Steven Trefz

June 6-8 @ Tampa Bay Rays (3 games)
Tropicana Field - 2022 attendance was 1,128,127 (ranked 14th out of 15 AL teams, 28th overall MLB)
It made sense on paper. Home of Spring Training and epi-center of major league baseball for two months each year, so why not put an actual franchise in town? 1998 brought MLB and the Tampa/St. Pete metro area its own ballclub: The Tampa Bay Devil Rays. They celebrated by losing at least 90 games in each of their first 10 seasons!
Then after a 2008 name change to the Rays (think “sunshine,” not “animal”), the tide turned in many respects. Their first World Series appearance and a constant stream of small market success stories defined the next decade. Attendance, however, hasn’t followed suit. 
Tropicana Field boasts the notorious label of being “unattractive” and “nondescript.” A concrete dome, with Astroturf (that even the Astros stopped using…), optical illusions from the seating arrangement, and catwalks that giveth (Jason Kubel in 2010) and taketh away (Miguel Sano in 2015). Tropicana Field defines “quirky.” 
But apparently, the game experience itself can be a lot of fun. Dancing grounds crews, a live ray tank in the outfield (think “animal,” not “sunshine”), a Ted Williams and Hitters Halls of Fame, and plenty of room to roam make the Tropicana experience a good buy. If you can time the series right, you can also catch a few minor league games in the area while you are there.
I’m not sure that the Twins have a “history” at Tropicana Field. The Rays’ rise coincided with the Twins’ decline most recently. Rocco Baldelli grew up in the organization. Delmon Young and the Nelson Cruz/Joe Ryan trade stick out a bit. 
But whenever the rumor mill kicks up an idea to have the Rays play half of their season in Tampa and half in Montreal, or when a “new Nashville team” emerges as buyers, I’m forced to remember the days of contraction threats made against the Twins. We’ve been in a crappy dome before, one with World Series appearances, cherished memories of young teams on the rise, and a roof that messes up the actual play on the field. So my heart goes out to the fanbase there. I’m not ashamed to admit that this is actually the stadium I’m most excited to see this year, just so I can see for myself what all the fuss is about.
I’m bummed that the Mighty Mussels are playing at the exact same times, so I can’t check them out. I’ll have to settle for the Salvador Dali Museum, the Sunken Gardens, or the Florida Aquarium. (I checked that out with my eldest son on our last trip here and loved it.) The Big Cat Rescue also is pretty sweet, except for that my grandma and grandpa-in-law used to live next to it, and the wake-up roars at 5 am weren’t so pleasant.
At 1704 miles from Mitchell, I’m flying into Tampa, and definitely flying the 1357 miles into Toronto for the next series. The last time I was in Tampa for spring training, no rental cars existed in the town for about 36 hours. What could go wrong!!?
June 9-11 @ Toronto Blue Jays (3 games)
Rogers Centre - 2022 attendance was 2,653,830 (ranked 3rd out of 15 AL teams, 8th overall MLB)
When Toronto got their MLB franchise in 1977, they started out in a retro-fitted football field called Exhibition Stadium. 1989 brought the SkyDome (renamed Rogers Centre in 2005), soon to gain classic replay status for Joe Carter ’s World Series winner and back-to-back championships. In the 2010’s, the Blue Jays even boasted the highest attendance in the American League!
The SkyDome/Rogers Centre boasts about being the first stadium in the world with a fully retractable motorized roof, hosts a hotel with rooms that look out onto the field, and rests within the Old Downtown neighborhood of the 4th largest city in North America. The field itself? A bit cookie-cutter in form, with excellent food and tourist vibes throughout the concourses. 
The Twins’ history with Rogers Centre includes the American League Championship Series three road game victories that propelled them to the 1991 World Series, 50-50 success over the past 4 seasons, and a small dose of covid vaccine controversy. With travel restrictions lifted, and a Blue Jay squad with aspirational World Series goals, this should make for a fun mid-season match-up!
The sounds, tastes, and sights of Toronto are pretty epic it sounds like. CN Tower observation deck, Lake Ontario beaches and waterfront, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and an actual “distillery district,” all exist within a few blocks of the ballpark. I have a passport. I’m ready to go.
This one is an obviously “getaway day” flight from Tampa, with a less than 24-hour turnaround. Getting the 1153 miles back to South Dakota will be interesting. I’m wondering if this might be a good trip to catch a home game in Minneapolis before this series, with connecting flights being more direct and cheaper from there to both Tampa and Toronto. We have Cleveland @ Target Field on Sunday, June 4th at 1 pm as a potential “launching pad” for this road trip…or a potential flat tire…tbd.
Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Tropicana Field or Rogers Centre, 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!
 

If the Twins want playoffs in 2023 (let alone a World Series Championship), at the very least, one thing must occur. If you toss out whatever the empty stands 2020 season brought us, no team since 2015 has made the playoffs with a road record of less than .460. Not a single team. This statistical oddity stands out more clearly when comparing the 2022 Twins squad against the 2019 Bomba Squad. What would you say if I told you that the Twins' home records for those two seasons were exactly the same!? 
It's true. Once the shock wore off, I triple-checked it. In the 2019 and 2022 seasons, the Twins were a respectable and playoff-bound 46-35 at home. So what made the difference between the excitement and potential of the 2019 playoff run and last year’s disappointment? To put it bluntly: road trips.
In 2019, the Twins were an astounding 55-28 on the road! In 2022, the Twins managed a below-MLB road record average 32-49 mark. (Click here for another, less recent, trip down the rabbit hole of why home teams win 54% of games in the MLB.) That’s a 23-win difference on the road between 2019 and 2022! How on earth does such a thing transpire?
Well, for the 2022 Twins, it happened slowly and consistently over the entirety of the season.
