Steven Trefz

The 14th and Final road trip of the 2023 Twins season leads the team to the mountains of Denver. It’s time to finish this season on a Mile High note against the Rockies! Coors Field. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports Sept 29-Oct. 1 @ Colorado Rockies (3 games) Coors Field - 2022 attendance was 2,597,428 (ranked 6th out of 15 NL teams, 9th overall MLB) Say what you will about Rockies baseball, but the fans continue to know how to pack a stadium. It seems like just yesterday, but Coors Field has been fueling baseball physics controversy since 1995. After two seasons at the now-imploded Mile High Stadium, the Rockies moved into their “new” home at over 5,000 feet above sea level. Coors Field led the league again in “runs park factor,” and it wasn’t even close (coincidentally the second and third teams on the list for 2022 make up the 13th Road Trip of the season!). Baseballs fly here, humidor, and big dimensions be darned. Quirks of the stadium include seats in center field called the “Rockpile,” an in-park brewery, a purple row of seats in the 300 level which marks the Mile-High point, and a mixed-use development district around the ballpark. The National Ballpark Museum is across the street, and exists as a “must-stop” for anyone on a baseball tour de force. The Denver Art Museum, Rocky Mountain parks and trails, and the Denver Zoo all can provide some entertainment in between games. Colorado isn’t expected to be a nuisance to many this season, but they have shown consistent resilience at home. This last series of the 2023 season won’t be easy, as a weary Twins squad comes into one of the hardest ballparks to earn a ‘W’ in all of baseball. Odds are that the Twins will need the victories here, so here’s to hoping our bats are lively and our pitchers don’t read statistical reports about Coors Field. It’s 569 miles from my front door to Coors Field, an almost nine hour journey across the great prairie of Nebraska or South Dakota/Wyoming. Friends and family aplenty are looking forward to using this trip as an excuse to finally get to a game in Denver, like they’ve been planning to for almost 30 years now! I have a dream of finding a way to get a suite for the final game of the season. I also hope to keep paying my mortgage. To be continued… Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Coors Field, please post your list of "best seats" and "must sees." Anyone else planning on going to this final series of the 2023 regular season? Grace and peace Twins Territory! Let's play ball! PREVIOUS 2023 TWINS' ROAD TRIP GUIDES Trip #1 Kansas City & Miami (3/30-4/5) Trip #2 New York & Boston (4/13-4/20) Trip #3 Chicago & Cleveland (5/2-5/7) Trip #4 I love LA!? (5/15-5/21) Trip #5 Houston, We have a Correa! (May 29-31) Trip #6 Tampa to Toronto (6/6-6/11) Trip #7 Detroit to Atlanta to Baltimore (6/23-7/2) Trip #8 West Coast Bound Again! Oakland/Seattle (7/14-7/20) Trip #9 Kansas City & St. Louis (7/28-8/3 Trip #10 Detroit & Philadelphia (8/7-8/13) Trip #11 Milwaukee (8/22-8/23) Trip #12 Texas & Cleveland (9/1-9/6) View full article

