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In 2022, Twins Pass in hand, for better or worse, I went to 57 Twins games: 56 at Target Field and one at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. At about 3 hours and 3 minutes a pop, the average length of an MLB game in 2022, I spent roughly 174 hours at the ballpark watching Twins games. When I confided in friends how many games I attended, their reactions ranged from amusement to shock. Even though the Twins did not make the playoffs (not that you needed a reminder), I do not regret going to any of them. You know the old saying, "the time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time?" Here’s what I noticed from my 57 games in Twins Territory. Image courtesy of Melissa Berman 1. Never underestimate the draw of the Brewers series, Blue Jays series, and Prince Night. By the eye test and official numbers, these games drew the largest crowds of the year by far- even more than Opening Day (which was quite chilly this year). It is incredible how well Brewers and Toronto fans travel, which is likely because Target Field is closer for many members of the “Brew Crew” and Toronto fanbases than Miller Park in Milwaukee or Rogers Centre in Toronto. When I arrived for these games, I was shocked at how difficult it was to find parking, how packed the concourses were, and how much Brewers and Blue Jays Blue filled the seats. Make a mental note to leave lots of extra time if you plan on attending one of these games next season. 2. But otherwise, attendance was lackluster this year. Even with the Twins battling for the top of the division for much of the season, in 2022, the Twins finished 20th in MLB attendance, averaging 22,514 fans per game. In 2019, the Bomba Squad season, the Twins brought in about 28,000 fans per game. Truthfully, many games felt much emptier than that 22,000 figure, especially weekday games and games in the spring and September. However, entire seating sections were empty on beautiful summer nights, too. We know that team performance impacts attendance, but with the Twins playing competitive baseball the majority of the season, I was often surprised just how empty Target Field felt for many games. There were almost never any security or bathroom lines, and there was always plenty of space in the concourse, so that when games were busy, it was almost jarring. The Twins tried to compensate for the low attendance by running a myriad of bargain ticket deals at various points during the season. These included a limited-time sale in which fans could buy $4 upper level tickets to any weekday game during the season, and expanding college ticket night to every night in September. 3. Fans love post-game concerts, and the Twins should do more in the future. Maybe the most fun idea the Twins had all season was to host a free full-length concert after one of their games. In August, Twins fans who hung around after a Twins- Blue Jays game sang along to a 75-minute show by country music artist Cole Swindell. Even though I’m not a country music fan, the show quality was excellent, and the reviews from fans were almost universally positive (except from the Twins fans who were annoyed by the sudden influx cowboy hat-clad music fans traipsing up and down the aisles during the game). Because the Twins have not done much to whip up excitement among their fans via trades and the free agent market this offseason, they should consider treating fans to more shows or promotions in the future to get them in the doors. 4. This season had two of the craziest weather games in recent memory. The most memorable game I went to all year was only three innings: the Twins rainout vs. the Houston Astros on Star Wars Night, May 11. I remember evacuating into the lower level concourse and watching the wind blow the rain in sheets with a ferocity I had never before seen. I jotted down everything I noticed and heard using my cell phone notes app. I sloshed back to my car, arrived at my apartment, and found that the power was out, so I wrote my narrative account of the game’s chaotic events while sitting in the dark. The result was perhaps my favorite piece I wrote this year. To be fair, I attended the game knowing that some wild weather was going to blow in, and I wanted to see what happened. I was surprised they chose to play the game at all. After this, I thought I would not see such severe weather at a game for a long time, but similar severe weather blew in on July 12, seemingly out of nowhere and on the first night of the Brewers series. I remember being trapped on the upper-level concourse (people packed into the stairwells, bathrooms, and indoor areas seeking shelter from the wind and blowing rain) while being sprayed with cold rain blown by the high winds. A major takeaway I had from these rainy games is how unbelievable Target Field's water drainage system is; the Twins were able to resume the game after about an hour delay. No one likes rain delays, but everyone loves Club Rayne. Calm after the storm as seen from Target Field during rain delay on July 12 5. Target Field upped the fanfare this season. Late in the 2022 season, Target Field began dimming the lights during Jhoan Duran’s entrance song. To my knowledge, the Twins have never done that for a pitcher, especially one who is not a closer. Jorge Lopez also got the dimmed lights