In fact, the only two road trips that the Twins secured a winning record were the second and third trips of the 2022 season. (They went 4-3 against Tampa Bay and Baltimore and 5-1 against Oakland and Kansas City.) They played around .500 ball on the road the rest of the way until the fateful ninth trip to Los Angeles in mid-August. After going 1-4 against the Dodgers and Angels, the Twins finished their last four road trips 5-19. 5…and…19….
So what went wrong on the road? A couple of abnormal instances pop up when you dig a little deeper. The Twins were 6-23 in road games determined by 2 runs or less. In fact, the “pitchers taking the L on the road” list runs like a who’s who of the Twins bullpen. No one leaves unscathed.
Also, during the end of the season road collapse, the Twins were without Byron Buxton. Yet, they managed to go 15-10 at home during this same stretch of games. So what about Byron’s absence made the road woes so magnified? In fact, the Twins went 6-23 overall on the road in 2022 when Byron was out with an injury.
I’m enough of a statistician to know that a few instances do not make a correlation, and they definitely don’t make causation. However, where there is smoke, there usually is fire. 
Do the Twins’ 2023 playoff hopes actually hinge on this obscure and recent part of baseball’s seasonal grind, and Byron's health/our bullpen's strength? Or does Carlos Correa officially being a Twin “for life” now, as opposed to the “soon to be free agent”, bring enough leadership to buoy the Twins through the inevitable injuries this time?  
I would argue that the soft-science of clubhouse "unity" gets magnified on the road. With the signing and security of locking down Correa and his assistant GM leadership, do the Twins now have a formula for righting this wrong in 2023?
We shall see. 31,759 miles and 14 road trips await the Twins this season. The Twins will start their 2023 campaign on the road in Kansas City and Miami, winnable games to be sure. But the next three journeys take the Twins through the Bronx, Fenway, Cleveland, and Dodgers Stadium, to name a few. Reaching their ultimate goal will depend on holding their own in the face of these early tests. 
Root, root, root for the home team, indeed! But if the Twins' road trips don’t bring them at least 38 wins, you can kiss the playoff dreams goodbye.
 

If the Twins want playoffs in 2023 (let alone a World Series Championship), at the very least, one thing must occur. If you toss out whatever the empty stands 2020 season brought us, no team since 2015 has made the playoffs with a road record of less than .460. Not a single team. This statistical oddity stands out more clearly when comparing the 2022 Twins squad against the 2019 Bomba Squad. What would you say if I told you that the Twins' home records for those two seasons were exactly the same!? 
It's true. Once the shock wore off, I triple-checked it. In the 2019 and 2022 seasons, the Twins were a respectable and playoff-bound 46-35 at home. So what made the difference between the excitement and potential of the 2019 playoff run and last year’s disappointment? To put it bluntly: road trips.
In 2019, the Twins were an astounding 55-28 on the road! In 2022, the Twins managed a below-MLB road record average 32-49 mark. (Click here for another, less recent, trip down the rabbit hole of why home teams win 54% of games in the MLB.) That’s a 23-win difference on the road between 2019 and 2022! How on earth does such a thing transpire?
Well, for the 2022 Twins, it happened slowly and consistently over the entirety of the season.
In fact, the only two road trips that the Twins secured a winning record were the second and third trips of the 2022 season. (They went 4-3 against Tampa Bay and Baltimore and 5-1 against Oakland and Kansas City.) They played around .500 ball on the road the rest of the way until the fateful ninth trip to Los Angeles in mid-August. After going 1-4 against the Dodgers and Angels, the Twins finished their last four road trips 5-19. 5…and…19….
So what went wrong on the road? A couple of abnormal instances pop up when you dig a little deeper. The Twins were 6-23 in road games determined by 2 runs or less. In fact, the “pitchers taking the L on the road” list runs like a who’s who of the Twins bullpen. No one leaves unscathed.
Also, during the end of the season road collapse, the Twins were without Byron Buxton. Yet, they managed to go 15-10 at home during this same stretch of games. So what about Byron’s absence made the road woes so magnified? In fact, the Twins went 6-23 overall on the road in 2022 when Byron was out with an injury.
I’m enough of a statistician to know that a few instances do not make a correlation, and they definitely don’t make causation. However, where there is smoke, there usually is fire. 
Do the Twins’ 2023 playoff hopes actually hinge on this obscure and recent part of baseball’s seasonal grind, and Byron's health/our bullpen's strength? Or does Carlos Correa officially being a Twin “for life” now, as opposed to the “soon to be free agent”, bring enough leadership to buoy the Twins through the inevitable injuries this time?  
I would argue that the soft-science of clubhouse "unity" gets magnified on the road. With the signing and security of locking down Correa and his assistant GM leadership, do the Twins now have a formula for righting this wrong in 2023?
We shall see. 31,759 miles and 14 road trips await the Twins this season. The Twins will start their 2023 campaign on the road in Kansas City and Miami, winnable games to be sure. But the next three journeys take the Twins through the Bronx, Fenway, Cleveland, and Dodgers Stadium, to name a few. Reaching their ultimate goal will depend on holding their own in the face of these early tests. 
Root, root, root for the home team, indeed! But if the Twins' road trips don’t bring them at least 38 wins, you can kiss the playoff dreams goodbye.
 

If the Twins want playoffs in 2023 (let alone a World Series Championship), at the very least, one thing must occur. If you toss out whatever the empty stands 2020 season brought us, no team since 2015 has made the playoffs with a road record of less than .460. Not a single team. This statistical oddity stands out more clearly when comparing the 2022 Twins squad against the 2019 Bomba Squad. What would you say if I told you that the Twins' home records for those two seasons were exactly the same!? 
It's true. Once the shock wore off, I triple-checked it. In the 2019 and 2022 seasons, the Twins were a respectable and playoff-bound 46-35 at home. So what made the difference between the excitement and potential of the 2019 playoff run and last year’s disappointment? To put it bluntly: road trips.
