Giants CEO Credits Former Dodgers Owner for Helping Save Rivalry on West Coast

The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants famously moved to California together after establishing a fierce rivalry in New York.

Given the landscape of Major League Baseball at the time, the teams were required to relocate to the West Coast together. With that agreement in place, team owners on May 28, 1957 unanimously voted to approve the Dodgers and Giants leaving for California.

Nearly four decades later, the Giants had visions of leaving San Francisco for Florida. During an appearance on the "Dan Patrick Show," president and CEO Larry Baer revealed Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley was instrumental in the Giants remaining in San Francisco.

"The story I want to say is, the Giants almost moved to Florida. This is 1992, and the team was financially on the ropes. That's when our group came together to buy the team, but there was a deal signed to move the team to Florida. The No. 1 supporter of the Giants staying in San Francisco, Peter O'Malley and the Dodgers. Because, we came out together from Brooklyn and New York in 1958, and this is a spectacular rivalry.

"On the field, we try to beat each other's brains in. Off the field, we're actually colleagues and partners in trying to grow the sport and having opened up the sport in California as the first two teams west of Mississippi. The Giants and Dodgers, it's a great rivalry. We like the fans being energized and all. We think it really adds to the value of the sport having this rivalry."

Along with an ownership group that included Charles Bartlett Johnson, Harmon Burns, Scott Seligman, Allan Byer, David S. Wolff and Peter Magown, Baer and the Giants sought to move to Tampa, Fla., in the early 1990s.

MLB ultimately expanded into the state of Florida with the Marlins in 1993 and eventually Tampa Bay Rays in 1998.

Meanwhile, the Giants have generally enjoyed success in San Francisco and continued to have all-time classic games against the Dodgers.

It's reasonable to believe the Giants and Dodgers would have maintained some semblance of a rivalry even if located on opposite coasts. Similar to what the Dodgers and New York Yankees have.

However, keeping both teams in the Golden State, specifically in Southern California and Northern California, adds more intrigue and excitement to their history.

Dodgers praised by Giants president

Despite recent results tilting heavily in favor of the Dodgers, Baer came to their defense amid ongoing criticism. Rather than believing the Giants' arch rival is bad for baseball, Baer touted the Dodgers as being a positive presence even if under a villain narrative.

Similar to praise the Dodgers received from Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper, Baer shifted focus away from their high payroll and consistent spending to success in drafting and player development.