treatment with his horror movie-themed walkout. Walkout songs have always been a bit of a show (remember Fernando Rodney's electric entrance?), but they became their own spectacle this season due in part to the Mets’ Edwin Diaz’s viral walkout song "Narco." Pitcher entrances across the league became their show within the show this season, and the Twins kept pace. In addition, 2022 was the first season in which TC Bear drove around the perimeter of the field in an ATV after every win carrying a "Twins Win!" flag. The Twins also premiered a giant t-shirt cannon called the "Mall of America Blaster," which they shot from the same place on the rightfield concourse every game. 6. The “5 Lookalikes” bit was the best new thing at the stadium. Whether it’s Chubbs Peterson from “Happy Gilmore,” Captain Kangaroo (ask your parents), Jay Leno/Paul Allen, or Iceman from Top Gun, it is incredible how Twins staff can spot fans in the crowd and accurately match them up with a celebrity or fictional character that they resemble. Though some comparisons are closer than others, many of the lookalikes were borderline uncanny. Seeing the unsuspecting doppelganger’s reaction to noticing themselves up on the big screen was priceless. 7. Seeing the Twins play at an away ballpark is unbridled joy. Perhaps my favorite experience of this year, baseball or not, was seeing the Twins play the Chicago White Sox on October 3 at Guaranteed Rate Field. I have been to Twins spring training several times, but this was the first time I had seen the Twins play in another city. Being a visiting fan in an opposing ballpark, “enemy territory,” was a unique and exhilarating feeling. I was proud to wear my Twins jersey and hat even though the Twins were way out of the division race by that point, and it was fun high-fiving other Twins fans I came across in the stadium. I thought Guaranteed Rate Field was beautiful. Before the game, we went and got Chicago-style pizza at a place called Ricobenes near the stadium and tailgated outside the stadium in Lot B. 8. The Twins should consider doing Hall of Fame ceremonies before the game or at least clearly advertise when the game is actually going to start. Look, I get it; the Twins do not want an empty house when Twins greats like Dan Gladden and Ron Gardenhire walk up to take the podium at their Twins Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies. At the same time, it makes for an exceptionally long day for fans, especially those with children, when the game starts an hour after it was advertised. Watching Dan Gladden’s acceptance speech on a sunny Sunday, Kids Day, at Target Field, I was surrounded by squirming children. Hall of Fame ceremonies are not a regular occurrence for the Twins, but maybe in the future, the Twins should clearly state that the listed start time of the game is actually the start of the ceremony. 9. The Twins have its littlest fans to thank for their packed attendance during day games. If you’re not a fan of little kids, and lots of them, day games during the summer are probably not for you. The entire upper deck at many day games consisted almost solely of kids’ day camps, all wearing their matching camp t-shirts. Their unified “Let’s Go Twins!” chants were adorable and impressive. 10. Some of the favorite moments I saw at Target Field in 2022: Royce Lewis' first MLB home run- a grand slam- on May 13; Gary Sánchez's grand slam on April 10; the Twins' walkoff win vs the White Sox in the 10th inning on April 24; Max Kepler's grand slam on May 23, which was the 1000th home run hit by a Twins player at Target Field; the Twins hitting back-to-back-to back home runs on June 9; Louie Varland's home debut on September 23. 11. There are some really special people at Target Field. From the more visible figures like Target Field staple Sue Nelson on organ and the local artist Kickliy to those behind the scenes, like Bally Sports audio engineer Chris Tveitbakk, who mixes the sound for every Twins home game broadcast from the Bally truck behind Target Field, we are lucky to have so many unique, interesting, and passionate people working at the ballpark. 12. No matter how the Twins are playing, there is no better place to be than Target Field on a summer night. You’re reading Twins Daily; it’s evident that you care deeply about the success of the team. I do too. But every season, no matter where the team is in the standings, I stand by the fact that Target Field is the best place to be on a beautiful summer night. Despite going to 56 games at Target Field, sometimes as many as six in a week, I never got tired of going. I never grew bored of the skyline views, the post-game fireworks, Sue Nelson on the organ, Minnie and Paul shaking hands after a win, or the Dollar Dogs. There is just so much to love about Target Field, and time spent with friends and loved ones at a baseball game is never time wasted. Happy 2023! Thank you much for reading my work this year and all your kind and thoughtful comments. Joining Twins Daily had been such a joy. Here's to a year filled with lots of baseball, Twins wins, and for me, maybe 60 in-person games! 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My goal in life has been to avoid fame and fortune. I have succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. Not sure if that means I should be fired or offered a contract extension.