In 2019, the Twins were an astounding 55-28 on the road! In 2022, the Twins managed a below-MLB road record average 32-49 mark. (Click here for another, less recent, trip down the rabbit hole of why home teams win 54% of games in the MLB.) That’s a 23-win difference on the road between 2019 and 2022! How on earth does such a thing transpire?
Well, for the 2022 Twins, it happened slowly and consistently over the entirety of the season.
In fact, the only two road trips that the Twins secured a winning record were the second and third trips of the 2022 season. (They went 4-3 against Tampa Bay and Baltimore and 5-1 against Oakland and Kansas City.) They played around .500 ball on the road the rest of the way until the fateful ninth trip to Los Angeles in mid-August. After going 1-4 against the Dodgers and Angels, the Twins finished their last four road trips 5-19. 5…and…19….
So what went wrong on the road? A couple of abnormal instances pop up when you dig a little deeper. The Twins were 6-23 in road games determined by 2 runs or less. In fact, the “pitchers taking the L on the road” list runs like a who’s who of the Twins bullpen. No one leaves unscathed.
Also, during the end of the season road collapse, the Twins were without Byron Buxton. Yet, they managed to go 15-10 at home during this same stretch of games. So what about Byron’s absence made the road woes so magnified? In fact, the Twins went 6-23 overall on the road in 2022 when Byron was out with an injury.
I’m enough of a statistician to know that a few instances do not make a correlation, and they definitely don’t make causation. However, where there is smoke, there usually is fire. 
Do the Twins’ 2023 playoff hopes actually hinge on this obscure and recent part of baseball’s seasonal grind, and Byron's health/our bullpen's strength? Or does Carlos Correa officially being a Twin “for life” now, as opposed to the “soon to be free agent”, bring enough leadership to buoy the Twins through the inevitable injuries this time?  
I would argue that the soft-science of clubhouse "unity" gets magnified on the road. With the signing and security of locking down Correa and his assistant GM leadership, do the Twins now have a formula for righting this wrong in 2023?
We shall see. 31,759 miles and 14 road trips await the Twins this season. The Twins will start their 2023 campaign on the road in Kansas City and Miami, winnable games to be sure. But the next three journeys take the Twins through the Bronx, Fenway, Cleveland, and Dodgers Stadium, to name a few. Reaching their ultimate goal will depend on holding their own in the face of these early tests. 
Root, root, root for the home team, indeed! But if the Twins' road trips don’t bring them at least 38 wins, you can kiss the playoff dreams goodbye.
 

If the Twins want playoffs in 2023 (let alone a World Series Championship), at the very least, one thing must occur. If you toss out whatever the empty stands 2020 season brought us, no team since 2015 has made the playoffs with a road record of less than .460. Not a single team. This statistical oddity stands out more clearly when comparing the 2022 Twins squad against the 2019 Bomba Squad. What would you say if I told you that the Twins' home records for those two seasons were exactly the same!? 
It's true. Once the shock wore off, I triple-checked it. In the 2019 and 2022 seasons, the Twins were a respectable and playoff-bound 46-35 at home. So what made the difference between the excitement and potential of the 2019 playoff run and last year’s disappointment? To put it bluntly: road trips.
In 2019, the Twins were an astounding 55-28 on the road! In 2022, the Twins managed a below-MLB road record average 32-49 mark. (Click here for another, less recent, trip down the rabbit hole of why home teams win 54% of games in the MLB.) That’s a 23-win difference on the road between 2019 and 2022! How on earth does such a thing transpire?
Well, for the 2022 Twins, it happened slowly and consistently over the entirety of the season.
In fact, the only two road trips that the Twins secured a winning record were the second and third trips of the 2022 season. (They went 4-3 against Tampa Bay and Baltimore and 5-1 against Oakland and Kansas City.) They played around .500 ball on the road the rest of the way until the fateful ninth trip to Los Angeles in mid-August. After going 1-4 against the Dodgers and Angels, the Twins finished their last four road trips 5-19. 5…and…19….
So what went wrong on the road? A couple of abnormal instances pop up when you dig a little deeper. The Twins were 6-23 in road games determined by 2 runs or less. In fact, the “pitchers taking the L on the road” list runs like a who’s who of the Twins bullpen. No one leaves unscathed.
Also, during the end of the season road collapse, the Twins were without Byron Buxton. Yet, they managed to go 15-10 at home during this same stretch of games. So what about Byron’s absence made the road woes so magnified? In fact, the Twins went 6-23 overall on the road in 2022 when Byron was out with an injury.
I’m enough of a statistician to know that a few instances do not make a correlation, and they definitely don’t make causation. However, where there is smoke, there usually is fire. 
Do the Twins’ 2023 playoff hopes actually hinge on this obscure and recent part of baseball’s seasonal grind, and Byron's health/our bullpen's strength? Or does Carlos Correa officially being a Twin “for life” now, as opposed to the “soon to be free agent”, bring enough leadership to buoy the Twins through the inevitable injuries this time?  
I would argue that the soft-science of clubhouse "unity" gets magnified on the road. With the signing and security of locking down Correa and his assistant GM leadership, do the Twins now have a formula for righting this wrong in 2023?
We shall see. 31,759 miles and 14 road trips await the Twins this season. The Twins will start their 2023 campaign on the road in Kansas City and Miami, winnable games to be sure. But the next three journeys take the Twins through the Bronx, Fenway, Cleveland, and Dodgers Stadium, to name a few. Reaching their ultimate goal will depend on holding their own in the face of these early tests. 
Root, root, root for the home team, indeed! But if the Twins' road trips don’t bring them at least 38 wins, you can kiss the playoff dreams goodbye.
 

If the Twins want playoffs in 2023 (let alone a World Series Championship), at the very least, one thing must occur. If you toss out whatever the empty stands 2020 season brought us, no team since 2015 has made the playoffs with a road record of less than .460. Not a single team. This statistical oddity stands out more clearly when comparing the 2022 Twins squad against the 2019 Bomba Squad. What would you say if I told you that the Twins' home records for those two seasons were exactly the same!? 
