Search the Community

Even though there is snow in the forecast, Twins fans can start planning their afternoons and evenings in the sun at Target Field this week. On Tuesday, the Twins announced their promotional schedule for the 2023 season, and single-game tickets go on sale on Thursday at noon. Image courtesy of Melissa Berman The Twins are also running what might be their best Target Field-era ticket deal yet: fans can purchase $4 no fees Ballpark Access tickets (standing room) for all regular season home games (excluding the Home Opener) between noon on January 19 and 11:59 PM on January 22. There are no fees on any other tickets bought during these four days either. The Twins looked to capitalize on what I have been calling “Correamania” by announcing these deals shortly after the Twins signed Carlos Correa to a 6-year deal. Last year the Twins ran a similar deal in April called the “Superstars Superdeal” which allowed fans to buy $4 upper-level tickets and $25 lower-level tickets to any Monday-Thursday game in 2022. However, with that sale, there were fees on the tickets bought online; I remember being at a Twins vs. Dodgers game while my friends bought tickets for 20 games at the in-stadium box office down the first baseline to avoid the fees. This year's deal is even better. While this week's sale is for a standing-room ticket and not an actual seat, just being able to get in the door for $4 for weekend games is unbeatable and well worth taking advantage of, especially if you are planning on getting to a large number of games. Though the Twins will probably run some other deals throughout the season, no deals could be any cheaper than this- a MLB game for $4 with no fees? You simply can't beat that, I would recommend looking ahead on the schedule, picking out some games you know you for sure want to get to, and buy some tickets in this window. This year, Target Field will be hosting high-demand teams like the Cubs, Giants, and Padres, all of whom the Twins would have been less likely to host before the 2023's new balanced schedule format. The Twins are also bringing back several other perennial ticket specials: Dollar hotdog day is back once again on Tuesdays, $5 student discount day is available every Monday through Thursday, Seniors “55-and-better” can get $5 tickets to every Monday-Thursday day game, and Fireworks Friday will light up the Minneapolis skyline after every Friday night game from June through August. Back again are the team's special "Theme Nights" such as Prince Night and Star Wars Night, where fans can purchase a special ticket package to receive a promotional item. According to the Twins, the Theme Night schedule will be available at a later date. Last year, it was unveiled in March. Running these bargain ticket deals to get as many fans in the doors as possible is the wise thing for the Twins to do. Last year, the Twins finished 20th in MLB attendance with an average of 22,514 fans per game. This season, the Twins play 16 home games in April, the most of any month, so with the often-cold-and-wet temperatures, the Twins will likely already be playing from behind attendance-wise. Giveaways From hats to bobbleheads to the return of bat day, the Twins are handing out a host of unique collector’s items this year. Here are a few of the best ones I will be targeting; complete list here: Opening weekend hat day- No apparel with the new TC logo yet? No problem- the Twins are handing out hats with the new “TC” logo to the first 20,000 fans at the Home Opener on April 6 and at the Saturday, April 8 game. “Kids Opening Day” is on April 9, and the first 5,000 fans 12-and-under will receive the Twins’ new “M and North Star” hat. Magnet schedule days are April 10 and 11 vs. the White Sox. Bat day is back! The first 5,000 fans in attendance on April 23 vs. Washington will receive a 28-inch wood bat commemorating 2022 American League batting champion Luis Arraez, You’ll need to get there extra early for this one. Two bobblehead days: Joe Ryan bobblehead day is June 3 vs. Cleveland (first 10,000 fans), and July 7 is Carlos Correa (first 10,000 fans) Byron Buxton replica jersey (April 22 vs. Washington; first 10,000 fans) and a “Los Twins” jersey (September 9 vs. the Mets; first 10,000 fans). The baby blue replica jersey the Twins handed out in 2021 is the favorite giveaway item I've ever gotten, so these two jerseys are on the very top of my "must-snag" list. More hats! Twins Bomber Cap day is April 30 vs. Kansas City (first 5,000 fans), the Twins will be handing out a Twins Trucker Hat on May 27 vs. Toronto (first 10,000 fans), and June 17 is Twins Bucket Hay day vs. Detroit (first 5,000 fans). These days, it doesn’t seem like the demand for collector's items is quite as intense as in the past: I remember being in line for Torii Hunter bobblehead day when I was a kid, and there were almost fights breaking out between fans. On giveaway days we would get down to the Metrodome hours beforehand, and the lines would snake around the whole stadium and onto the surrounding sidewalks. Nowadays, getting promotional items is not as difficult, though you will still have to plan ahead and arrive early, especially if they only hand out 5,000 of the coveted item. For 20,000 fan giveaways, my general rule of thumb is to arrive about an hour before the game to receive a promotional item comfortably. I usually put a reminder on my phone calendar for the days that have an item I definitely want to get. I have found the giveaway items, especially clothing items, to be of impressive quality and worth arriving early for. Are you going to Target any of these giveaways or take advantage of the $4 ticket sale? What's the coolest thing you've got at a Twins game? Let us know in a COMMENT below. View full article