57 games? Pffft. Big deal. Emilio Pagan all by himself attended 59 games. (58 of which were losses, going strictly from memory.) Seriously, kudos on the season summary from up-close.

Hey Fellas: The Doug Mientkiewicz thing was my lame attempt at humor. I thought the extra large font size would give that away. Sorry for the stir. LOL.

This extremely humble observer wonders why we are talking about the last 4 years; they have been here for six, the first two being the last 2 years of Molitor as manager. Their mindset from the beginning appeared to be win or you're out, and the first year he didn't win (under them), he was out, despite a pretty strong argument that they were the reason he didn't win that second year, as they were selling the roster out from under him. I think they should be given the same length of rope they afforded PM; that is why I voted for not finishing over .500 for a 3rd straight year being enough to warrant the hook. Time to stop riding the coattails of one 307 home run season and look at the 6 years (and now part of a 7th) as a whole. They insist on riding a patched together pitching staff every year, while being managed by someone who doesn't appear (at least to this extremely humble observer) to be altogether fantastic at managing said pitching staff. That, and the number of injuries this organization continues to have every year, from the majors to Class A, makes me wonder about the ability to judge not only talent, but durability. That extends to trading for players who end up on the IL; Cody did an article on it some months back. Looking back at the last 2 seasons of MLB, there was more than one team that won 100 or more games and didn't win their division, so the division itself is not always in your control. Playoff spots can be won with 85 games in down seasons, and not won with 94 wins in others so that is not a sole criteria for me either. Losing more than you win on a consistent basis would be the benchmark for me as to changing leadership, and we are coming to a crossroads pretty quick.

__offer USAFChief use of a suite wth catering for ten (10) 2023 series of USAFChief's choice___

That's some commitment. That level of commitment should require a contract or something! I hope he got frequent buyer discounts on hot dogs and beers.

I agree with everything said, but I think all of our patience is growing thin waiting on the promise of some gold coming out of the end of this pipeline.

So difficult to tell in this environment ? Oh, and we’re not all fellas. Also difficult to tell in this environment ?

The crew (Falvey, Levine, Baldelli) are a team. My sole judgment would center on the type of baseball presented for the viewers this coming season. The minimum expectation is strong fundamentals, hustle, and playing the game out as it presents itself within the game as opposed to a scripted log. The same lame product as last year is not acceptable. No more station to station.

He had some good moments. Being able to bring him back on a minor league deal is a good get.

"State of the Art Analytical Market Research Concludes that One, and only One, Satire Writer Needed at TD." The next RandBalls Stu headline.

Cleveland still has #15 and #53 on MLB.com prospect list - two more pitchers ready to come up and step in. The Twins have Lee and Lewis and Rodriquez - no one else in the top 100 - can they pitch? Chase Petty is #9 on the Reds prospect list, Our top prospect is Connor Prielipp at #4 and he has not even pitched professionally yet. Richardson at #6, Let's get that pipeline going.

I'm a big fan of SWR. His development was very much screwed up at the time the Twins got him (Olympics, pandemic, fast promotion, etc). The talent has always been there, he really needed health, game experience, and a consistent development program. He mostly had that last season (the time missed to covid was really the only hiccup) and as a result you saw the pitcher who was such a highly touted prospect. He was very good at AA, and didn't backslide at all when he was moved up on merit to AAA. He pitched a career high in innings even with missing some time, he got his BB/9 back to a reasonable area, and while the K/9 slid back a little it was still very respectable. He was hard to hit, and didn't look scared in his first MLB start. And he's just turned 22.

I haven't accomplished anything...so I'd have been out the door many years ago!

I’ve been asking Brock for a sarc font for years

I can't help but notice that 4 of the 5 were KC & Det, with the other being White Sox. Nice performances for sure, but against rather weak teams.