It's true. Once the shock wore off, I triple-checked it. In the 2019 and 2022 seasons, the Twins were a respectable and playoff-bound 46-35 at home. So what made the difference between the excitement and potential of the 2019 playoff run and last year’s disappointment? To put it bluntly: road trips.
In 2019, the Twins were an astounding 55-28 on the road! In 2022, the Twins managed a below-MLB road record average 32-49 mark. (Click here for another, less recent, trip down the rabbit hole of why home teams win 54% of games in the MLB.) That’s a 23-win difference on the road between 2019 and 2022! How on earth does such a thing transpire?
Well, for the 2022 Twins, it happened slowly and consistently over the entirety of the season.
In fact, the only two road trips that the Twins secured a winning record were the second and third trips of the 2022 season. (They went 4-3 against Tampa Bay and Baltimore and 5-1 against Oakland and Kansas City.) They played around .500 ball on the road the rest of the way until the fateful ninth trip to Los Angeles in mid-August. After going 1-4 against the Dodgers and Angels, the Twins finished their last four road trips 5-19. 5…and…19….
So what went wrong on the road? A couple of abnormal instances pop up when you dig a little deeper. The Twins were 6-23 in road games determined by 2 runs or less. In fact, the “pitchers taking the L on the road” list runs like a who’s who of the Twins bullpen. No one leaves unscathed.
Also, during the end of the season road collapse, the Twins were without Byron Buxton. Yet, they managed to go 15-10 at home during this same stretch of games. So what about Byron’s absence made the road woes so magnified? In fact, the Twins went 6-23 overall on the road in 2022 when Byron was out with an injury.
I’m enough of a statistician to know that a few instances do not make a correlation, and they definitely don’t make causation. However, where there is smoke, there usually is fire. 
Do the Twins’ 2023 playoff hopes actually hinge on this obscure and recent part of baseball’s seasonal grind, and Byron's health/our bullpen's strength? Or does Carlos Correa officially being a Twin “for life” now, as opposed to the “soon to be free agent”, bring enough leadership to buoy the Twins through the inevitable injuries this time?  
I would argue that the soft-science of clubhouse "unity" gets magnified on the road. With the signing and security of locking down Correa and his assistant GM leadership, do the Twins now have a formula for righting this wrong in 2023?
We shall see. 31,759 miles and 14 road trips await the Twins this season. The Twins will start their 2023 campaign on the road in Kansas City and Miami, winnable games to be sure. But the next three journeys take the Twins through the Bronx, Fenway, Cleveland, and Dodgers Stadium, to name a few. Reaching their ultimate goal will depend on holding their own in the face of these early tests. 
Root, root, root for the home team, indeed! But if the Twins' road trips don’t bring them at least 38 wins, you can kiss the playoff dreams goodbye.
 

If the Twins want playoffs in 2023 (let alone a World Series Championship), at the very least, one thing must occur. If you toss out whatever the empty stands 2020 season brought us, no team since 2015 has made the playoffs with a road record of less than .460. Not a single team. This statistical oddity stands out more clearly when comparing the 2022 Twins squad against the 2019 Bomba Squad. What would you say if I told you that the Twins' home records for those two seasons were exactly the same!? 
It's true. Once the shock wore off, I triple-checked it. In the 2019 and 2022 seasons, the Twins were a respectable and playoff-bound 46-35 at home. So what made the difference between the excitement and potential of the 2019 playoff run and last year’s disappointment? To put it bluntly: road trips.
In 2019, the Twins were an astounding 55-28 on the road! In 2022, the Twins managed a below-MLB road record average 32-49 mark. (Click here for another, less recent, trip down the rabbit hole of why home teams win 54% of games in the MLB.) That’s a 23-win difference on the road between 2019 and 2022! How on earth does such a thing transpire?
Well, for the 2022 Twins, it happened slowly and consistently over the entirety of the season.
In fact, the only two road trips that the Twins secured a winning record were the second and third trips of the 2022 season. (They went 4-3 against Tampa Bay and Baltimore and 5-1 against Oakland and Kansas City.) They played around .500 ball on the road the rest of the way until the fateful ninth trip to Los Angeles in mid-August. After going 1-4 against the Dodgers and Angels, the Twins finished their last four road trips 5-19. 5…and…19….
So what went wrong on the road? A couple of abnormal instances pop up when you dig a little deeper. The Twins were 6-23 in road games determined by 2 runs or less. In fact, the “pitchers taking the L on the road” list runs like a who’s who of the Twins bullpen. No one leaves unscathed.
Also, during the end of the season road collapse, the Twins were without Byron Buxton. Yet, they managed to go 15-10 at home during this same stretch of games. So what about Byron’s absence made the road woes so magnified? In fact, the Twins went 6-23 overall on the road in 2022 when Byron was out with an injury.
I’m enough of a statistician to know that a few instances do not make a correlation, and they definitely don’t make causation. However, where there is smoke, there usually is fire. 
Do the Twins’ 2023 playoff hopes actually hinge on this obscure and recent part of baseball’s seasonal grind, and Byron's health/our bullpen's strength? Or does Carlos Correa officially being a Twin “for life” now, as opposed to the “soon to be free agent”, bring enough leadership to buoy the Twins through the inevitable injuries this time?  
I would argue that the soft-science of clubhouse "unity" gets magnified on the road. With the signing and security of locking down Correa and his assistant GM leadership, do the Twins now have a formula for righting this wrong in 2023?
We shall see. 31,759 miles and 14 road trips await the Twins this season. The Twins will start their 2023 campaign on the road in Kansas City and Miami, winnable games to be sure. But the next three journeys take the Twins through the Bronx, Fenway, Cleveland, and Dodgers Stadium, to name a few. Reaching their ultimate goal will depend on holding their own in the face of these early tests. 