Twins fans dreaming of baseball during the dark and cold winter will not have to wait until Opening Day to get back to Target Field. On Thursday, the Twins announced the return of the “better than ever” TwinsFest, a two-day event taking place January 27-28 at Target Field and nearby Minneapolis venues. It might look a little different than what some fans are accustomed to. In 2023, TwinsFest features a new, live event on Friday and only one day of the team's standard convention event on Saturday. Image courtesy of Melissa Berman TwinsFest, the team’s annual fan convention, was canceled in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Twins Territory back to Minneapolis for our first in-person TwinsFest in three years, while introducing some fresh elements to bring our fans even closer to their favorite Twins players and personalities in new and exciting ways,” said Twins President & CEO Dave St. Peter. Friday, January 27, features a new event called TwinsFest Live!, which the team deems an “exclusive, intimate, and entertainment-filled evening with Twins players, coaches, alumni and broadcasters” located at The Fillmore, a concert venue adjacent to Target Field. A “limited availability” of tickets will be sold in General Admission, All-Star, and MVP packages, each level with increasing benefits and access. Tickets for the General Admission level start at $35 and the All Star and MVP Packages cost $149 and $279, respectively, and go on sale December 8. All proceeds benefit the Minnesota Twins Community Fund. “Signature Saturday” is TwinFest's standard convention event and takes place on January 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Target Field. It will feature the return of autograph stations with current and former Twins players, coaches, alumni and broadcasters; interactive games; memorabilia displays; and a merchandise “Yard Sale.” Adult admission tickets are $20 and tickets for children 12 and under are $10. The Twins will also be hosting a youth Futures Clinic at Urban Ventures. As recently as 2020, autographs were available at TwinsFest both Friday and Saturday nights at its traditional convention format. TwinsFest Live! is designated as a non-autograph event, per its website. TwinsFest began in 1989 and, at its peak, drew almost 35,000 fans to the Metrodome. Because Target Field is an outdoor stadium and TwinsFest takes place in the middle of the frigid Minnesota winter, the Twins utilize the stadium’s indoor areas, like their club level, for the fest, so since then, attendance has been about half of the amount of its Metrodome heyday. Twinsfest pared down from three days, Friday-Sunday, to two in 2020. My take While I am glad that TwinsFest is returning this year (looking at you, White Sox) and it signals one more step towards perceived normalcy, I do not entirely blame fans who might find themselves a bit disappointed in looking at the weekend’s events, which in reality, are only two days (and only one day of the traditional, revered convention). While I’m sure those in attendance of TwinsFest Live! will find the event unique and enjoyable, the high price point and limited quantity of tickets will likely make it out of reach for many. Plus, with its 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. timeframe, talk of a "cash bar," and lack of seating for General Admission tickets, it does not seem geared toward families. Regarding Signature Saturday, growing up, some of my fondest memories and formative experiences as a Twins fan were at TwinsFest. My older sister was so Twins-crazy as a teenager that she recalls going all three days. While all the other experiences at the festival are great, the most coveted of all is the player autographs and photo opportunities. In my family’s living room, we have a framed photograph of our entire family with Harmon Killebrew at TwinsFest. (Yes, he was every bit as kind, classy, and friendly as everyone says; my mom still talks about that meeting to this day). I remember my family also having a long, probably 10-minunte conversation with former Cleveland pitcher Bob Feller. With only one 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. day of the actual convention (and very limited hours at that- it seems it should go until at least 8 p.m.) it is not hard to imagine that lines for players might be long and overwhelming and that when fans do meet the players and coaches, it will have to be brief. Some on social media were less than impressed with the number of current players listed on TwinsFest's bill and noted it is less than in past years like 2020, but the TwinsFest page states to “check back often for updates" on players, so it seems too early to judge (Correa TwinsFest appearance post-contract, anyone?) Regardless, I am happy that TwinsFest is back for 2023 and especially hope that the team’s littlest fans have as fun of an experience as I did, but I worry just how family-friendly the event is becoming. -- Do you think you'll attend TwinsFest in 2023? What do you think of the two-day schedule and revamped events? Let us know in a comment below, View full article

