Actually, I don't care who it is, I've never watched a game and not hated whoever the Orioles were playing. Why the hell should they win? Why do people from [Insert City] deserve to have any kind of happiness? These guys are just a bunch of 4A jokers and soft tossing lefties. Screw 'em.

However, when I'm being slightly more rational, I'm surprised by my true emotions. Sure, I hate the Yankees. Every player who is wearing pinstripes is the worst. Even the thought of the possibility of there being a chance that Machado ends up in the Bronx makes me seethe, and even hold it against him a little (I'm sorry Manny, I love you, don't ever leave). But that's not worthy of a fanpost because we all feel this way.

The teams that I really hate losing to are the other smaller market teams. Minnesota, Cleveland, San Diego, Tampa, Cinci, KC, Milwaukee, Oakland, etc... You see, while I don't like it, I do understand why my beloved Birds lose to the big city big money teams. They have enormous fan bases and budgets big enough to build whatever roster they deem appropriate. They SHOULD win every year, because this is a business. There is just enough David and Goliath about baseball that when the little guy loses, you have to shrug it off.

But when a team like Oakland or Tampa catches fire, that really stings. Why not us? What great sin has Baltimore committed? How do these lucky, magical runs never happen for the Orioles? It's just not fair that we have bad luck, can't seem to hire the right FO staff, keep having prospects peter out.

Of course the flame of hope continues to burn inside me, sometimes brightly and sometimes a faint smoldering wick, because I know that one day it will happen here. But until that day, I'll keep hating on all the other franchises who rise above their station while we wallow.