The 13th road trip of the 2023 Twins season takes us through Chicago and Cincinnati. It’s time to take charge of the stretch run against the White Sox and Reds! Guaranteed Rate Field. Great American Ball Park. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK Sept. 14-17 @ Chicago White Sox (4 games) Guaranteed Rate Field - capacity 40,615 - 2022 attendance was 1,976,344 (ranked 8th out of 15 AL teams, 19th overall MLB) The Twins’ second trip of the season to Chicago leads them into their final regular season series against an AL Central opponent. The last time they were here was in May, and the weather will probably be quite similar. Will the division crown be impacted by this long series? Or will this be a race to the middle for two teams long since lapped by the Guardians? Time will tell, but needless to say if the Twins plan on heading to the playoffs, mid-September in Chicago needs to be victorious. For a more detailed description of the ballpark, check out the summary of Road Trip #3 (linked below). It’s a weekend series, so will there be a Bears game in town? Fall brings potential college football road tripping as well, so keep your eyes on the schedules as they get released. Mitchell, SD, to Guaranteed Rate Field gates is 645 miles. Chicago to Cincinnati is only 292 miles, so this is a possible driving trip. Odds are I’m going to skip Chicago, however, and fly straight to the last three games of this road trip. Sept. 18-20 @ Cincinnati Reds (3 games) Great American Ball Park - 2022 attendance was 1,395,770 (ranked 13th out of 15 NL teams, 24th overall MLB) Home to baseball’s oldest franchise (going strong since 1882!), Great American Ball Park celebrates its 20th year of hosting the Reds in 2023. With a list of legendary players behind it, the team boasts a history of success, and has a Hall of Fame of its own to prove it. Like many teams, however, that history seems to stop in the 90’s. Built on the shores of the Ohio River, Great American Ball Park offers contemporary fans a baseball specific venue with waterfront views and quirky vibes. The higher up you sit, the better the view of both game and area. With wide concourses, and five levels of seating, finding a place to enjoy the game shouldn’t be an issue. When in town, cultural highlights include the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Cincinnati Art Museum. Findlay Market’s beer gardens open on gameday, and riverboat cruises offer a unique way to spend the time between games. Some of the most recent Twins vs. Reds moments involve the past few years of trades. Who is getting the better end of these deals, as the Twins continue to flip prospects for starting pitching? Hopefully this series provides ample opportunity to see how Sonny Gray and Tyler Mahle are prepping for the playoffs, as opposed to watching Spencer Steer crank baseballs into the Ohio River. Increased interleague play over the next several seasons will give Twins fans a chance to evaluate these deals in tangible games, which raises interesting questions to the future of trades in MLB. Hiding players in the other league no longer applies. Home again, home again is 919 miles. As stated earlier, plane is the name of the game for this mid-week series. Almost done… one more to go! Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Guaranteed Rate Field or Great American Ball Park, please post your list of "best seats" and "must sees." Anyone else planning on going to these series? Grace and peace Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! PREVIOUS 2023 TWINS' ROAD TRIP GUIDES Trip #1 Kansas City & Miami (3/30-4/5) Trip #2 New York & Boston (4/13-4/20) Trip #3 Chicago & Cleveland (5/2-5/7) Trip #4 I love LA!? Dodgers & Angels (5/15-5/21) Trip #5 Houston, We have a Correa! (May 29-31) Trip #6 Tampa to Toronto (6/6-6/11) Trip #7 Detroit to Atlanta to Baltimore (6/23-7/2) Trip #8 West Coast Bound Again! Oakland/Seattle (7/14-7/20) Trip #9 Kansas City & St. Louis (7/28-8/3 Trip #10 Detroit & Philadelphia (8/7-8/13) Trip #11 Milwaukee (8/22-8/23) Trip #12 Texas & Cleveland (9/1-9/6) View full article

The 12th road trip of the 2023 Twins season takes a mammoth triangular trek through the middle of the county via Texas and Cleveland. Because, why not try to finish the season covering almost 3000 miles in 6 days. It’s time to start the playoff push against the Rangers and Guardians! Globe Life Field. Progressive Field. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of David Richard-USA TODAY Sports (photo of John Adams who passed away last week) Sept. 1-3 @ Texas Rangers (3 games) Globe Life Field - 2022 attendance was 2,011,381 (ranked 7th out of 15 AL teams, 18th in all MLB) Texas exists as an outlier in the baseball universe. Even Moon’s Baseball Road Trips doesn’t know what to do with it. A trip to a Rangers game gets lumped in with a “heartland” road trip which starts at Target Field of all places. This trip follows an off-day, so no such luck for me. Globe Life Field opened to empty seats in 2020 thanks to the Covid pandemic. The seats didn’t necessarily fill up for mediocre baseball in 2022 either. Continued aggressive spending and a state-of-the-art stadium hope to propel the Rangers to better days ahead in 2023. The retractable roof at the new ballpark offers 71-degree days when the world outside is boiling in Arlington. The trend towards “entertainment district” stadium usage continues here, as teams seek to maximize fan spending for blocks in all directions. While in the entertainment district you can go to Six Flags, a waterpark, AT&T Stadium, and a mall. What you can’t find is a downtown vibe (this may be a positive to some fans) or easy public transit. The Rangers are recent entries into the MLB history books, but they have a unique tie to the Twins. In 1972, the Washington Senators found a new home (sound familiar?) in Arlington, Texas. Until then, the Dallas-Fort Worth area only hosted minor-league experiences. Some have argued that they’ve mostly only hosted minor-league experiences since then too. Two American League pennants, Nolan Ryan and Pudge Rodriguez, Nelson Cruz’s prime, and absolutely no Twins rivalry highlights that I could think of. It will be interesting to see if the Rangers are actually playing for something by the time the Twins come to town, or if we will be seeing their Triple-A team. This is a marathon trip, but these daily sprints will matter as September gets started. 12.5 hours and 820 miles from my front door to Globe Life Field. Cleveland follows with no off-day in between. I know its difficult to line up all of the games for all of the teams, but this seems excessively trying for a team hoping to be a part of a playoff push. Earlier in the season there was a three-day solo trip to Houston; can’t they be paired together? Whining won’t get me any closer to the next series though, its time to hop a plane for Cleveland. Sept. 4-6 @ Cleveland Guardians (3 games) Progressive Field – 35,401 - 2022 attendance was 1,295,869 (ranked 12th out of 15 AL parks, 25th overall MLB) Check out road trip #3 for a more extensive review of Progressive Field. For now, let’s just name the fact that the Central Division title most likely will come down to the Twins work against the Guardians. The Twins only have two series against the central in the last four weeks of the season, and both are on the road. Whether or not this unique scheduling quirk benefits the team remains to be seen, but coming off of last season’s final trip to Cleveland, we can’t have a repeat of that collapse at Progressive. 1,200 miles from Arlington to Cleveland, and less than 24 hours to get there. Again, the Twins were given no favors to set them up for this crucial divisional series. If the Twins can take four out of six, the remaining 980 miles home won’t seem so far. Go 1-5, and September could be setting up for yet another late-season disappointment. Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Globe Life Field or Progressive Field, please post your list of "best seats" and "must sees." Anyone else planning on going to these series? Grace and peace Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article