The days are getting shorter and the baseball season is fading (and so are the Twins playoff hopes), but if you are still hoping to get to Target Field to enjoy some fall baseball, the Twins are running a myriad of deals in order to get fans out to the ballpark on a dime. Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports Currently, the Twins are ranked 20/30 teams in attendance with 22,321 fans per game. History shows that team performance has a sizeable impact on attendance: in 2019, the AL Central Champion, Bomba Squad Twins drew 28,322 fans per game, and some of its most-attended games were in September. With kids back in school and the Twins 2022 playoff hopes looking grim, the team is running some new deals and fan incentives to combat potential light fan attendance. Here is a roundup of the deals the Twins are running the rest of the season and some of my other money-saving ballpark tips. College night every night- Every September home game is now college night, including weekends. Students can grab $5 standing room tickets on the Twins website or through the MLB Ballpark app. Students who buy a ticket will also get a free MLB.tv subscription for the rest of the 2022 season. https://www.mlb.com/twins/tickets/specials/student-discount. Cheap single-game tickets- Twins fans will have the opportunity to see Mike Trout and potential MVP Shohei Ohtani for cheap during the Angels series September 23-25. Tickets for this series start at $14 through the Twins website (and are similarly priced after fees on ticket resale sites like StubHub). Tickets to the White Sox series September 27-29 start at $9. Tip: buy the tickets in person at the Target Field box office to avoid paying online ticket fees. And if you go to the Tuesday, September 27 game, grab some dollar hotdogs at the last Dollar Dog night of the season. Four Pack- A new deal the Twins are running- every Monday-Thursday game fans can purchase a four-pack of tickets that includes a Home Run Porch View or Field Box ticket, hot dog, pop and chips. https://www.mlb.com/twins/tickets/specials/daily-specials. Tip: if you do not get the four-pack and are still looking for discounted food and drinks, head to the Family Value section in centerfield (sections 133 and 327). A bit of a hidden gem, at this stand offers $2 cups of pop, $5 cans of beer, $4 soft pretzels and hot dogs, and $3 bags of popcorn. Fan appreciation weekend- The Angels series September 23-25 is also Fan Appreciation Weekend. The first 20,000 fans to arrive at Target Field for the Friday and Saturday games will receive a Target Field beanie, which should come in handy in 2023 when the Twins play 16 home games in April, the most of any month. Are you going to head out to Target Field for any more games this season, or have you moved on to 2023? Leave a COMMENT below. View full article

It’s the top of the first inning on August 4, the Twins’ series opener vs. the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto’s Teoscar Hernández hits a hard grounder to third base. Gio Urshela scoops up the ball and tosses it to first. As the throw sails towards first base, back in a 53” semi-trailer sitting behind Target Field, Chris Tveitbakk opens up the first base microphone by sliding up a fader on his audio board labeled “1st.” The satisfying pop of the ball hitting Jose Miranda’s glove sounds over televisions across Twins Territory. Three away. If you have watched a Twins home game television broadcast over the last 18 years, an audio engineer from Thief River Falls, Minnesota, almost assuredly brought you the sounds of that game. Tveitbakk, known to his coworkers as “Tweeter” is a freelance audio engineer whose main gig today is for Bally Sports North. His job is to bring the sounds of Target Field (or the Xcel Energy Center, Target Center, or Mariucci Arena, to name a few) into your living room. Beginnings After moving to Minneapolis in 1994, Tveitbakk attended a technical school called Music Tech, where he learned about recording engineering and the ins and outs of being a live sound engineer that records bands. “And then I found out quickly that a lot of bands don't make any money,” Tveitbakk said with a laugh. So, he got into the production side of things instead. At the time, a company he was working for was building TV trucks for sporting events (like the one he works in today). Even though he had no previous experience with sports television, he made the switch and started as a broadcast “utility,” an entry-level jack of all trades on a production set. His first utility job was for a Monday Night Football broadcast. Because