad grew up in Wisconsin, and I still have some family there. Had Paul Molitor and Robin Yount posters as a kid.”

-Luke Hanish

“Perhaps the greatest team name. Pass me a beer.”

-BrRoyal

9. Chicago Cubs

Royals and Cubs fans can share a hatred of the Cardinals and White Sox together, but there already seems to be some backlash to their recent success.

“Grandpa’s favorite team, they make me think of doublemint gum and summer visits to Iowa.”

-glovehat

“The fans… and spoiling the best baseball mythos we had. Red Sox 2.0 here we come! Ugh.”

-Stephen Berry

10. Atlanta Braves

While the Royals were stinking up the joint in the 90s, many fans were wowed by the success of the Braves at that time, while following the team on TBS.

“Respect their successful run, we got Dayton, and by extension, our success, as a result.”

-cmkeller

“I currently like how they are building their farm system right now”

-GreenSapphire

11. Texas Rangers

A lot of “meh” responses here. The Rangers have never really been a rival of the Royals, and there is some sympathy for their lack of pennants.

“Ownership is wanting to screw the fan base over with the new stadium.”

-SportingKC

“Odor punched Bautista. While I don’t generally care for the brawls and beanball wars, it was such a beautiful punch.”

-glovehat

12. Arizona Diamondbacks

Some Royals fans had affinity for the Diamondbacks for having Zack Greinke, but most responses were that of indifference.

“Beat the great Yankee dynasty team in the World Series in the most unexpected way. Also liked their original color scheme.”

-cmkeller

“Something something cool logo. I’m a graphic designer, don’t hate.”

-aaj

13. Miami Marlins

The Marlins ranked quite high with many fans, who liked their color schemes, their flamboyant stadium, and the brilliance of Jose Fernandez and Giancarlo Stanton.

“Started loving them through Marlins Man, and then more through the 2015/16 seasons.”

-Jeksumr

“This is sort of arbitrary, but they’d be a lot higher if not for that rebrand from a few years ago. I loved the old logo/unis.”

-Chief Illiniwek

14. New York Mets

The Royals and Mets faced off recently in the Fall Classic, but Royals fans do not appear to harbor resentment towards the Citifield faithful. The Mets were a pretty gracious opponent for the most part, and a tough team to hate. With one exception.

“Thor’s a punk, but David Wright making them come out and thank their fans after they lost the WS was nice.”

-glovehat

“Respect for the world series. A pretty classy team all around, would love to face them again.”

-aaj

15. Oakland Athletics

The Royals and A’s were big rivals in the 70s, and of course, Oakland stole the team from Kansas City. But that mostly seems to be water under the bridge as fans root for Billy Beane and have sympathy for the way A’s fans have been treated by ownership.

“I have a soft spot for small-market underdog teams. They would be so much more fun if they played in a baseball stadium”

-Stephen Berry

“That ballpark is ASS”

-GreenSapphire

16. Cincinnati Reds

The Reds seem to evoke a lot of indifference, although some fans recalled fond memories of the Big Red Machine as well as the 1990 championship team, or thanked the team for giving us Johnny Cueto.

“Stole all of our pitchers, so kind of the Royals”

-Jeksumr

“Would be way higher if Mr. Red hadn’t given me the "Loser L" on his forehead in 2011 because I wore Royals gear. You suck, Mr. Red.”

-BrRoyal

17. San Diego Padres

Again, a lot of indifference to this National League team that, unfortunately, hasn’t been very relevant.

“Tony Gwynn was one of my favorite players growing up.”

-don.jerovanni

“I feel sorry for the Padres, only a couple of really good teams.”

-GreenSapphire

18. Washington Nationals

The Nationals have yet to really develop an identity either. There is some enthusiasm for players like Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer, but most Royals fans forget the Nats even exist.

“I’ve spent several years in DC, but I can’t get into them. Their stadium has no soul.”

-BrRoyal

“Vive les Expos!”

-Luke Hanish

19. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers brought out a lot of mixed feelings, with some respecting their past, while others see them as the Yankees West. The Royals copied a lot from the Dodgers when they came into the league, with some fans acknowledging that fact.

“Vin Scully is retiring, but still counts. If you don’t like Vin, you don’t like baseball. Best uniforms aside from the Royals. Great history and tradition.”

-LarryGuraYankeeKiller

“I liked them better when they weren’t trying to hoard every good player in MLB.”

-Sweep_the_Leg

20. Baltimore Orioles

There was some bad blood between Royals and Orioles fans during the 2014 ALCS, but Royals fans have mostly gotten over it, while Orioles troll Jason La Canfora will never forget.

“Jason LaCanfora, their hissy fit over Dyson’s statement and Guthrie’s shirt in ‘14.”

-glovehat

“Felt bad for their fans for so many years, thinking they would never climb out of the pit of that monstrous AL East. There’s La Canfora and stuff, but we swept them. No hard feelings.”