Root, root, root for the home team, indeed! But if the Twins' road trips don’t bring them at least 38 wins, you can kiss the playoff dreams goodbye.
 

At the end of May, Carlos leads us deep into the heart of his old home, the World Series Champions’ stompin’ grounds:  Houston, Texas.  It’s time to put the squeeze on the Astros!  Minute Maid Park.  Let’s begin…
Minute Maid Park - 2022 attendance was 2,688,998 (ranked 2nd out of 15 AL teams, 7th overall MLB)
In the season’s first one-city road trip of the 2023 season, we head to the ballpark that has hosted four of the last six World Series.  Yes…you heard that right…four of six.  Minute Maid Park carries history, scandal, success, and futility all in one amazingly crafted and retro-fitted setting. 
I think what’s probably most important for Twins fans to appreciate about baseball in Houston can be traced back to the O.G. stadium: the Astrodome.  The sporting world’s first fully enclosed and air-conditioned stadium, the Astrodome changed the game and almost all other games around the world.  The Astrodome gave us the first synthetic turf playing surface (hence why we call all the new stuff Astroturf even if it isn’t!), the ability to play ball in any type of weather or geography, and the introduction of year-round civic and sports arenas within a city.  
The current ballpark was constructed around a former Union Station railway concourse, and harkens to the culture and community that it serves.  Oil, agriculture, trains, Bar-B-Q, Mexican food, boom/bust economics, and espionage/waste disposal (couldn’t resist). The retractable roof might come into play in May, with an opportunity for outdoor baseball early and late in the season.  This element allows for a natural grass playing surface.
Originally named Enron Field in 2000, my kids’ third favorite orange juice stepped up to the plate for naming rights once Enron imploded.  Hopefully the Minute Maid Train will fail to leave the station due to a lack of Astros homers, but recent history would argue to bet the “over.”  The Twins are a mere 4-16 at Houston since 2015 after being swept there in 2022.
While our recent Twins connections with the Astros have more to do with Carlos Correa (who went 1-11 w/ 1 RBI in 2022 in his first return trip to Houston) than any real rivalry, there is a personal connection for me.  My first game at Target Field was a Sunday afternoon, August 4, 2013…against a ratty Astros team that boasted such young players as Jose Altuve, Jason Castro, Chris Carter, and Robbie Grossman. 
The Astros were clearly tanking.  The Twins were unclearly tanking.  While the Twins won the battle that day 3-2, they’ve lost the war quite decisively over the past decade.  If this year’s squad has any hope of reaching postseason success, it might hinge on a three-day road trip in May where they are going to be tested by the best in the business.
I didn’t get to Minute Maid Park in time to see the legendary and questionable "Tal’s Hill” in centerfield.  The berm & flagpole served for quite a few highlights and lowlights for fielders, and it stretched the dimensions out to 436ft.  The hill left the building after the 2016 season, replaced by a restaurant, standing room seating, and a lower medical liability deductible. 
The dimensions also came in with it to a reasonable 406ft.  Interestingly, berms or mounds in the field of play used to be a way to give a better view to standing room overflow fans ON THE FIELD!!!  Can you imagine?  Showing up to a game, discovering that it was sold out, but being told to “Worry not!  Centerfield has some room for you!”  It sounds like an alternate reality.
I look forward to many things on the Houston trip.  Connecting with co-workers at one of our partner schools there, checking out the Space Center, and enjoying some beach and fishing time out at the Gulf of Mexico are potential highlights.  Mainly I’m just excited to watch high quality baseball, in a crazy cool stadium, alongside a fan-base that has doubled-down on their team.  I’m sure there will be many stops on my tour-de-baseball this year where the hometown fans could care less.  Houston ain’t one of those stops.
With no connecting series, and Houston’s hub and wheel road layout, making the drive might be the best option.  At 1058 miles and 16 hrs from Mitchell,SD, it’s a trek.  The next road trip is a solo, globe-trotting mess of airports and logistics, so on a day when the FAA system crashes for several hours, the comfort of having my own wheels and family along for this ride ranks high on my planning priority list. 
Now it's your turn to plan!
And yes...if this is the first time you’ve seen one of my road trip pieces, I’m going to all of these away games.   Please join me in person or with some insider info! If you have been to Minute Maid 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!
Previous Road Trip stories:
Road Trip #1 (Kansas City and Miami) Road Trip #2 (New York and Boston) Road Trip #3 (Chicago and Cleveland) Road Trip #4 (Los Angeles and Los Angeles)

At the end of May, Carlos leads us deep into the heart of his old home, the World Series Champions’ stompin’ grounds:  Houston, Texas.  It’s time to put the squeeze on the Astros!  Minute Maid Park.  Let’s begin…
Minute Maid Park - 2022 attendance was 2,688,998 (ranked 2nd out of 15 AL teams, 7th overall MLB)
In the season’s first one-city road trip of the 2023 season, we head to the ballpark that has hosted four of the last six World Series.  Yes…you heard that right…four of six.  Minute Maid Park carries history, scandal, success, and futility all in one amazingly crafted and retro-fitted setting. 
I think what’s probably most important for Twins fans to appreciate about baseball in Houston can be traced back to the O.G. stadium: the Astrodome.  The sporting world’s first fully enclosed and air-conditioned stadium, the Astrodome changed the game and almost all other games around the world.  The Astrodome gave us the first synthetic turf playing surface (hence why we call all the new stuff Astroturf even if it isn’t!), the ability to play ball in any type of weather or geography, and the introduction of year-round civic and sports arenas within a city.  
The current ballpark was constructed around a former Union Station railway concourse, and harkens to the culture and community that it serves.  Oil, agriculture, trains, Bar-B-Q, Mexican food, boom/bust economics, and espionage/waste disposal (couldn’t resist). The retractable roof might come into play in May, with an opportunity for outdoor baseball early and late in the season.  This element allows for a natural grass playing surface.
