Phillies top five rivals of all-time: Which teams are hated the most?

No. 4: Atlanta Braves

A member of the National League East since 1994, the rivalry between the Braves and the Phillies began a year earlier in the 1993 NL Championship Series.  Facing three future Hall of Famer starting pitchers in Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz, Philadelphia was the underdog in the series.

However, the 1993 team was an underdog from preseason, picked last by many major sports publications.  Thriving in the role as underdogs, the 1993 throwback team took down the mighty Braves in six games to advance to the World Series.

A year after joining the division, the Braves went on a 10-season run as divisional champions, clearly dominating the rivalry and the National League during that time.  As dominating as the Braves were, they only won a single World Series, in 1995.

Philadelphia made up for lost time, becoming the team to beat from 2007 through 2011, winning five consecutive division titles, and making two straight Word Series appearances, including the championship in 2008.

Prominent players throughout the rivalry include Phil Niekro, Dale Murphy, Glavine, Maddux, Smoltz, Fred McGriff, Chipper Jones and Freddie Freeman for the Braves.  Schmidt, Carlton, Curt Schilling, John Kruk, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, and the current players are among the most notable in the rivalry.

Battling for first place for much of this season, although Philadelphia has tailed off considerably, the rivalry continues, and both franchises should be among the best in the division for seasons to come.