Truth. I find myself making flight plans for getaway days, and thinking...what if there is a rain delay? The team can change their charter flight time...I don't think my airlines care :) But I also am a show up 90 minutes early guy...so we shall see how that works in reality.

That's what I was starting to wonder, if we can't just use my blog throughout the season to be an unofficial fan caravan site. We generally stick out in a road stadium anyway, but I think it would be a great way to build some community. Keep your eyes out for info closer to the season's start!

The shortest road trip of the 2023 season is the 11th, and it takes us down the interstate to Milwaukee. It’s time to run a two-game victory lap against the Brewers in our annual rivalry series. American Family Field. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC August 22-23 @ Milwaukee Brewers (2 games) American Family Field - 2022 attendance was 2,412,420 (ranked 9th out of 15 NL teams, 14th out of all MLB) Nothing says “scheduling issue” than a two-game road trip in the middle of a pennant push. The annual rivalry interleague match-up with the Brewers takes less than 24 hours, and hopefully doesn’t kill the momentum of a lengthy home stretch. American Family Field began as Miller Park in 2001. 2020 brought new cash inflow and a new name. This retractable-roof complex looks like a combination of an airplane hangar, a Metrodome, and an advertisement convention. And yet, when the Brewers got it going on, the place also brings out an energy that can deliver electric baseball. The Twins and Brewers have been rivals since Milwaukee dwelled in the American League. At the start of interleague play, MLB designated certain pairs of teams to play annually. As they say, familiarity breeds contempt. The local fanbases have learned to love the home and away series every season, and they have learned to hate each other. Word on the street is that American Family Field is one of the least friendly places to wear a Twins jersey, or the best, depending on where your ticket seats you. The Brewers isn’t just a fun name, it’s a destination reality. Local and global-level breweries make this city a beer connoisseur's playground. The Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, and Lake Michigan coastline provide alternative travel stops for a variety of tastes. Once inside the ballpark, the immortal “sausage race” has gone digital, but the spirit remains. Bud Selig and Bob Uecker have statues and museums, which I guess is fine. There is a giant slide for the mascot in left field, which I would be curious to see T.C. Bear try to attempt. Not curious enough to drive to Milwaukee. This is an obvious up-and-back driving trip. Leave Tuesday morning, drive eight hours, catch two games, drive home Wednesday night. I wish they could have tied in one of the Chicago series here since they are only an hour apart, but no one asked for my help in making the schedule. They better next year. Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to American Family Park (formerly Miller park), please post your list of "best seats" and "must sees." Anyone else planning on going to this series? Grace and peace Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article

I'm always curious who downloads my attached schedule ideas...and what nefarious plans they are calculating with them... Thanks for the excitement and welcome Nicole! In the process of adding a bro trip to Universal Studios between the Dodgers/Angels series. Super Mario World anyone???

