Will Target Field ever host a minor league game?

[righty8383]

Why not? I know the Cubs, Red Sox and Cardinals have all been doing this for at least a few years now. Possibly other teams too but I don't know. Why don't the Twins let thier new affiliate from Cedar Rapids host a game or 2 at Target Field? I'm not sure how many tickets they would sell but its a sure bet that I would be there. I have asked Dave St. Peter about this topic on twitter a couple of times but not surprisingly, he has not responded. What do you guys think? Would you be interested in seeing some of our prospects play at Target Field?

[johnnydakota]

hasnt it been hosting minor leaque games 81 times each of the last 2 years?

[lightfoot789]

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from Midwest League have been hosting games at Milwaukee Brewers "Miller Park" for a few years now. I believe that the Kernels might even be thier team to play this year at Miller Park in early April. The Twins should definitely consider that. I might even make my way to Target Field to see my ETown boys. How awesome for those kids too.

[Boom Boom]

hasnt it been hosting minor leaque games 81 times each of the last 2 years?

 

I was going to say, the Twins hosted the Royals there 9 times just last year.

[righty8383]

I was going to say, the Twins hosted the Royals there 9 times just last year.

 

Do you or Johnny have anything of substance for this topic? Or just more unoriginal bland jokes?

[Boom Boom]

Do you or Johnny have anything of substance for this topic? Or just more unoriginal bland jokes?

 

Unoriginal, maybe, but bland?

 

Don't take it so personally. I'm sure the Twins would host a minor league game at TF if it was lucrative for them to do so. They've hosted Gopher baseball games and Kenny Chesney concerts. The drawback to a one-sport facility is that when the pro team that plays there isn't in season or is on the road, there's no income to be made.

[luke829]

Boom Boom is right, I just don't see a substanial revenue stream being generated to justify using the field as such.

[Seth Stohs]

I really hope that they do. I think it makes a lot of sense to have one series each year at Target Field. A nice perk, so to speak, for those players and something they'll never forget. It would have been great to do that this past year when Beloit had such a good roster, including Sano, Rosario, etc. I personally think it will happen at some point.

[Jim Crikket]

One obvious hurdle to overcome is that you're taking home dates away from the affiliate, say Cedar Rapids. If you play one game in Target Field (as I believe the Timber Rattlers do at Miller Park), it means 3,000 paid admissions plus concessions, etc., that the Cedar Rapids organization loses. I would imagine that the MLB teams that do this kind of thing simply compensate the affiliate organization for lost revenues and additional travel costs that wouldn't otherwise be incurred for a home game, so it's not something that couldn't be overcome.

 

I think it would be a great thing to do if the logistics could work out and it could generate more interest in the Kernels in Minnesota and maybe result in a few more fans driving down to CR from time to time. I'll try to remember to ask Doug Nelson, the Kernels GM, about the possibility next time I talk to him.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Do you or Johnny have anything of substance for this topic? Or just more unoriginal bland jokes?

 

Actually, I thought Johhny's joke was pretty damned funny.

 

On topic, I'd go watch a minor league game at TF in a heartbeat, particularly because the major league team is so awful.

[Riverbrian]

I would have used the Cleveland Indians for the Joke but it was just a joke. Even I... Put my Half Full Glass down and laughed at it.

 

Please... let humor... even if it's humor that misses the mark... remain.

[nicksaviking]

The thread title was really asking for it. I'm sure plenty of other people opened the thread only to be disappointed that the punchline had been used.

[righty8383]

The thread title was really asking for it. I'm sure plenty of other people opened the thread only to be disappointed that the punchline had been used.

 

I have no problem with people making jokes. I attempt jokes quite often. This was so predictable it just made me go UGHHH! I was thinking about putting this in the original post "(insert Twins already a minor league team joke here)" Or something like that. I decided not to. Johnny's joke was inevidable, I just wish it didn't have to be the next post after the original one.

[jtrinaldi]

The Cardinals did it and only drew 1800 people, a complete failure (when with Quad Cities) The Brewers have done it once every year and normally draw between 10-15 grand. I have herd that the Cubs have interest in doing one, but are not motivated because Kane county is only a 45 minute train ride away.

[Jim Crikket]

I did get a chance to discuss this with people from the Kernels at the Hot Stove Banquet/Twins Caravan in CR last night. It won't happen this year, obviously. There just wasn't time to even explore it much between when the affiliation agreement was signed and schedules and promotions had to be locked down. That said, it sounded to me like an idea the Kernels office have given some thought to and would be open to looking at in the future if the Twins are. I don't think there have probably even been any discussions about it between the parties yet, but I got the sense that it's likely to happen. It would not only give Twins fans in the Twin Cities a chance to see the young prospects and be something really exciting for the players, it could also motivate a few more Minnesotans to come down to CR to catch a game now and then.

[Paul Pleiss]

Living out in Seattle I don't get to watch much Twins baseball, affiliated clubs or otherwise, but my love for the minor leagues would probably get me to plan a trip back to the great state of MN to see some of our young stars playing in the big league ball club.

 

2014 will be an exciting time to be a MN baseball fan with the ASG, and more exciting for me, the Futures game. I look forward to hearing more about prospects playing at Target Field.

[jtrinaldi]

I did get a chance to discuss this with people from the Kernels at the Hot Stove Banquet/Twins Caravan in CR last night. It won't happen this year, obviously. There just wasn't time to even explore it much between when the affiliation agreement was signed and schedules and promotions had to be locked down. That said, it sounded to me like an idea the Kernels office have given some thought to and would be open to looking at in the future if the Twins are. I don't think there have probably even been any discussions about it between the parties yet, but I got the sense that it's likely to happen. It would not only give Twins fans in the Twin Cities a chance to see the young prospects and be something really exciting for the players, it could also motivate a few more Minnesotans to come down to CR to catch a game now and then.

The Cubs and Kane County are planning on doing a few bus trips where they do a Cougar or Cub game at 1:20 or whatever time the Cougar game starts at (have a few that start at 11:00) and then do the other game at 7:00, but then again....it is only 45 minutes away.

The Brewers and their class A affiliate have done games at Miller Park since 2003. When they left Beloit for West Virginia for 2 years, they did not do them. The T-Rats are only a hour and a half away from Milwaukee.

I have no idea what is up with the Royals, they used to do something at Kauffman.

The Cardinals are looking into it to see if they have enough interest to do it again.

[Benchwarmerjim]

how about some Northwoods League games?

 

It would probably lose some of its charm of small town minor league ball (I live close to Mankato and have been a few MoonDogs games and they put on a great show), but maybe a NWL showcase/All Star game.