Even the blithest among us is on deck for the World Series games pitting the East against the West Coast. Then there are those of us whose hearts beat faster with every “Batter up!” heard on the field. You’d expect tensions to fly high here at Indy HQ when it’s the heavy hitters of our little wheelhouse — Publisher Brandi Rivera and Editor-in-Chief Marianne Partridge — who most loyally back the Dodgers and the Yankees, respectively.
It seems they’ve worn Dodger blue and Yankee pinstripes since birth. Despite appearances, calm prevails here at home plate, with only the occasional shaken fist. Even with the Big Games well under way, only a few anticipated mood swings and friendly banter has occurred, as well as much glee.
But they aren’t the only ones when it comes to baseball, so we’ve done some voting of our own. We polled our staff to see who they’ve been rooting for, and the results are in. Only 25 percent of our staff have been backing the Yankees, and the Dodgers fans have hit it out of the park at 75 percent!
True to her Dodgers roots, Rivera said, “I bleed blue! The historic rivalry of Yankees versus Dodgers is really a rivalry before my time. Though they have played each other some 11 times in the World Series, and, admittedly, the Yankees have dominated, 2024 is the start of a new rivalry. One where the Yankees still have the larger payroll but the Dodgers have the arguably bigger stars: Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and NLCS MVP Tommy Edman. You have the big markets, the big bats, and the stars will be out. I’ll take the Dodgers in six with a win at Dodger Stadium!”
And though the Dodgers are on a hot streak, our editor-in-chief is sticking with her team. Partridge said, “I have loved the Yankees since I was 5 years old when I saw them play on TV. A Yankee hit a home run. I’ll never know who it was, though sometimes I like to imagine it was Joe DiMaggio. But in any case, it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. Then and there, I became a fan. It’s been a lonely road ever since…. Most of my family were Giants fans, (except for my nephew, who is heroically, if masochistically, a Mets fan); the kids in my neighborhood were all for the Dodgers; even my grandsons are Dodger fans. Strangers who don’t even like baseball feel the need to tell me how they hate the Yankees. And because I am a very tolerant person, some of my best friends support the Red Sox. But not me. I will be a proud, loving Yankee fan forever … win or lose, Yankees are my team.”
Keep the hot dogs rollin’ and toast your peanuts, folks. Should be a fun ride — all the way to Election Day. Like the man said, it ain’t over ’til it’s over. Get out there and vote!
Partridge and Rivera aren’t the only ones pitching support for their respective teams, though. Hear from our staff about why they’re backing their team.
Ryan P. Cruz, News Reporter
Rooting for the Dodgers: “For a West Coast kid, it’s hard not to love the Dodgers. But for me, it’s the history and the legends like announcer Vin Scully and pitcher Fernando Valenzuela — who both passed away recently — that make this team so special.”
Sarah Sinclair, Advertising Director
Rooting for the Yankees: “As a San Francisco Giants fan, this World Series means that I’m rooting for the Yankees, of course. To put my feelings about the other team into a family- friendly sentiment: Fluff the Dodgers.”
Terry Ortega, Calendar Editor
Rooting for the Dodgers: “Between this legendary matchup — East versus West, the boys in Pinstripes and the boys in Blue — there’s only one response for an eighth-generation Californian and lifetime fan … GO DODGER BLUE!”
Nathan Vived, Copy Editor
Rooting for the Yankees: “Local (to me) hero Aaron Judge has had a killer season, and I was fortunate enough to see him hit two home runs at the Athletics’ stadium a month ago!”
Tessa Reeg, Copy Chief
Rooting for the Dodgers: “I’ve been a Dodgers fan as long as I can remember! My family and my best friend’s family love them, and I’ve had a lot of fun over the years at watch parties, catching each other up on the games, sharing memes and jokes, etc. We just watched Game 2 together in a restaurant in L.A., and it was so much fun cheering with everyone and seeing how the entire city seemed to just be buzzing with excitement. The Yankees are a great team, but my money’s on the Dodgers to win; they’re a strong team with one of the most enthusiastic fan bases I’ve ever seen! Go, Dodgers!”