he had an audio background, he then learned to be an audio assistant or an “A2" (A2s assist the A1 audio engineer, Tveitbakk, in his current role). Then he learned how to mix sound for sports broadcasts, and he has been an A1 ever since. The first sporting event he mixed was a Gopher women’s basketball game in 2002. He mixed his first Twins game on May 8, 2003, at the Metrodome for the visiting Tampa Bay Devil Rays broadcast. He mixed his first Twins home broadcast in 2004. Tveitbakk did not know about the world of sound mixing and sports broadcasting before he started. "Just like a lot of people, you turn on your TV, and it magically appears on the screen, and you don't think about how it gets there," he said. A day in the life Tveitbakk and the other broadcast staff arrive at the stadium well in advance of first pitch- about six hours before the game- to start preparing for the day’s broadcast, and if they have to set up the truck and equipment, they arrive even earlier. Whether or not they have to set up depends on what happened the night before and the time of year. The Bally Sports production truck, a 53” standard semi-trailer, is a “mobile production studio” that moves around to different sporting events. TV networks found out it is much more cost-efficient to roll the production studio to different arenas rather than install a permanent one in every stadium. This particular truck, which Bally Sports subcontracts from a company called Mobile Television Group, typically stays in the Twin Cities. April is both the truck and Tveitbakk’s busiest month because the NHL, NBA, and MLB are all happening concurrently. The truck might be at Target Field for a Twins day game, then pack up and move over to St. Paul for a Wild game the next day. But once the Wild and Timberwolves seasons end, the truck tends to sit at Target Field, which means there is less setup involved. But even if the Twins play the next day, if there is rain in the overnight forecast, they will place tarps over the cameras and load the audio equipment into tubs and put it away overnight. At the end of a homestand, the crew will also put all the equipment away. Once at the stadium, Tveitbakk’s first order of business is to test all the Target Field microphones with the assistance of his A2s. Tveitbakk has two A2s who assist him at Twins games, and they are the ones running all over the stadium helping set up and test the microphones while he stays in his audio room onboard the truck. “We run through every single mic to make sure no squirrels ate the wires overnight and that nothing got unplugged,” he said. While this testing does not often uncover a significant issue like a wire-hungry squirrel who struck overnight, things get unplugged or break occasionally. It is essential to catch them well before the live broadcast. Tveitbakk and his team will run through the microphones in the announcer booth and the pregame/postgame set, check the wireless sideline reporter microphone (today Audra Martin) and check other headsets, like the one located inside the Twins dugout that players sometimes use for an in-game interview. He will also assist the rest of the Bally Sports production staff with pre-producing elements for the broadcast. Pre-producing includes adding music to video montages, placing graphics onto video clips, and sometimes pre-recording segments to play back later during the broadcast. During the game, he is also responsible for the music that plays before the game cuts to a commercial. Tveitbakk works every Twins home game broadcast. During the rest of the year, he works Wild visitor feeds, home Timberwolves feeds, Gopher hockey broadcasts, and other non-Bally events like a recent skateboard competition in Iowa. Generally, Bally Sports uses freelance audio technicians based in other cities when the Twins are on the road (so if the Twins are traveling to Chicago this weekend, Bally Sports will typically use a Chicago-based audio engineer). However, Tveitbakk is traveling with the team to Houston for the Astros-Twins series on August 23-25 to mix those games. Microphone magic During Twins games, Tveitbakk watches the game broadcast and opens up a series of effects microphones all over Target Field to bring the sounds of the stadium into fans’ homes. “If you just had the announcer mics by themselves, it would be a very boring broadcast. That's why you bring in the ambiance, the crowd, and the crack out of the bat,” Tveitbakk said. There are a number effects microphones all over Target Field: Five in the outfield wall (left field, left center, center, right center, and right field) Two in the bullpen. These microphones are on the dividing wall that separates the two teams' bullpens so that Tveitbakk can pick up both teams. One mic is located near the bullpen catcher, and the other is near the bullpen pitcher). A microphone pointed towards third base. A microphone pointed towards first base. A mic in the entrance of the Twins and visitor dugouts. This dugout entrance area is action-packed, according to Tvietbakk, and he tries to pick up sounds such as players celebrating or a player slamming his helmet or bat after a frustrating