In late December, as the cold wind howled and the Twins 2023 schedule seemed like a breath of warm air, hope sprung eternal. I made an excel spreadsheet, calculated mileage, ordered books written by crazy people who had attended all 162 games of a season, or visited all 30 stadiums in a year, and I began to count the costs of a dream trip to be in person for all 81 Twins road games in 2023. February now is upon us, and most of reality has entered the picture again. The airline situation has become unreliable and expensive. My mini-van is making new noises that have already proven to be expensive. Once in a lifetime family events have started to enter the summer calendar. And yet, the MLB schedule is relentless. There is no breathing room. Connecting flight gets canceled? You miss the game. Important family event emerges for a weekend in May? You miss the game. Changes at work? How did you plan on paying for those trips? Better miss the game. New opportunity for your work emerge that requires some in-person presence in a non-MLB town? You miss the game. Most humans saw this coming in December already, but were kindly waiting for me to realize it on my own. The only humans that can actually make every Twins game in a season, let alone every road game, are those who are employed specifically for that purpose. Another option is being independently wealthy with no desire to maintain a family life past May. So what is a man with a dream gonna do? Writing the weekly TwinsDaily entries about the 2023 road trips has been a gift. I've been able to methodically and strategically investigate the dream that I was given. I've learned things about the stadiums and communities that both invigorates my journey, and makes me not want to waste my time and money! The books that I've read seem to all point to the fact that being present for the daily grind of an MLB season often leaves you with nothing to write about besides "I took a nap here" and "I avoided a car crash there." Home life was happening for all of the individuals, and yet they couldn't really be present to experience it, because they were in Seattle, or Baltimore, or some campground in the middle of the Midwest because they ran out of cash and read Google Maps wrong. Now that the veil has been lifted, I've begun to envision a compromise. A recalibration if you will. What if a Twins fan from South Dakota tried to go to a Twins road series in every MLB ballpark over a three-year stretch? This combines the "every ballpark" bucket list dream with the "I feel called to experience what my team experiences" dream. It also allows me to not go to Cleveland four times in two years. Once will do just fine. It allows me to say to the MLB scheduling crew, "Texas to Cleveland in September with no off days at the start of my son's first year of high school and marching band competitions just isn't cool." It allows my family to take an extra five days to explore the West Coast before, during, and after the Oakland/Seattle trip. It allows me to tell the White Sox that I won't be there in person to see them lose that series, because I'm going to be doing something amazing with my work someplace else. Before I make this switch, I really need to figure out why I'm doing this trip at all. The Twins don't care. My presence will not impact our bullpen's ability to throw competitive pitches in the 7th and 8th innings. My plane ticket purchases aren't going to help at the trade deadline. The players will enjoy having more fans supporting them in the road ballparks, but they are going to do their best regardless. At least they better... My family cares way more. They care about where I am and why. Trips to Twins games and new places with them definitely has emerged as the reason to do this at all. In order for that to be the main point of this epic adventure, it can't take place all at once. It needs to be savored and treasured, not rushed. I do think that other Twins fans in this frozen hemisphere are interested. It's novel, and something that would be epic. I want to share this story with them...with you. Will it still be a story worth sharing if it requires us to walk together for a little bit longer, over a few more twists and turns? Or is the urgency and impossibility of the travel what is worth sharing? Epic-ness is still involved. I can't miss a National League Park next year if the three-year plan is going to work, and missing one this year would be a major risk. Usefulness is still involved. I can still provide the fans with a deeper look into the ballparks of MLB, while paying particular attention to how Twins Territory is being represented live and in person at the enemy stadiums. As I began to write about the return trips to Central Division ballparks for 2023, I realized that going back to places within the division didn't scream excitement like the first trips to a place. The playoff push in September might alter that scenario, but for now, I'm not losing sleep about only going to Comerica Park once in two years. And I sure as heck am hoping that MLB sees the error of their ways and links that trip next year to the Toronto series, you know, since they are only a ferry ride apart! I'm also am starting to hope again about the Twins' chances. That, in and of itself, changes things about the "why" behind the trip. When I started my planning, we were deep into a winter of not getting the players we needed. Now, we are mostly through a winter of wondering how we pulled that off! Why would I not want to join in on a longer window for success? Two chances for the Twins to see the stars align. Putting all of my eggs in the 2023 basket, at the current price of eggs, doesn't seem very wise. Why not leave open the opportunity for back-to-back World Series campaigns? I want to share a thank you to all of my family and friends who have already committed to 2023 adventures with me. At the very least I'll still be catching 16 road trips, and approximately 48 games of Twins baseball in places that I've never been, often with friends and family that I haven't been able to be in person with for years. If I would have proposed 48 games a year on the road for two years back in December, the same questions of sanity would have arisen. I'm curious what you think TwinsDaily friends? What types of things are you looking forward to the most about my road trips? What makes for the most interesting stories? Is it the travel? The stadiums? The food & drink? The in person account of how clutch hitting in July in Oakland will determine the fate of our next two months of success? I'm seeking wise counsel, from my favorite community. I've attached a New Revised Standard Version of the "All 81 Adventure." Technically its more of a "Great Outdoors 96er." (If you don't get that movie reference, please take the next 90 minutes to redeem that life fault) How does it look to you? Thanks again for helping me plan this epic voyage, for as long and as often as I'm able to take it. Revised 2023-24 Twins Away Game Trips.docx

I have been wondering as I’m making these articles: do players ever look forward to or get bummed about certain trips? One persons old school and home is another’s “place where an ex lives.” It will be interesting to see if any of this perspective emerges from the road. Trying to utilize the trip over the next two years for college site searching for my kid will be another layer to this. thanks for checking in!