Originally named Enron Field in 2000, my kids’ third favorite orange juice stepped up to the plate for naming rights once Enron imploded.  Hopefully the Minute Maid Train will fail to leave the station due to a lack of Astros homers, but recent history would argue to bet the “over.”  The Twins are a mere 4-16 at Houston since 2015 after being swept there in 2022.
While our recent Twins connections with the Astros have more to do with Carlos Correa (who went 1-11 w/ 1 RBI in 2022 in his first return trip to Houston) than any real rivalry, there is a personal connection for me.  My first game at Target Field was a Sunday afternoon, August 4, 2013…against a ratty Astros team that boasted such young players as Jose Altuve, Jason Castro, Chris Carter, and Robbie Grossman. 
The Astros were clearly tanking.  The Twins were unclearly tanking.  While the Twins won the battle that day 3-2, they’ve lost the war quite decisively over the past decade.  If this year’s squad has any hope of reaching postseason success, it might hinge on a three-day road trip in May where they are going to be tested by the best in the business.
I didn’t get to Minute Maid Park in time to see the legendary and questionable "Tal’s Hill” in centerfield.  The berm & flagpole served for quite a few highlights and lowlights for fielders, and it stretched the dimensions out to 436ft.  The hill left the building after the 2016 season, replaced by a restaurant, standing room seating, and a lower medical liability deductible. 
The dimensions also came in with it to a reasonable 406ft.  Interestingly, berms or mounds in the field of play used to be a way to give a better view to standing room overflow fans ON THE FIELD!!!  Can you imagine?  Showing up to a game, discovering that it was sold out, but being told to “Worry not!  Centerfield has some room for you!”  It sounds like an alternate reality.
I look forward to many things on the Houston trip.  Connecting with co-workers at one of our partner schools there, checking out the Space Center, and enjoying some beach and fishing time out at the Gulf of Mexico are potential highlights.  Mainly I’m just excited to watch high quality baseball, in a crazy cool stadium, alongside a fan-base that has doubled-down on their team.  I’m sure there will be many stops on my tour-de-baseball this year where the hometown fans could care less.  Houston ain’t one of those stops.
With no connecting series, and Houston’s hub and wheel road layout, making the drive might be the best option.  At 1058 miles and 16 hrs from Mitchell,SD, it’s a trek.  The next road trip is a solo, globe-trotting mess of airports and logistics, so on a day when the FAA system crashes for several hours, the comfort of having my own wheels and family along for this ride ranks high on my planning priority list. 
Now it's your turn to plan!
And yes...if this is the first time you’ve seen one of my road trip pieces, I’m going to all of these away games.   Please join me in person or with some insider info! If you have been to Minute Maid 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!
Previous Road Trip stories:
Road Trip #1 (Kansas City and Miami) Road Trip #2 (New York and Boston) Road Trip #3 (Chicago and Cleveland) Road Trip #4 (Los Angeles and Los Angeles)

Let's Road Trip is a series of stories exploring the Twins' 16 road trips during the 2023 season.  I will focus on stadium highlights, attributes, Twins history, and community amenities.  Potential pitfalls and roadblocks get considered, and travel considerations get mentioned.  My handy-dandy Baseball Road Trips by Timothy Malcolm and Moon travel guides will be a go-to for this conversation.
March 30, April 1 & 2 - @ Kansas City Royals (3 games)
Kauffman Stadium - capacity 37,903 - 2022 attendance was 1,277,686 (ranked 13th out of 15 AL teams)
Kauffman'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 has an open bowl format, and is southeast of Kansas City in a complex with the Kansas City Chiefs stadium.  I've been to one game there, and the Twins did well!  We sat way up in the top of the left field foul bowl, but batting practice was sparse, and we got some good interactions with the players.  This was the 2018 Fernando Rodney era, and he was hilarious and generous with batting practice balls for my kids. 
Beautiful outfield, reminded me of Fort Myers actually with its lack of seating and open boardwalk vibe.   Folks told me it reminded them of Dodger Stadium as far as the geometric alignment of the field and seating.  I can't wait to compare them both in the first few months of the year!  For some reason, I suspect that Los Angeles in May will require fewer jackets and scarves than KC in March.  
Kauffman resides outside of the pace of Kansas City, so tour guides send a journeyer into town for BBQ and night life.  My go-to hotel (Drury Inn across the interstate) no longer exists, and it looks like it took its free dinner buffet with it...so that's going to impact potential costs for the trip.  I'm hoping to get my family with me to this one.
Mitchell, SD to Kauffman Stadium gates is 441 miles.  The season will start in a car.  Which car?  TBD.  None of the current rigs will last this adventure, so I'm seeking options :) 
April 3-5 - @ Miami Marlins (3 games)
LoanDepot Park - capacity 37,442 - 2022 attendance was 907,487 (ranked 15th out of 15 NL parks every year since 2013, excluding the 2020 Covid season)
Its first season of use was in 2012 (Marlins Park), renamed LoanDepot Park in 2021 after a company. ?  I've been belly-aching about the Twins starting the season at Target Field in the snow for years.  I said, "Why don't they start in Florida, Texas, or California?"  MLB heard my cries and then, for some reason, decided that Kansas City was on the way to Miami and gave me less than 24 hours to get there.
It has a retractable roof (start your Target Field regret comments below), nightclub (closed 2020?), and is beautiful outside and inside.  The best part?  I could get 30-dollar prime dugout seats today via their website.  I mean, it's all for sale...and no one's buying. ? 
This "communidad 305" thing looks interesting.  BYOInstruments?  Soccer atmosphere?  Count me in if the Twins are winning! 
Their bobblehead museum contains 400 of the old owner Jeffrey Loria's collection, but something tells me that might be a little creepy.  Me and doll museum vibes don't go together well.  Moon lists it as the "most underrated ballpark there is."  