at-bat using these microphones. New this year, the head umpire wears a wireless microphone which the umpire can turn on with a switch when he announces a replay review. During the game, these effects microphones all remain off by default until a play happens near one of them. For example, if a fly ball is hit to Max Kepler in right field, Tveitbakk will open up the “RGT FLD” microphone on his Calrec Artemis audio board just as Kepler is going to catch the ball. If Kepler is close enough to the mic, fans watching the TV broadcast will hear the pop of his mitt. Then Tveitbakk will turn that microphone off again. When he opens up the on-field effects microphones, Tveitbakk does not want to boost the sound so much that it sounds unnatural. “You want people to feel like they’re at the ballpark. That’s our goal with the broadcast,” he said. Not every play happens within earshot of a microphone: there is a “dead zone” of sound in the shallow outfield where it is difficult to pick up sound. According to Tveitbakk, networks put wireless microphones in the ground during the World Series to pick up more game sounds. Whereas these effects microphones stay off until Tvietbakk uses them, four microphones remain on most of the time during the broadcast: the two (or sometimes more if there is a guest) in-booth announcer microphones, the crowd ambiance mics, and the bat crack mics. Dick Bremer and his co-commentator have a couple of ways of muting their microphones during a broadcast by using a talkback box sitting on the desk in front of them: if they have to cough, they can push an aptly titled “cough” button on the box, which will mute their microphone. Suppose Bremer or Morneau (or Roy Smalley or LaTroy Hawkins) wishes to speak with his on-air producer or director. In that case, he can push the “talkback” button, which will mute his mic, and then the commentator can speak directly with production while still live on air. Each commentator wears an earpiece so that he can hear the producer, director, or Tveitbakk talk to them as well. Tvietbakk watches the commentators, and if one of them gets up to leave the booth, he will mute their microphones so fans do not hear the rustling of his departure. Knowing when to talk and when to let a play “breathe” so that the TV audience can hear the game sounds are a couple of the skills a commentator develops. Commentators often stop talking right as a pitcher is about to deliver the pitch so that the TV audience can hear the pop of the catcher’s mitt, the crack of the bat, or the strike or ball call from the umpire, courtesy of the bat crack mic. Another microphone that is almost always on is the crowd ambiance mic. The crowd mic is located on the first base line and is pointed towards the first base crowd. It picks up on the general chatter and murmur of the crowd. Some bigger productions like the World Series set up multiple crowd mics all over the stadium. According to Tveitbakk, the most important microphones he works with are the bat crack mics: the fader is front and center on his audio board. There are two bat crack microphones in the form of two parabolic dishes pointed towards home plate (hidden inside the “TC” logo boxes against the backstop). With these microphones, the TV audience can hear not only the crack of the bat but whatever else happens at home plate: a slide into home plate, the catcher, the umpire yelling “strike!” or a batter slamming his bat in the dirt. Sometimes a batter uses colorful language, which gets picked up by the bat crack mic. The broadcast is not on any tape delay, so if the mic picks it up before it is muted, it goes onto the broadcast. When mixing sound for Twins games, Tveitbakk listens to the broadcast's overall sound and makes adjustments to what his ears hear, and he uses technology to aid him as well. An example of an on-the-fly adjustment he might make occurs if there is a big play and an announcer gets particularly excited and raises his voice. Tviietbakk might have to temporarily decrease the sound output of that announcer’s mic. He has two meters to aid him with this: a stereo program meter and a loudness meter. These meters ensure the broadcast remains compliant with FCC regulations about where the sound of programs should be. Because he is so focused on the overall sound quality of the broadcast, and he is busy communicating with his producer and director, Tveitbakk is not always able to listen to the content of the broadcast. “Sometimes I'll have a friend text me, ‘What did Justin [Morneau] just say?’ and I’ll be like, ‘I don’t even know what he said, what happened?’” Tveitbakk said with a laugh. The fanless, Covid-19 shortened season in 2020 presented unique challenges for Tveitbakk. “It was different. You know, there's this artificial crowd noise that was pumped into the stadium, but also, you get really good sounds because there weren’t fans. So that was interesting. But you're still kind of fighting the artificial sounds, so it really wasn’t ideal.” he said. Tveitbakk says there is a difference between doing sound in front of a small crowd and a sold-out house. But even when it is a little more challenging to pick