The tenth road trip of the 2023 Twins season, and the first road trip after the trade deadline heads East through Detroit and Philadelphia. It’s time to sweat and compete against the divisional foe Tigers and the World Series primed Phillies! Comerica Park. Citizens Bank Park. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports August 7-10 @ Detroit Tigers (4 games) Comerica Park - 2022 attendance was 1,551,149 (ranked 10th out of 15 AL teams, 22nd overall MLB) The Twins make their return trip to Detroit during the heat of August’s pennant push. This four-game series should be ripe for the picking by this point in the season. Of course, unless June’s trip re-writes the script, the Twins haven’t been very successful in Detroit since 2020. You can read up on the Comerica Park road trip experience in Trip #7, but for now its important to remember that new members of the team acquired in trades will be making their first road trip with the Twins on this particular journey. The new dynamic gets tested right away with hot days in hostile ballparks. It's 923 miles from Mitchell, South Dakota, to Detroit. Then the team has 587 miles to go to Philadelphia. There are no off days on this seven-game trip, so the road weariness will be on full display. August 11-13 @ Philadelphia Phillies (3 games) Citizens Bank Park - 2022 attendance was 2,276,736 (ranked 10th out of 15 NL teams) I was surprised to discover that the Phillies have lost more games than any other American sports franchise. I only seem to remember the captivating squads of the 90’s, and the World Series attending teams of recent history. However, the giant former home of the Phillies, Veterans Stadium, often saw nothing but epic disappointment. At 67,000, Veterans Stadium had the capacity for greatness, and the vibe of concrete sterility. In 2004, the team began a new chapter with the more intimate and contemporary Citizens Bank Park. The seating at Citizens Bank is described as “sitting over the field,” and the unique wind tunnel alleyways and small left- and right-field corners set the stage for homeruns and excitement. Twins fans can get up close and personal with the visitor’s bullpen in left-center field, or just hang out and listen to the Phillies fans give them grief. Of all of the stadiums that I researched, this one seems to be the least hospitable to away team jerseys and presence in general. Attenders beware! The ballpark also seems to be set up for prime standing room only options, and its main food vendors exist in the open outfield concourse. There’s a kid’s wiffle-ball field in right-field, and a Wall of Fame in left. And of course, keep your head on a swivel unless you want to get accosted by the Phillie Phanatic. Philadelphia itself oozes history and tourist destinations. The start of American democracy and government, the pursuit of freedom and liberty, and the origins of the great cheesesteak all find their home here. You can pretend you are Rocky as you run the steps of the Museum of Art, or just sit there and watch other people exhaust themselves trying. The Twins don’t have much history at Citizens Bank Park. 2019 was the last series there, and playoff history is non-existent. I had a John Kruk man crush for a good decade, but even his role in Phillies lore is quite dated. This year’s team is fresh off of “what might have been” in 2022, and will hopefully have Bryce Harper back by this point in the season. If the Phillies are still rocking Jake Cave in the outfield in August, something has gone terribly wrong for them. It’s 1,400 miles back to Mitchell, South Dakota, from Philadelphia. This trip probably makes more sense via plane, but without off days the chance of missing connecting flights does exist. Hopefully the dog days of August bring two series wins, and smooth travels. Otherwise, this road trip could be the beginning of the end of the season for the Twins. Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Comerica Park or Citizens Bank Park, please post your list of "best seats" and "must sees." Anyone else planning on going to these series? Grace and peace Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article

I was just wondering if doing the 2 game trip to Milwaukee this year and next were worth it. You are convincing me to aim at “once is enough.” thanks for chiming in!

The ninth road trip of the 2023 Twins season leads through the heart of the Midwest, Kansas City and St. Louis! It’s time to claim the title “Best of the Middle” against the Royals and Cardinals! A return to Kauffman Stadium. Rivalry renewed at Busch Stadium. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports July 28-30 @ Kansas City Royals (3 games) Kauffman Stadium - 2022 attendance was 1,277,986 (ranked 13th out of 15 AL teams, 26th overall MLB) The Royals’ home park’s first season of use was 1973 (Royals Stadium) with artificial turf, renamed Kauffman Stadium in 1994 after the team's first owner. Kentucky bluegrass replaced the turf in 1995. Folks hoping to check this one off your bucket list better hurry up, as they are proposing a Target Field-style move to downtown! It will be interesting to see if this conversation has gained any steam as the season progresses. With this being the Twins’ second trip to Kansas City in 2023, fans get a chance to see the impact of temperature upon stadium characteristics. The end of July brings heat and humidity, along with its extra carry on the long ball and extra stress on pitchers and catchers. By this point in the season, the trajectories of the teams should be clear as well. It’s worth noting that last season the Royals drew two million fewer fans compared to the Cardinals. Yes, two…million…fewer. That sums up a lot of how both fan bases are approaching this season, and how far from competitive balance the league truly is. Will 2023 bring a reversal of fortunes? Not likely. Mitchell, South Dakota, to the Kauffman Stadium gates is 441 miles. Kauffman to St. Louis is only 241 miles. This leg of the season is the perfect midwestern summer road trip. August 1-3 @ St. Louis Cardinals (3 games) Busch Stadium - 2022 attendance was 3,320,551 (ranked 2nd out of 15 NL teams, 2nd overall MLB) St. Louis’ baseball history can be charted back to 1882. 11 World Series trophies later, the Cardinals remain elite among fan bases and baseball cultural icon status. The current Busch Stadium is the third iteration of its namesake, and provides a scenic shout-out to the downtown skyline and this noble heritage. Built in 2006, Busch Stadium sports a Ballpark Village neighborhood attraction and its own Hall of Fame Museum. The majestic views past the outfield concourse give the stadium its style points, the red seats and Clydesdales provide the ambiance, and the fans provide the support. The Cardinals have benefitted from being the only game “in town” for a region that stretches from Oklahoma to Alabama, Indiana to Colorado, and all points in between. Their radio signal strength established a fan base, and their open wallet and excellent farm system has provided the contenders. The Twins don’t really have a history at this particular version of Busch Stadium. When they were in town for the World Series in 1987, it didn’t go particularly well either. Other than being a battle between two potential playoff teams, the main antagonist in this rivalry will probably be the weather. Temps in August easily reach 100 degrees, and at the end of a road trip the physicality of the season will begin to show. This series also encompasses the August 2nd trade deadline. Inevitably some players that will be donning the Twins and Cardinals jerseys at the first game of the series could be gone by the last game. Witnessing this aspect of baseball business in-person will be interesting indeed. Brewery tours, trips up to the top of the Arch, BBQ and BBQ and more BBQ, and time spent feasting on baseball in the heartland. What could be better? It’s 676 miles home again to South Dakota, and I will be praying that the air conditioning in the car has held up for this entire trip! Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Kauffman Stadium or Busch Stadium, please post your list of "best seats" and "must sees." Anyone else planning on going to these series? Grace and peace Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article