-Luke Hanish

21. Philadelphia Phillies

The feelings on the Phillies ranged from indifference to disgust, mostly directed at the fans, who have a reputation for being ill-tempered.

“Actually a good, interesting team but who cares.”

-jeksumr

“Stole a Worlds Championship from the Royals that they didn’t deserve. Worst sports fans in America. At least they don’t call the Vet home anymore. Only good thing about the Phillies is the Phanatic, which is far and away the best mascot in sports.”

-LarryGuraYankeeKiller

22. Los Angeles Angels

The Royals and Angels were rivals in the 80s in the American League West, but there wasn’t much bad blood when the teams faced off in the 2014 ALDS. Most of the ire towards the Angels seems to be over how the organization is run.

“Have always like Pujols and Trout.”

-JacobinKansas

“Their rally monkey is creepy and stupid”

-Nicholali

23. Cleveland Indians

Many Royals fans had objections with the Indians logo and the city of Cleveland, but there was plenty of admiration for their players, especially Francisco Lindor.

“Liked the Kenny Lofton Indians; always been a good alternative to root for in the playoffs against teams I didn’t like”

-Stephen Suffron

“Racist logo, largely boring during my baseball fandom. Love Lindor and Major League, potential here if they ditch Wahoo.”

-ZWal93

“Racist logos. Ugly city. Weren’t worth a crap until realignment; then they started to get good just in time to be in our division.”

-LarryGuraYankeeKiller

24. San Francisco Giants

The Giants produced a wide array of emotions, with some fans respecting the organization and their players, particularly Hunter Pence, while others were still bitter over the 2014 World Series, particularly over Madison Bumgarner.

“I still get sad everytime I see a SF hat around… 90 feet. 90 feet…”

-SportingKC

“2014 aside, they’re a great franchise with great history and fun players. Good uniforms to boot”

-Stephen Berry

25. Boston Red Sox

Many fans acknowledged that they once liked the Red Sox, but have liked them less as the team becomes more like the Yankees in terms of payroll.

“David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez are both pluses, but they share fan base with the Patriots, and they like to buy titles.”

-SportingKC

“I was glad when they came back against the Yankees in 04, but haven’t liked them since.”

-Royals87

26. Detroit Tigers

A lot of Royals fans actually liked the Tigers because of family affiliations (my dad grew up a Tigers fan as well!) There was a lot of respect for Miguel Cabrera, and it seemed that if the Tigers weren’t such a competitive division rival, they would be rather well liked in Kansas City.

“Typical rival scenario. That Cabrera fella is fun to watch at the plate though.

-Luke Hanish

“Respect them as divisional rivals. Tiger carousel in stadium is brilliant idea.”

-cmkeller

27. Toronto Blue Jays

Josh Donaldson. Jose Bautista. The Blue Jays weren’t really hated here until 2015 and brother, are they hated now!

“I don’t seem to like any team that plays in Canada cuz ’Murrica.”

-don.jerovanni

“Surprisingly terrible fans, bad stadium, ugly players. Toronto showed its collective ass during the playoffs, particularly the ’15 Texas ALDS series. Bautista…the most villainous player since Reggie Jackson or Barry Bonds.”

-LarryGuraYankeeKiller

“I don’t have the burning, vitriolic hate for them that many do, but I don’t want them to win. I never knew I’d get such a perverse satisfaction from seeing Joey Bats getting clocked until it happened.”

-Luke Hanish

28. St. Louis Cardinals

I was very surprised the Cardinals weren’t the least-liked team, but there were a few Royals fans who had cross-allegiances, or had family that cheered for the Cardinals, so they did not rank the Cards dead last. I wonder what high school they went to?

“Cardinals fans are insufferable ‘aw-shucks’ baseball elitists who even before the Rams left also rooted for the Chiefs. Stop.”

-Matthew LaMar

“The joy I feel when we win against the Cardinals is ethereal.”

-BraineyBaxter

“Because f*** St. Louis.”

-Luke Hanish

29. Chicago White Sox

Hawk Harrelson was frequently cited as a reason to hate the Sox, but the main reason stemmed from an incident in which Royals first base coach Tom Gamboa was assaulted on the field by two White Sox fans.

“There is not a single redeeming factor about this franchise.”

-ZWal93

“TOM GAMBOA NEVER FORGET”

-Sweep_the_Leg

“Not only Gamboa, but the only time I’ve come close to blows at a sporting event was when a drunken Sox fan screamed at my friends and I the entire game, because we had the gall to rep the visiting team.”

-Luke Hanish

30. New York Yankees

The Evil Empire. The 1970s rivalries. Hal McRae plowing into Willie Randolph. George Brett brawling with Graig Nettles. The Pine Tar Game.

George Brett said it best, “F*** the Yankees.”

“Taught to hate them, learned to hate them, love to hate them.”

-Lil’Sparky

“Always the Goliath to our David.”

-cmkeller

“When I think of the Yankees, I think of corrupt Wall Street businessmen, and if it weren’t for them the Royals could have like four world series titles”

-GreenSapphire