The Hatred Is Real, Y'all

The 2025 World Series has come to a close and now, it's the dreaded offseason. We're already missing baseball and are in a deep depression. At least we have Spring Training to look forward to in February. Recently, I've made my predictions on who will win their divisions and clinch Wild Card berths in 2026. I'll have links to those stories down below. I'll be comparing my pick to what FanGraphs has predicted sometime before the regular season begins, so be on the lookout for that whenever that story is published on here.

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We all have that one team or teams that we hate the most. Recently, I conducted a poll on Threads and asked baseball fans which team they had a huge dislike of. 41% voted for the Astros, while the Dodgers and Yankees were tied at 28%, and some other team at three percent. There are two teams that I personally dislike the most: the Los Angeles Angels and Houston Astros.

Let's start with the entitled and spoiled Dodgers. I'm not sorry for calling them that, but it's the truth. For the past five years, they were the center of multiple controversies, such as the large contracts they offer to players and gatekeeping Japanese talent from other teams. Them having the biggest payroll in MLB also comes under fire from baseball fans. Having an enormous payroll doesn't always equal championships. They've spent well over a billion dollars on several players, including signing Shohei Ohtani to a decade-long contract that was close to a billion dollars, some of it being deferred. As I've stated in previous stories, no athlete, regardless of sport or popularity, is entitled to be paid close to a billion dollars. The same logic can be applied to Juan Soto, where he signed close to an 800-million-dollar contract. The Dodgers fanbase is toxic and brutal. If you ever point out the team's wrongdoings, they'll come after you online. I've been an occasional target of their brutal verbal attacks online. I'm used to it and I don't care. Finally, the constant Shohei Ohtani worship has gotten ridiculous and out of control. It's not to say that there's anything wrong with liking certain teams and players. However, there's a difference between being a fan of someone and overly obsessing with them. I blame Major League Baseball for posting photos and videos of the Dodgers and Shohei on their social media pages regularly. Everything doesn't always revolve around them, because as I've stated in my previous story, there are other teams and players who deserve recognition and acknowledgement. I'll never understand why many baseball fans put him on such a high pedestal or treat him like a God. It's not only weird, but ridiculous. Now that they've won the World Series again and that's the last time I'll ever say that. I've officially disowned the team and Shohei Ohtani. At first, I admired Shohei for his talent when he made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Angels. When he joined the Dodgers and demanded a large contract that he would later sign for nearly a billion dollars, some of it being deferred, I no longer respect him or defend him. The large contract, entitled demeanor, the controversy surrounding his former interpreter (which he would later receive a lengthy prison sentence), and a lack of humility, I now see Shohei a lot differently. Money and ego have gotten over his head. I know it's disrespectful to criticize a popular Japanese player, but no one is exempt from criticism. Not even the rest of the Dodgers players or their manager. If a team stupidly spends over a billion dollars on several players, then the backlash is well-deserved and needs to be under scrutiny. They take the crown of the most hated team in baseball and the final team I'm about to discuss a close second. I don't see them toning down their selfish and entitled behavior anytime soon, even with Clayton Kershaw now officially retired from baseball. The criticism of the Dodgers will continue for the foreseeable future. To those who are saying that I'm just jealous or I'm just mad that my own team doesn't have a large payroll. First of all, a ball club who can spend the most money on players isn't a competition. Also, jealousy has nothing to do with my huge dislike of the Dodgers. I'm just stating the obvious and telling it like it is and how I see it. They're shady, lack class, boastful, and full of themselves who think they're so much better than the other 29 MLB teams. Basically, they're giving them middle finger just to be condescending. They believe that the rest of the MLB teams should worship at their feet. When people show you who they are, believe them. I'll never give such an entitled and selfish team like the Dodgers props.

Finally, let's talk about the Astros. It's been nearly 10 years since their infamous cheating scandal occurred. They stole a World Series title from the Dodgers: a championship that they didn't earn. Even though Justin Verlander, Geroge Springer, and Alex Bregman (aka Breggy the Cheat) are currently playing for different teams, I'll never acknowledge them as World Series champions. Your past will follow you forever, especially when their careers are over. Cheating in baseball or in any sport is unforgiveable. Baseball fans take the integrity of the sport very seriously and is frowned upon. Using devious tactics like banging on a trash can in order to win a championship is why the Astros are one of the biggest pieces of shit in the league. Everyone who was on the 2017 World Series team, including the manager and coaches, shouldn't be forgiven. As the old saying goes, "Once a cheater, always a cheater." The Astros were the underdog story back in 2017, but everyone learned the truth about them two years later. They screwed it all up, and all for what? Winning a title that they stole from another team under false pretenses. I don't care if this scandal happened that long ago. I don't need to "get over it." When teams and players do stuff like this, the trust of baseball fans gets broken. It gives teams and players who are doing the right things a bad name. I still maintain to this day that the Astros need to forfeit their 2017 World Series title, rings, and pay back any bonuses that they might have received. Every player, coach, and manager from that team will always have the Cheater label attached to them forever. As a die-hard Rangers fan, I thought the Astros were a great team and enjoy watching them anytime they face the Rangers. But now, I still don't forgive them. The legacy, or what's left of it, will be forever tainted because they wanted to cheat for a World Series title. It's pathetic and shameful, to say the least. Baseball players and teams who cheat for personal and professional gain should never get a pass. We the baseball fans deserve better. Integrity matters to us. If you're one of those people who are cosigning with cheating in baseball, you are part of the problem.

Which team or teams do you hate the most and why? Sound off in the comments. If you enjoyed this story, please give it a like. Make sure you follow me on my socials. Finally, like this story and please leave a generous one-off tip. It'll be found at the end of this story. Big or small, your tips will support creators like me so we can keep publishing new stories and share them with everyone.