LoanDepot Park sits in the southern part of the city, just west of Biscayne Bay.  If the roof is open, sightlines from the back of the first-base line is the place to be.  If closed...go party and play instruments?  Part of me hopes for low crowd numbers and another chance to experience "Metrodome echo cheering," but it's the first week of the season.  Hope probably will still exist in Marlinland.  70 degrees and sunny, the beach will feel great to me and hopefully too chilly for the locals.
Mitchell, SD to LoanDepot Park gates is 1,893 miles.  Kauffman Stadium to LoanDepot Park gates is 1,455 miles.  21 hours by car...literally can't make it from game to game like that.  Omaha, NE looks like the airport of choice with more direct options.  The first "inter-series travel moment" logistically poses my best chance for having a canceled flight wreck the whole trip.  
Now it's your turn to plan!
If you have been to either Kauffman Stadium or LoanDepot 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!

May 2-4 @ Chicago White Sox (3 games)
Guaranteed Rate Field - capacity  40,615  -  2022 attendance was 1,976,344 (ranked 8th out of 15 AL teams, 19th overall MLB)
The artist formerly known as New Comiskey Park & The “Cell” has been around since 1991, but South Side Chicago baseball has been cooking since 1910. While the new stadium resides in a residential area, it carries a “big” stadium vibe compared to its North Side counterpart. Sharing an owner allows you to also buy Bulls gear at the ballpark, which works for me. 
The upper deck leans into the “upper” definition, while the bleachers get hot…but probably not in May. In the 2000s, a person could shower on the outfield walkway. I’m not sure who thought that was a great idea, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t try it out one blistering August afternoon. 
The pinwheels will be lightless and pinwheel-less for this series. I like a good Minnie & Paul handshake with fireworks for a Target Field Twins home run, but those pinwheels #@$@%@&...
I’ve been to this away ballpark the most, with four games watched. I’ve only sat in the right field corner, near the visiting bullpen, so I’m looking forward to branching out into new territory. See my earlier “first timer” blog for the details of these trips, but know that it doesn’t contain everything. 
I caught a throw from Big Papi when he was still wearing the correct uniform. I was in the right field foul seating with my trusty glove (no shame), and Ortiz had just tossed a ball to a kid, only to have a White Sox jersey-wearing adult rip it away from him. The look of disgust on Papi’s face was priceless. So I did what any overaged fanboy would do; I waived my glove at the future HOF and mouthed that I would get the ball to the kid if he threw it up a few rows to me. Papi nodded and threw a strike; I caught it and ran for the exits! JK…I nodded thanks and handed it to the kid—baseball memory-making 101.  
I’m also ready to hang out at my old stomping grounds, Garrett Seminary & Evanston area. Specific memories and tastes call out to me: Giordano's pizza, the NU library (nerd out zone), Lake Michigan, Soldier Field and the Museum campus, Sears tower, and the Magnificent Mile. The smell of the L-Train platforms wandering in the Lake Shore breeze. The early-season angst of White Sox fans. With this being a Tuesday-Thursday series in May, I’m guessing there should be quite a few good seats available.
Getting to Guaranteed Rate Field involves most likely car and parking for me, and sneaking to the South Side before rush hour is a “mandatory” event. I have plenty of folks to visit throughout the 2.5 days, so coming in from the western suburbs won’t be an issue. I’ve contemplated re-enacting my 2 hr. L-Train ride for old-time’s sake, but I will save that for the next trip to town since I’ll most likely be carless for that one.
Mitchell, SD, to Guaranteed Rate Field gates is 645 miles. This is a driving road trip, for sure! The distance between the series of destinations determines the options available to me for travel, and this trip presents one of the shortest get-away-day trips.
May 5-7 - @ Cleveland Guardians (3 games)
Progressive Field – 35,401   -  2022 attendance was 1,295,869  (ranked 12th out of 15 AL parks, 25th overall MLB)
Baseball in Cleveland began in 1894. This trip takes me to the most current iteration of Cleveland baseball, Progressive Field. I grew up memorizing Major League and even parts of Major League 2 (no shame).  This stadium isn’t Municipal Stadium, but it’s been around a while nonetheless.  1994 saw the building of the current iteration of the ballpark, and 2019 brought an extensive concourse renovation at the 200 level with entertainment and open walkways.
I’m curious to see the home crowd and to analyze the success of the Guardians rebrand. I’m guessing not everyone has bought a new jersey yet, but then again, they had success last year, so that might have boosted the speed of the transition. 
I don’t think I’ve ever been to Cleveland, but a significant branch of my kids’ family tree has its roots in the area.  My wife was born in Canton, OH, due to a death in the family and a trip back for her grandpa’s funeral.  Besides being a great way to trick people in a workplace “something you didn’t know about me” game, the ties to Canton and family have played a role in some of our best early family trips with the boys.
The football Hall of Fame carries memories and annual gifts from our Aunt Susie and Uncle Dick (who will be hosting me whether they like it or not).  Uncle Dick texted me throughout the “debacle” series in Cleveland last year as we witnessed it live in the Progressive stands. He texted me that it would be ok. He wasn’t right.
But I can’t wait to build new memories with them again this summer. This is one family connection that got untethered due to Covid. I also have some partner churches and current/former students in the area that I’m looking forward to meeting in person over the weekend series.
Built downtown, with plenty of surrounding neighborhood options for food and drink and a consistently winning team, Progressive Field strikes me as a ballpark that should have more fans in attendance. Will 2023 be the year for a resurgence in fan support?
One unique attribute that I’m curious to see is John Adam’s Drum. This dedicated fan brought the “thump” to every game since 1973 but hasn’t been in attendance since Covid started. So does somebody still drum? Are they just waiting for his return?
Sights include the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, East 4th St., and the House of Blues. Need a unique place to stay? How about the actual “A Christmas Story House.” Seriously. Leg lamp and all.
Mitchell, SD, to Progressive Field gates is 980 miles. Guaranteed Rate Field gates to Progressive Field gates is 340 miles. I was driving all the way! More fun “on the way” than “on the way back” for sure because I’m hoping to catch a Cedar Rapids vs. South Bend minor league game Thursday night (5/4) between towns!
