They came, they watched, they witnessed a sweep.

More than 100,000 fans of the Cleveland Indians converged to watch their team - despite being in the midst of a rough patch of play relative to the months of April and May - take all three games from the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Undoubtedly aided by fireworks, interleague intrigue, one-dollar hotdogs and a cameo by all-city rock star Michael Stanley (he did sell out back-to-back nights at Blossom), the Indians-Pirates series ended in an 11-inning walk-off win capped with brooms by those who endured the rain delay.

Now back in first place with a one-game lead over the Detroit Tigers, the question is worth asking: With the largest three-game attendance total since September of 2008, could the Cleveland Indians actually have a true MLB rival in the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Amidst last week's reports regarding a potential MLB realignment that would move one National League team to the American League in order to form two 15-team leagues, Jim Bowden, former executive for the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, recently made a pitch for a geographic-based version of what current owners are pondering. Bowden's realignment would aim to increase region-based attendance and excitement and, ultimately, revenue. Similar to the NFL's directionally-based divisions that have been a part of the league's rise to prominence, Bowden's proclamation provides undeniable appeal.

In what would be the Central Division within the American Conference, the Indians would still go to battle against the Tigers and Minnesota Twins, but in addition to the other team from Ohio - the Cincinnati Reds - the Wahoos would have a new division rival in the Bucs. A fellow mid-market team that has been handcuffed by salary constraints, Pirate fans have also seen their fair share of big-name players move on to have successes while donning a different jersey.

Only two hours east, the Pirates' home facility of PNC Park is widely considered one of the best in the game. Nestled along the infamous three rivers, the scenic surroundings coupled with excellent amenities all within walking distance provides Clevelanders with a worthwhile Plan B when it comes to catching a baseball game. If the two teams were to play more often than twice per season, PNC Park would be the closest "rival" stadium; Neil Zurcher's dream come true.

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When one thinks of rivalries in baseball, it is tough to ignore the Yankees-Red Sox battle that gets force-fed to the nation by the likes of ESPN. Big money, big cities, big win totals. All intriguing story lines, but these are not the must-have ingredients for choice conflict. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants have a storied rivalry despite the latter housing nearly 10 million fewer people; The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals are thorns in each other's sides despite the Cubs spending $20 million more on their 2011 payroll and still finding themselves 10 games behind their red-topped rivals.

While the numbers do not always have to line up, what the abovementioned have to support their cause for disdain is history. Let's not forget: the Pirates have five World Series titles to their name to go with nine National League pennants. Surely, an Indians-Pirates rivalry would not grab headlines in Year One, but given time and hopefully aligned windows of contention, the Wahoos could have themselves their own Browns-Steelers once a few chapters are penned.

The NFL is understandably its own entity when it comes to the pantheon of American professional sports. With regional alignment, almost every team in football has a rival as each successful franchise has unabashed interest. Every year, regardless of single-digit win totals, loyal fans of the Orange and Brown file into Cleveland Browns Stadium; even more so when those wearing Black and Yellow come to town. Unfortunately, the Pirates have become saints of circumstance, falling below the beloved Steelers (winners of Super Bowl XL and XLIII) and the NHL's Penguins (winners of the 2009 Stanley Cup).

A rivalry of any sort would be tough to breed in the event of apathy. Fans of the Washington Wizards considered the Cavaliers rivals when both teams were in the playoffs year after year; the 2010-11 season provided a bit of a different story, something that would not occur in the event of true rivals. Prior to December 10, 2009, the Browns had dropped 12 straight games to their bitter rivals. Despite bitter winds - the coldest game in the history of the rivalry - and a woeful record, Cleveland Browns Stadium was electric after a 13-6 victory.

Naturally, the odds are against are stacked against diehard Tribe fans searching for that one team to pin on their collective dart boards. Sure, we can all loathe the big-spending Detroit Tigers or mentally recall Ozzie Guillen and his infamous "choke" sign, but these two teams are still a long way away from becoming the Steelers to our Browns. Will it require a continued resurgence in attendance totals? A wholesale economic rebound?

What it will undoubtedly take is time, something that flies smack in the face of the need-it-now information age. But if the stars align and history can start to journal itself, Browns-Steelers could have their ball-and-bat brethren. But without much of a rivalry to tear down in favor of another, geographic realingment could be the easiest and most efficient step to creating what could be the series' all Tribe fans look forward to each and every season. After all, more than 100,000 of them took in the most recent one.