The eighth road trip of the 2023 Twins season swings down the West Coast through Oakland and Seattle. It’s time to kick off the second half of the season against the A’s and Mariners! Oakland Coliseum. T-Mobile Park. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports July 14-16 @ Oakland Athletics (3 games) Oakland Coliseum - 2022 attendance was 787,982 (ranked 15th out of 15 AL teams, 30th overall MLB) Oakland averaged less than 10,000 fans per game last year. The home of Moneyball has been searching for a new home for the past decade, and the fans have rewarded the team with their indifference. The A’s and Oakland Coliseum formed the backdrop to many childhood heroes before we realized how juiced they were. Lately, the club has been known more for thriftiness than for victories. The Coliseum itself bears the weight of being Al Davis’ Raiders home in the mid-to-late ’90s. The addition of a towering bowl of seats increased capacity while magnifying just how empty the stadium looks today. Interestingly enough, the Coliseum used to mirror Dodger Stadium before “Mount Davis” was erected. Word on the street is that the fans that do attend aren’t there by mistake. They are fans through and through and should make for an interesting road environment. There are unique experiences surrounding the ballpark itself, while the in-stadium experience doesn’t offer much. I won’t go out of my way to mention how the last time the Twins won a playoff series was at the Coliseum, and hopefully, they won’t kill me. Oakland itself boasts connections to the sights and sounds of the Bay Area in general, and there are waterfront and cultural experiences throughout the region. The Oakland Zoo gets solid reviews, and Treasure Island between the two cities carries family connections. This ballpark doesn’t excite me, but picking up three wins to kick off the second half of the season never hurt anyone. I’ve contemplated making the July 12th All-Star Game in Seattle a part of the journey, but I’m going to decline even if I’m voted in this year because, from Oakland, we get to go there anyways! Oakland lies 1,672 miles from my front door, a daunting 25-hour drive. However, there are whispers of an epic family and friends trip through this six-game set. The drive up and down the Pacific Coast Highway beckons, as does the surf and sun. July 17-20 @ Seattle Mariners (4 games) T-Mobile Park - 2022 attendance was 2,286,267 (ranked 6th out of 15 AL teams, 15th overall MLB) Fresh off of hosting the All-Star Game, T-Mobile Park dials up the fan experience with a retractable roof, beautiful sight lines, and stellar food and beverage options. This isn’t your grandpa’s Kingdome, for sure. Success hasn’t been a part of the Mariners’ story, but their current squad is on the way up. Established in 1977, the Mariners endured losing seasons every year until 1991. They hold the less-than-awesome honor of having never been in a World Series. So the town is hungry for change, even if the ballpark is now entering its 24th season. The park hosts the Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest and Mariners Hall of Fame, which pays homage to great moments in professional baseball throughout the region. The ‘Pen is a foody and pub crawler’s dream, and there is a Fan Walk with engraved bricks memorializing those who root for the squad. I don’t remember much history between the Mariners and the Twins. They never seem hot at the same time, and their superstars never seem to be competing for attention simultaneously. I’m not heading to these games looking for baseball drama but hoping for some relaxing and captivating scenery and experiences. My family hates heights, so I’ll probably be heading up the Space Needle alone. The Museum of Pop Culture does seem like a worthy stop, and we can’t be in this part of America without the temptation of a Goonies filming site pilgrimage coming up in the conversation. The Seattle Japanese Garden also looks amazing and perfect for healing and restoration, especially if the Twins are leaning away from the playoffs at this point in the season. It’s 808 miles from Oakland to Seattle and 1406 miles back to Mitchell, SD. Throw in some beaches and mountain passes, and I’m guessing the van will need a deep clean after this trip. With the MLB trade deadline looming on August 2nd, this trip provides the last chance to separate the squad from the pack before decisions need to be made. Where will the Twins be as the season turns? There’s only one way to find out: to go there. Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Oakland Coliseum or T-Mobile Park, please post your list of "best seats" and "must-sees." Is anyone else planning on going to this series? Grace and peace, Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article

