Giants/Brewers Rivalry?

Is there are rivalry brewing between MIL and SF?

Prince Fielder's Walk Off Celebration Might Have Sparked a Rivalry

An unexpected Giant rivalry could be Brewing.

When you think of rivalries with the Milwaukee Brewers, one would never think there is one with the San Francisco Giants.

Cubs, Cardinals, yes no question. Twins are in a different league, but you can never underestimate the Wisconsin/Minnesota rivalry (stepped up a level with a beloved Green Bay Packer wearing the purple), but the San Francisco Giants?

The Giants and Brewers are not even in the same division.
The Giants play in the National League West, and the Brewers play in the National League Central.

Yet a rivalry might have been born in Spring Training. Giants’ left-hander Barry Zito hit Prince Fielder in the back with the first pitch of the at-bat in the first inning. This is Spring Training.

Fielder just stood there and looked at Zito before picking up the ball and tossing it back toward him. The plate umpire didn’t issue any warning or say anything to Fielder or Zito, at least it didn’t appear like he did.

Fielder then got to first base and loudly clapped his hands together in Zito’s direction.

As the inning ended, Zito walked off the mound and Fielder just laughed with first-base coach Ed Sedar.

All of this stems from Fielder and his Brewer teammates doing their “bowling pin/explosion” celebration last season after Fielder hit a walk-off homer. The Brewers were way out of contention at the time and the Giants were still fighting for the playoffs and made it known publicly they didn’t think the celebration was all that respectful.

After the game last September, bench coach Ron Wotus questioned the Brewers’ professionalism, “You would like to think professionals would have a lot more respect for the game and their opponents. That was choreographed.”
So, six months later, and a whole off-season to settle down, Zito retaliated.

“They gotta do what they gotta do,” Fielder said. “But it’s not going to take (the celebration) away. It’s chronicled. I hit the home run and they gotta hit me. That’s what they gotta do.”
Yet, was it worth it in Fielder’s eyes?

“Hell yeah,” Fielder said. “That’s something I did with me and my teammates. It has nothing to do with them. You’re damn right it was worth it.”

Zito on the other hand, didn’t cop to purposely throwing at Prince.

“We were just trying to go in there hard,” Zito said. “It’s not something that was thought about for months and months. I’m just excited to get out there for my next game and see where my stuff is at.”

With a post 4th of July series set for Milwaukee on July 5, 6, 7, 8 and a late September series in San Francisco on September 17, 18, 19 there will be opportunities to add chapters to this budding rivalry.

Far from a Yankee/Red Sox level of rivalry, yet an interesting story coming out of Spring Training.

Jay Maguire

Below is the incident that is has made this a rivalry.

Would you be upset at Prince?