up the game sounds like the pop of a glove, the exciting, raucous atmosphere makes up for it. “When the stadium is full, it's definitely more challenging to get more sounds out of the game. But also just the atmosphere itself is kind of fun. You know, having that extra loudness.” According to Tveitbakk, the most challenging part of his job is the live aspect of the game. “You're always on, and every move you have to make sure of before you do it because you could make a mistake, and it goes on the air,” Tveitbakk said. The Elements Just like weather can sometimes throw a wrench into a baseball game, it can affect the broadcast too. Microphones do not work when they are wet, so if there is going to be a rainy broadcast, Tveitbakk's A2s wrap the mics with plastic to try to keep the mics dry and pull them off if it is raining too much. Sometimes it is the players who humorously cause the elements. During an Apple TV broadcast of a game on July 13, Jose Miranda hit a walk-off home run vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. The crew put a headset on Miranda for a postgame interview, and then he was doused with water. Boom- the headset did not work anymore. The crew had to scrabble and get a different one for him, which took three or four minutes, “an eternity in live television.” Miranda graciously waited for the crew to bring him another headset, and then the crew could carry on with the interview. "Something that people at home enjoy" Even after all these years, Tvetibakk loves mixing sound, especially for baseball broadcasts, which he finds are different from any other sport. “Baseball is the most fun to mix because it's not a linear sport. It's not back and forth, you know, like basketball, hockey, soccer. Baseball is here and there and here, and now we’ll go down to the dugout, then we'll go to the bullpen- so it's more fun,” Tveitbakk said. Mixing Twins games has brought him some fond memories during his career. He has mixed a triple play and some of the longest games at Target Field. At the Metrodome, he remembers mixing some Twins playoff runs and working during game 163 in 2009. He has even won two team Emmys for his sound work. For fans who grew up watching games during the 2000s, his mixing brought the sweet sounds of Johan Santana’s pitches and Joe Mauer’s hits to your living room. He says his favorite part of his job is being at the stadium and helping bring something fans enjoy into their homes. Baseball brings people joy. “Sometimes when I meet a teacher or a nurse, I'll be like, ‘well, your job is significant because you're helping people,’ and then they'll correct me and say, ‘well, you're providing entertainment. That's important, too,’” Tveitbakk said. View full article

Fans donning cowboy hats packed Target Field on Thursday night and danced, sang, swayed, and bought plenty of beer at the stadium’s first-ever postgame concert. Following the Twins' 9-2 series opener loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, the team hosted country music artist Cole Swindell. The vast majority of the game’s sellout crowd stuck around for the show, free for fans who had a ticket to the game. Fans who bought a special ticket package watched the concert from the infield dirt directly in front of the stage, located in the grass behind second base. Target Field staff set up flooring so that fans walking onto the field from the third baseline did not trample the grass, and fencing kept the fans off the infield and outfield grass. To pull this concert off, staff had to spring into action moments after the last out. The Twins said the concert would start 15 minutes after the game. Almost immediately after the last pitch, the left field gate opened up, and out rolled a readymade stage. The Blue Jays bullpen was still walking across the field to leave when a grounds crew cart and a team of staff members began to move the stage across the field. Though the stage was pre-assembled and instruments like the drum set and keyboard were already sitting on top, stagehands had some more setup to do once the stage was actually in place. By the time the show started, it was 10:45 p.m., about 30 minutes after the game ended. The fans did not seem to mind. Just as the Twins promised, Swindell played a 75-minute set, mixing in his older hits with newer ones from his most recent album “Stereotype,” which came out in April. He also played several songs he wrote for other artists, like Florida Georgia Line's "This Is How We Roll," which he co-wrote with country music artist Luke Bryan. Fans swayed and put their cell phone lights in the air when Swindell performed "You Should Be Here." Perhaps the biggest cheers of the night came when he played "Chillin' It," one of his top hits. Swindell joked to the crowd that even though he didn’t “make it in baseball,” he can "still play at baseball stadiums." He noted that this was his first time back at Target Field since he opened for country music star Kenny Chesney in 2015. Swindell's keyboard player, a Minneapolis-native according to Swindell, performed in a baby blue Kent Hrbek jersey. Twins Daily writer David Youngs watched the concert from the stands