No, the point is those players need to play enough and the entire crew of position players and starters and a few relievers get enough innings/ABs to be properly evaluated for being on the big club in ‘24. At least that’s the point I was trying to make………

Here are a few other choices: A. Mahle doesn’t pitch 125 innings. B. Gallo doesn’t hit over 0.225 or 35 HRs. C. Except for injury, each of Wallner, Julien, Martin, Lee and Lewis plays less than 250 innings or has fewer than 125 plate appearances. D. At least two of Ober, Winder, Varland, SWR and Balazovic don’t become pencilled in ‘24 starters. E. They fail to extend the winner of the Maeda/Gray/Maeda sweepstakes. F. The Twins young core do not play enough to not only be assessed, but also be ready for ‘24. G. Rocco is not fired if the Twins inability to play strong fundamental baseball and his inability to manage more wins than losses continue. H. They trade more of our rapidly depleting young talent for washed up one or two year dart throws thinking we can compete this year. In my book they do not get fired this year based on wins or losses alone. Let’s be honest and I hope I’m wrong, but there should be no realistic expectation that this team should compete for a Pennant or even win a playoff game this season. Instead, Falvey and Levine need to be judged on their ability to get this franchise ready to compete with the new young talent coming up - keeping the talent, letting players play and ensuring they are developing/playing smart baseball.

Promote him from where? His couch? I’m sure he’d be thrilled to coach baseball for the first time since 2019.

I would like to see the checkbook opened up a little and see what they could do with it. Also, I think the first move should be to replace Rocco. I think he is a very nice man, but I dislike his game management and think he would be better off with another teams' fans that would embrace his almighty analytics. Time to promote Doug Mientkiewicz.

I really like him and feel that if he gets at-bats and outfield work he will be a good OF. I especially like his ability to hit doubles as that seemed to be happening for him before he got injured. Don't they usually say that a player needs about 1K at-bats to see what they really are. He just needs more time.

YOuvE Been AsKinG brOCK foR a SARC foNt FoR yEArS? ?

I hope that's true! Thank you, Melissa, for a very enjoyable article! I was at the Brewers rain game. Long night, but got to hang out with some really fun and knowledgeable Twins and Brewers fans while taking cover from the storms.

Very probably. The above is all very likely true. Overall, though, was PM all that bad? He had one outlier year where we lost the 103 games. The other 3 years combined he was 6 games over .500. Fast forward: Rocco had one outlier year where we won 101 games. The other 3 years combined he has been 10 games under .500. Gardy had a run of 9 years where he was over .500 8 times, finished 1st 6 times, 2nd twice, and 3rd once. He then had 4 extremely tough seasons where we lost in the 90's each year and he was fired, previous stretch be damned. If we go a 3rd time in a row under .500 after only 2 successful years (if you can count 60 games as successful), I simply think the same standards should apply. I think they gave Gardy time due to all the good years; Rocco has had 1 1/2. Does that count the same as 9? How far should Falvine be allowed to go if we continue to lose? Ryan was a part of those 9 years (with Smith for a little as well), yet he got the hook after the 4 bad years as well. I just want the same standards used across the board. If we win more than we lose, you don't fix what isn't broke. If we continue to lose more than we win, then something IS broke, and a fix might be in order. I think this is the deciding season to determine that.

Wow, 57 games is impressive. I agree with your list, especially number 11. The best way to spend a night is at Target Field. The complaints about baseball being too boring, the cost, and time spent are tiresome and always somewhat surprising to me for some reason. Anyway, I made it to 22 Twins games in 2022, 19 at Target Field, 2 at Dodger Stadium, and one at Angels Stadium. I also attended non-Twins MLB games at Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. The Twins were 9-13 when I attended. I saw the Kershaw truncated no hitter, walk offs by Buxton, Miranda against the hated Brewers, and so much more. The only addition I have to your list was the all you can eat Friday nights were quite fun. I was convinced to go by my buddy and begrudgingly went along. I enjoyed the variety and was able to keep the consumption in check. So, I took my dad a few weeks later and he also enjoyed. I just fasted the day of the all you can eat games so I could enjoy the unlimited ballpark favorites guilt free.

