Battle of the Bay 2.0: Oakland Ballers, San Jose Giants set to create new regional baseball rivalry

The Bay Areas two minor league teams are picking up the regional baseball rivalry that used to be reserved for the Giants and As.

The San Jose Giants and the Oakland Ballers also will make a little history when they meet in San Jose in April.The teams announced Tuesday that they will play an exhibition game on April 2 at San Joses Excite Ballpark.

The franchises have dubbed the game Battle of the Bay 2.0.Related ArticlesSports | McCray, Matos continue making bids for SF Giants fourth outfield spotSports | Enny Romeros baseball journey has taken him across the globe.

His next stop could be San FranciscoSports | How SF Giants Hicks could continue seeing velocity uptick with splitterSports | SF Giants option Ragsdale, Seymour in latest round of cutsSports | Marin Voice: Baseball can be valuable tool in development of childrenIn addition to establishing a new Bay Area rivalry, it will be the first time an affiliated franchise (the Giants a member of the Single-A California League and an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants system since 1988) has faced an unaffiliated team.

The Ballers, a member of the Independent Pioneer League and Oaklands sole pro team with the As relocated to Sacramento, made their debut last spring.The Battle of the Bay 2.0 at its core is a celebration of the Bay Area baseball fan and the history of baseball in this region, San Jose Giants President Ben Taylor said in a release issued by the teams.

He added that it is going to be an unforgettable experience.

It is my sincere hope that alongside the Ballers this is the beginning of a new, annual baseball tradition for our region.Don Wakamatsu, the Ballers executive vice president of baseball operations, said in the release, This history-making Battle of the Bay 2.0 exhibition will help grow the game in our region and shine a light on the up-and-coming players in our respective organizations.The first Battle of the Bay was in 1989 when the As and Giants played in the World Series.

With the arrival of interleague play, the teams played regular season games on both sides of the Bay every season since 1997.

This season the As make their lone visit to the Bay Area in mid-May.Tickets for the Ballers and the San Jose Giants Battle of the Bay 2.0 are available at sjgiants.com, by calling 408-297-1435 or at the Excite Ballpark box office.On behalf of the Pioneer Baseball League, I am thrilled to have our Oakland Ballers take on the San Jose Giants in a pre-season exhibition game, Pioneer League President Michael Shapiro said in the release.

In the grand tradition of the Bay Bridge Series, this game affords two great cities San Jose and Oakland the opportunity to celebrate the joy of minor league baseball in the Bay Area..

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