I've been kicking around the same question lately. WinsAboveReplacement has such precedence in the computations, that fan "rooting interest" hasn't quite kept up as a priority. And yet, as someone who travels six hours just to go to Target Field, having some idea of who will be playing when you get there DOES matter when planning the trip. Now, admittedly, several families go just to go...and couldn't name four guys on the roster either way :) I would love to get my hands on player jersey/t-shirt sales, and the rest of the metrics at the disposal of the club. I'm looking forward to seeing how players are represented in the attire and energies of their local fan bases this season as I catch some road games. It would be possible, one would think, to ask TV viewers why and who they watch for in games, especially on the verge of the Twins' new TV contract. Or do they have the data, and it says fans pay to watch the "laundry" that is the Twins jersey, regardless of who is in it? In another vein, the Adam Thielen conversation this week speaks to some of the ways Midwestern folk deal with "loss and grief" around local players and local squads. Curious to see what others think. Thanks for bringing it up!

The Twins away game idea emerged as a "rooting for laundry" dream. Roster moves over the past month have started to imply that something more might be underfoot for our 2023 squad. All of a sudden, I have new names to learn and new expectations to decipher. A trip to re-introduce myself to this nation that I call home now is beginning to reek of fanboy angst... Are the Twins for real in 2023 all of a sudden? I wasn't anticipating a need to feel nervous at these ball games. I was just going to enjoy the relationship-building travel and some delicious food along the way. Now I might have to worry about a playoff race? I was just going to cheer on Luis Arraez as he wiggled his way to breaking up some Dodger pitcher's no-hitter in a 9-0 game, but now I might have to be on the edge of my seat with a series victory on the line in Chavez Ravine? I was breathing a sigh of relief at not having to witness Carlos Correa Giants jerseys in year one, and then it was Mets jerseys for a few weeks, and now I'm left kicking myself for not buying every jersey while they were still on clearance. The worst part is, Carlos will know after 81 games of seeing me in the one Correa jersey that I have, that I gave up on him when he said he signed with two other teams. I'm not a true believer. Increased team expectations for 2023 mean that frigid April bullpen debacles in Kansas City sting that much more. Random acts of lineup malfunction in Chicago in May mean increased blood pressure in September. I'm pretty sure that the Twins aren't yet finished with shaping this year's roster. I'm guessing that at least one more familiar face that my kid's loved cheering for will be someone I now get to see in a new home on the road this season. There will be more where that came from during the trade deadline in July/August for sure. Why? Because when Correa re-signed the tables turned and the season took on an urgency that wasn't a part of my earlier trip calculations. I'm fine with it. Trust me. I like winning. But instead of being "the weird dude in Twins gear at our ballpark when the Twins have moderate to no shot at winning the game," I'm more often than not going to be "the weird dude in Twins gear at our ballpark when the Twins are making local fans angry for shelling out cash to watch our team beat their team in their park so they are gonna verbally (not physically please) take it out on that weird dude" guy. It's going to be very hard for the Twins to go unnoticed this season on the national level. Will this help our team rise to the occasion? Or will the added attention multiply our faults? Will it drive up my ticket prices and lodging costs? Or will locals stay away because they don't want to cry in their own stadium? Time will tell, and I for one can't wait to get it started! Pitchers and catchers report in less than a month, on my birthday, Februrary 16th. I can't think of a better gift in the middle of such a long harsh winter on the Dakota plains. Grace and peace Twins Territory, wherever you are!

Thank you for this awesome advice! This week is "logistics" week in our house...time to figure out who is joining me for which legs of the journey. Have you been to Camden Yards quite a bit? Ever been to Truist?