Very entertaining read. And I'm very jealous! Been a Twins fan for over 50yrs and a rabid one for well over 40yrs. But I've seen, I believe, the Twins play live 7 times in all of those years. The first was a double header against the Tigers in about '70 or '71 in the old Met stadium with my dad, the little league team he helped coach, and the head coach. The next 2 were against the Angels in '84 when my dad, uncle, and I attended the Olympics that year. And I believe I've been to Kaufman in KC 2 or 3 times. (Memories get mixed at times). Despite living in South Dakota and Nebraska my whole life, time, $, and opportunity never really lined to see them at home until recently. Afraid my Twins experience has mostly been on 57.0 out of Yangton, and games on TV during visits to family in SD, until I got the internet package about 10yrs ago. (One of the very best things about the internet)! I was FINALLY able to catch the Twins against the Rangers in August on a very special trip to the Cities with my father and previously mentioned uncle, who resides there now. A Vikings/Twins 2-for weekend that didn't allow time to catch the Saints, unfortunately. The OF was in shambles, the lineup did nothing, Ryan was great, and Pagan was his normal, explosive self. But it was a FANTASTIC experience nonetheless! It was actually the Twins HOF ceremony game mentioned. (We hadn't remembered that was the case until we arrived). I appreciate people with busy schedules and impatient children involved in such an affair, but we felt blessed to be there on that day, despite the loss to the Rangers. It was wonderful to see those who were inducted, visited, and hear the speeches. I didn't enjoy the cost for concessions, of course, but that was to be expected, lol. BUT, a pair of blue can "Twins Brew" tall boys for $25 was a bit much! (Good beer, but went cheaper after that). Seeing, and touring Target Field for the 1st time was amazing. The stadium and field were as gorgeous as I expected and seen on TV and video clips! We left with some sunburn, lol, a program I have framed in my family room, a pack of 3 commemorative pins, a couple other purchased souvenirs, and a head full of memories that will never leave! Visiting the Kernals, not that far from Omaha, and a return trip to see both the Saints and Twins on the same visit remain on mine and my father's wish list. Reading this, and being jealous, lol, only makes me want to do these even more. Go Twins!

I am really looking forward to it. I think it is a great change if enforced - the batter also needs to be monitored. Reducing RP is also a good start.

Super detailed and well-written article. Happy to have you aboard!

It will be interesting to see how the game flow changes with the pitch clock next year, which will shave anywhere from 20-30 minutes off games!

RandBalls Stu draws his share of earnest rebuttals from readers who don't recognize the satire, which ironically is one hallmark of good satire. Another important trait of satire is picking worthy targets, never "punching down." His weekly series never fails to disappoint his most ardent critics.* * Yeah, I like to try a deadpan humorous turn of phrase now and then too, but not at his level.

From my home it is 2 hours - put the round trip with one of those non-competitive 3+ hour games and I have devoted a full day and then the concessions are so expensive that I just have to shake my head and wait till I get home. The fact is that baseball has become so long and boring on most nights that we have to have big electronic entertainment screens, mascot races, shooting T shirts into the crowd and other diversions that would not have fit into the 90 - 120 minute games in the 50s.

First, nice post. Thoughtful and well done. Second, this is speculative and probably lots will disagree, but there have been situations in my life where I had strengths and weaknesses and was forced to work on the weaknesses. It was difficult, but ultimately the work put in made me better overall, when I could return to what came easier for me. Is it possible that, because David Ortiz was made to try to hit to all fields, he was a better hitter when allowed to return to his strength?

Thank you for a beautiful article.