Now it's your turn to plan!
If you have been to either Guaranteed Rate Field or Progressive Field, 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!
Previous Road Trip stories:
Road Trip #1 (Kansas City and Miami) Road Trip #2 (New York and Boston)

May 2-4 @ Chicago White Sox (3 games)
Guaranteed Rate Field - capacity  40,615  -  2022 attendance was 1,976,344 (ranked 8th out of 15 AL teams, 19th overall MLB)
The artist formerly known as New Comiskey Park & The “Cell” has been around since 1991, but South Side Chicago baseball has been cooking since 1910. While the new stadium resides in a residential area, it carries a “big” stadium vibe compared to its North Side counterpart. Sharing an owner allows you to also buy Bulls gear at the ballpark, which works for me. 
The upper deck leans into the “upper” definition, while the bleachers get hot…but probably not in May. In the 2000s, a person could shower on the outfield walkway. I’m not sure who thought that was a great idea, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t try it out one blistering August afternoon. 
The pinwheels will be lightless and pinwheel-less for this series. I like a good Minnie & Paul handshake with fireworks for a Target Field Twins home run, but those pinwheels #@$@%@&...
I’ve been to this away ballpark the most, with four games watched. I’ve only sat in the right field corner, near the visiting bullpen, so I’m looking forward to branching out into new territory. See my earlier “first timer” blog for the details of these trips, but know that it doesn’t contain everything. 
I caught a throw from Big Papi when he was still wearing the correct uniform. I was in the right field foul seating with my trusty glove (no shame), and Ortiz had just tossed a ball to a kid, only to have a White Sox jersey-wearing adult rip it away from him. The look of disgust on Papi’s face was priceless. So I did what any overaged fanboy would do; I waived my glove at the future HOF and mouthed that I would get the ball to the kid if he threw it up a few rows to me. Papi nodded and threw a strike; I caught it and ran for the exits! JK…I nodded thanks and handed it to the kid—baseball memory-making 101.  
I’m also ready to hang out at my old stomping grounds, Garrett Seminary & Evanston area. Specific memories and tastes call out to me: Giordano's pizza, the NU library (nerd out zone), Lake Michigan, Soldier Field and the Museum campus, Sears tower, and the Magnificent Mile. The smell of the L-Train platforms wandering in the Lake Shore breeze. The early-season angst of White Sox fans. With this being a Tuesday-Thursday series in May, I’m guessing there should be quite a few good seats available.
Getting to Guaranteed Rate Field involves most likely car and parking for me, and sneaking to the South Side before rush hour is a “mandatory” event. I have plenty of folks to visit throughout the 2.5 days, so coming in from the western suburbs won’t be an issue. I’ve contemplated re-enacting my 2 hr. L-Train ride for old-time’s sake, but I will save that for the next trip to town since I’ll most likely be carless for that one.
Mitchell, SD, to Guaranteed Rate Field gates is 645 miles. This is a driving road trip, for sure! The distance between the series of destinations determines the options available to me for travel, and this trip presents one of the shortest get-away-day trips.
May 5-7 - @ Cleveland Guardians (3 games)
Progressive Field – 35,401   -  2022 attendance was 1,295,869  (ranked 12th out of 15 AL parks, 25th overall MLB)
Baseball in Cleveland began in 1894. This trip takes me to the most current iteration of Cleveland baseball, Progressive Field. I grew up memorizing Major League and even parts of Major League 2 (no shame).  This stadium isn’t Municipal Stadium, but it’s been around a while nonetheless.  1994 saw the building of the current iteration of the ballpark, and 2019 brought an extensive concourse renovation at the 200 level with entertainment and open walkways.
I’m curious to see the home crowd and to analyze the success of the Guardians rebrand. I’m guessing not everyone has bought a new jersey yet, but then again, they had success last year, so that might have boosted the speed of the transition. 
I don’t think I’ve ever been to Cleveland, but a significant branch of my kids’ family tree has its roots in the area.  My wife was born in Canton, OH, due to a death in the family and a trip back for her grandpa’s funeral.  Besides being a great way to trick people in a workplace “something you didn’t know about me” game, the ties to Canton and family have played a role in some of our best early family trips with the boys.
The football Hall of Fame carries memories and annual gifts from our Aunt Susie and Uncle Dick (who will be hosting me whether they like it or not).  Uncle Dick texted me throughout the “debacle” series in Cleveland last year as we witnessed it live in the Progressive stands. He texted me that it would be ok. He wasn’t right.
But I can’t wait to build new memories with them again this summer. This is one family connection that got untethered due to Covid. I also have some partner churches and current/former students in the area that I’m looking forward to meeting in person over the weekend series.
Built downtown, with plenty of surrounding neighborhood options for food and drink and a consistently winning team, Progressive Field strikes me as a ballpark that should have more fans in attendance. Will 2023 be the year for a resurgence in fan support?
One unique attribute that I’m curious to see is John Adam’s Drum. This dedicated fan brought the “thump” to every game since 1973 but hasn’t been in attendance since Covid started. So does somebody still drum? Are they just waiting for his return?
Sights include the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, East 4th St., and the House of Blues. Need a unique place to stay? How about the actual “A Christmas Story House.” Seriously. Leg lamp and all.
Mitchell, SD, to Progressive Field gates is 980 miles. Guaranteed Rate Field gates to Progressive Field gates is 340 miles. I was driving all the way! More fun “on the way” than “on the way back” for sure because I’m hoping to catch a Cedar Rapids vs. South Bend minor league game Thursday night (5/4) between towns!
Now it's your turn to plan!
If you have been to either Guaranteed Rate Field or Progressive Field, 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!
Previous Road Trip stories:
Road Trip #1 (Kansas City and Miami) Road Trip #2 (New York and Boston)