The seventh road trip of the 2023 Twins season covers the most amount of days, with three series taking the Twins through Detroit, Atlanta, and Baltimore. It’s time to make a mid-season run against the Tigers, Braves, and Orioles! Comerica Park, Truist Field, Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports June 23-25 @ Detroit Tigers (3 games) Comerica Park - 2022 attendance was 1,551,149 (ranked 10th out of 15 AL teams, 22nd overall MLB) The latest iteration of Tigers baseball launched in 2000, as Comerica Park attempted to replace a jewel box ballpark icon in Tiger Stadium. How did they do it? Well, for starters, they built a bunch of giant Tiger statues. Then they made the dimensions of the outfield astronomical in nature. The walls were so far back that they realized they messed up and brought them back in 2003. Players’ stats continue to take a hit from the dimensions, and the conversation on bringing in the walls is circulating again. Comerica Park hasn’t been hospitable to the Twins for the past three seasons. Despite Detroit being in the dumps, they have been 14-9 vs. the Twins since 2020. The path back to the top of the central requires a change in this trend. We’ve shared Ron Gardenhire, Jack Morris, Torii Hunter, Robbie Grossman, Jonathan Schoop, Akil Baddoo, Dan Gladden, and now Willi Castro. Familiarity breeds something. Hopefully, in 2023 it breeds wins. Located just a few blocks from the Detroit River/Canadian Border, Comerica Park sits in the downtown district, with plenty of entertainment and eatery options. There is a Motown Museum, The Corner Ballpark (a recreation of Tiger Stadium), the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Henry Ford Museum just down the road. In-Stadium attractions include a carousel, Ferris Wheel, and the Tigers Hall of Fame. It's 923 miles from Mitchell, SD, to Detroit. There is a 10-11 hour drive from Detroit to our next destination, so it's doable by car. It’s not optimal, but it is a trip through a part of the country that I’ve never been through. The players never experience the “in-between” zones of America on their trips from stadium to stadium. This is one perk of self-travel that I’m going to enjoy. June 26-28 @ Atlanta Braves (3 games) Truist Park - 2022 attendance was 3,129,931 (ranked 3rd out of 15 NL teams, 4th overall MLB) Baseball arrived in Atlanta in 1966, but the national audience for the Braves arrived with TBS. Even a kid in the middle-of-nowhere South Dakota could watch the Braves long before he could watch the Twins. This made the 1991 World Series that much more exciting. The Atlanta Fulton County Stadium we watched in 1991 made way for Turner Field (aka. Olympic Stadium) in 1997. The Braves' most recent move in 2017 took them to the suburbs, to mixed reviews. On the one hand, the Braves got a chance to build a baseball community center with neighborhood revenue-gathering machines. On the other hand, folks now need cars and cash to get to the games. Twins history with Atlanta? These were just the defining moments of any Twins fan alive in the early 90s. Eddie Rosario helped return the World Series to them in 2021. That stung a bit. In between? There was just a whole lot of losing by both squads. Restarting an annual series against the Braves seems like a great way to revive a rivalry! Truist Park resides in a mixed-use entertainment district called “The Battery.” Designed to curate the entire baseball consumer’s experience, it's arguably the wave of the future (see also Globe Life Field in Texas). As a tourist from the Midwest, this format suits me just fine! Yet, the energy of a downtown ballpark creates a different atmosphere. The park is clean and modern in stadium, with Hank Aaron tributes and historic moment monuments scattered throughout. “The Freeze” (@beatthefreeze) race between innings also looks intriguing. Atlanta boasts the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, MLK Jr. National Historical Park, and the Center for Puppetry Arts. I will not see puppets, but to each their own. I’m excited to see the region. After watching the past few election cycles, I’ve memorized Georgia county by county! It will be good to put some names and faces to the actual humans there. It’s 710 miles from Detroit to Atlanta. Lodging in “The Battery” is quite pricey, but the convenience factor is important to consider. Rest and quality nutrition begin to matter more on a ten-day road trip. Hopefully, the Twins are riding a winning streak as they turn back north to Baltimore. June 30-July 2 @ Baltimore Orioles (3 games) Oriole Park at Camden Yards - 2022 attendance was 1,368,367 (ranked 11th out of 15 AL teams, 23rd overall MLB) Oriole Park at Camden Yards will forever be tied with Ken Griffey Jr. in my mind. Not because of anything that transpired there but because the Ken Griffey Jr. Super Nintendo game was the first time I saw the ballpark. Built in 1992, Camden Yards changed aesthetic templates for Major League ballparks. The warehouse in right-center frames a beautiful backdrop for baseball and batter’s dreams. The seats are designed for viewing baseball, but the third-base line is the way to go. Legends Park holds statues of Orioles greats, the walkways bustle with food and fun, and the city itself carries a history of the birthplace of baseball immortality, Babe Ruth. The Inner Harbor and National Aquarium are tourist destinations that boast ships straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean and over 17,000 animals. Locals have been pursuing a Loch Ness-type creature named “Chessie” since the ’30s. Ok, interesting. My friends in the area don’t describe Baltimore as a vacation hotspot, but it sounds like a great 2.5 days to me! It was 676 miles from Atlanta to Baltimore and another 1338 miles home. This trip screams epic, but it also whispers impossible. An excellent trip for the Twins, and they head into the All-Star break in style. A poor showing over these ten days and the trade deadline might mean more than the playoff push. Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Comerica Park, Truist Park, or Oriole Park at Camden Yards, please post your list of "best seats" and "must-sees." Is anyone else planning on going to these series? Grace and peace, Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article