Were the Twins aware that Correa had a plate in his leg prior to the season? Yes. Everyone in the baseball industry was aware of that. What does that have to do with long-term stability concerns? Did they do scans and a full workup of his ankle after he reported no pain on a slide on September 20th and they knew he'd be leaving the team in a month? No. Why in the world would the Twins have done scans of his leg after that? They knew they'd do an entirely new physical on him if they were to agree to a deal with him. They're not putting their players through unnecessary medical exams when the player isn't reporting any pain that could effect them in the current season. Who's saying the Twins weren't unware of whatever SF or NY found? I'm saying they had no reason to be looking for long-term problems before last season (they didn't have him signed long-term!), and it's entirely possible the concerns arose because of that slide, or just normal wear and tear of another season. "The Mets continue to express reservations about the long-term stability of Correa’s leg." That's a quote from Ken Rosenthal/Dan Hayes in an Athletic article. You can find thousands more like them in other articles about the Giants and Mets deals with Correa. The Mets new the Giants had concerns about his physical and still offered him their 12 year deal before doing their own deep dive. But the Twins offering a deal before getting to do their new physical is outrageous? The Yankees traded for a pitcher with the exact same "health issues" as Mahle at the deadline. The Yankees also allowed Tanaka to pitch with a partially torn UCL for years. The Dodgers couldn't even tell if Walker Buehler had torn his UCL before he went into surgery for his 2nd TJ in August after allowing him to pitch with elbow concerns for most of last year. Jacob deGrom hasn't stayed healthy for 2 years (15 starts in 2021, 11 in 2022) and just signed a 5 year deal for a boatload of money at the age of 34. Aaron Judge is a 30 year old, 6'7" player (they don't tend to hold up and age well) who's had over 500 PAs in a season twice since 2017 and just signed one of the biggest contracts in baseball history. The Yankees traded for Harrison Bader while he was on the IL. The Padres traded for Clevinger knowing he had elbow concerns, had those elbow issues flair up at the end of the 2020 season and brought him back for the playoffs anyways only to watch him undergo his 2nd TJ before then buying out his last 2 arbitration years knowing they'd only get 1 season of a guy coming off his 2nd TJ. And these are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. This idea that the Twins are just doing crazy (or are simply incompetent) things simply isn't true.

To best capitalise on our emerging core (and for Falvey’s future with the Twins), the starting rotation in ‘24 at a minimum should include: a) Ryan, b) the reupped winner of the Mahle, Maeda, Gray sweepstakes, and c) at least two of Ober, Winder, SWR, Varland, and Balazovic. Best case scenario is that three of the youngsters make it and we end of with four quality starters on minimum contracts and under control. That way, if we somehow screw up the Mahle/Maeda/Gray sweepstakes (either all three aren’t very good or none of them want to stay here), we still have more than enough capital to commit to a strong #2 type in next year’s FA market.

ESPN - ranking Twins 16 - "s we ponder the question of why a team would finally wave the white flag on hacktastic Miguel Sano and then go out and sign Joey Gallo"

When is he going to play, and what position? We signed Gallo(LOL) thus taking at bats away from guys like Larnach. Just not sure what this organization is attempting to accomplish.

I disagree. During the time before he went down with injury, Larnach showed all the skills needed to be an above-average corner outfielder. Because he doesn’t have good speed, he’ll likely not be elite, but he can be far better than average.

Low cost, solid move. It doesn’t turn the bullpen into a shutdown crew, but it is probable that Coulombe will contribute sometime during the ‘23 season. Personally, I’m glad they brought him back because I know how to spell his last name.

He just needs health. He was starting to figure it out at the plate last year before the injury (it would have been interesting to see how pitchers would have adjusted to him and if he could have made a counter, but instead he got hurt). I think he's got a lot of bat talent and could be a significant offensive contributor, hitting for a solid average with a good on-base and significant power, as a well-rounded hitter. He's not an all or nothing guy, but can really scald the ball. I think he can be a middle of the order hitter. defensively, he'll never be more than average, I suspect, so he'll need to hit his way in there. Maybe the new trainer can keep in on the field this year?

Sano's stats are exactly the reason you need to look up from your spreadsheets once in a while (and I do live my spreadsheets ?). Look at Kirk Cousins.... worst QB rating of his career, best W-L record. There is a human element that cannot be quantified! I believe that is where great coaches, managers and FOs are defined.

Sure, reversing the close games can make all the difference. Compare the 2022 Vikings with the 2021 edition and that becomes clear. Keeping a healthy and relatively stable squad, and challenging for the division seems a realistic goal. Beyond that the path is a lot thornier.

I appreciate your optimism here, but the "hope for a tide turning season" feels very on brand for the Twins. Why go out and create your own fate, when you can sit back and hope?!?

I am a little surprised he hasn't signed yet. He clubbed 30 HRs in 2021. With the fixation on power these days I figured someone would give him a major league deal. As bad as he was last year, it was only 70 at-bats. If Joey Gallo is worth $11 million, you gotta figure Sano is worth at least a few million.