above the first baseline and appreciated the Twins' desire to bring new fans to the stadium. "I think it's great to see the Twins incorporate things outside of baseball to draw people to Target Field," Youngs said. “There is a historic relationship between baseball and country music, and it's great to see the Twins incorporate it." The postgame concert brought a couple of changes to the Twins game. The Twins kept the beer flowing for the entire game rather than ceasing alcohol sales in the 7th inning like a normal night. Fans erupted with cheers when the public address announcer relayed this to the crowd. Sales continued during the concert as well. Another noted change was that the Twins almost exclusively played country music during the game. Even though the game itself did not turn out in Twins fans’ favor, those who stuck around felt the concert more than made up for it. 'I thought: 'there is going to be a save situation tonight: Cole Swindell is going to save the day and put on a great show for Twins Territory," Twins fan Jared Saue said. Several fans remarked that they hoped the Twins would host more postgame concerts in the future. They did not seem to mind that the concert took place on what for many is a work night. Though some fans trickled out during the show, most of the crowd stayed until end. After the show ended at the stroke of midnight, fans mingled in the concourse and took group pictures in the stands before dancing off into the Minneapolis summer night. Did you stick around for the postgame concert? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments below. View full article

In its 13-year history, Target Field has hosted various events, from subzero hockey games to college football games and even weddings. Though Target Field has held 17 different concerts or music festivals, they have all occurred during Twins road trips or MLB offseason. This summer, for the first time, the Twins will be hosting a postgame concert, and it will be free for game-attending fans to watch. On August 4, following the Twins' 6:40 p.m. game vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, country music star Cole Swindell will be performing a full-length 75-minute concert for fans. The concert will begin about 15 minutes after the last pitch. Fans with a ticket to the game can stick around for the concert for free, or those wanting to get even closer to the action can buy a special ticket package that includes a Cole Swindell baseball cap, a ticket to the game, and a field access pass for the concert. All other fans will watch the concert from the stadium seats. “Twins baseball and country music on a summer evening at Target Field is a fantastic combination,” Twins President Dave St. Peter said in a statement. Swindell is not a newcomer to Target Field. He previously opened for country music superstar Kenny Chesney at his 2015 Target Field concert. Two of Swindell’s top hits include the songs “Chillin’ It” and “You Should Be Here.” His most recent album, “Stereotype,” debuted in April. Those unable to make it to the concert aren’t totally out of luck for postgame shows- the Twins and St Paul Saints each host Fireworks Friday shows following every Friday home game during the summer. View full article

The Twins series vs the Yankees ran the gauntlet of outcomes: Game 1 the Yankees won handily, Game 2 the Twins pummeled the Yankees, and Game 3 was a neck-and-neck match in which the Bronx Bombers prevailed. What should Twins fans take away from this series? Here are a few of my observations from being in the stands for these three games and a reason to walk away with some optimism. 1. The Twins can beat the Yankees. I repeat, the Twins can beat the Yankees- Never mind that pesky postseason losing streak or the Twins’ record vs the Yankees (now 38-111 since 2002). After the Game 2 blowout win, my main takeaway: was that that hard? The Twins not only beat the AL-leading Yankees on Wednesday night (a feat that has been built up in the minds of Twins fans to be an almost-impossible task) they clobbered them. The series finale on Thursday also was primed to be to be the best Twins game seen in recent years: the Twins started off with back-to-back-to-back home runs off Gerrit Cole and the Yankees of all teams. Even though the Yankees ultimately rallied past the Twins on Thursday due to bullpen woes, there is a lot from this series for Twins fans to feel good about: the Twins tagged Yankees stars Nestor Cortes and Cole for season-high ER totals. Chris Archer looked solid for a second-straight start. Jose Miranda had his first 3-hit game of his young career. Byron Buxton is now undoubtably back from his 0-30 slump. The Bomba Squad made its return on Thursday with 5 home runs, all against Cole. In sum, despite walking away with just one win, the Twins came to play this series, especially offensively, where traditionally vs the Yankees the hitting has disappeared. This is especially impressive considering how incredibly depleted the Twins' starting rotation is (surely, pitching Cole Sands, Archer, and Dylan Bundy vs. the likes of Cortes and Cole wasn't in the Twins' master plan). I'm not trying to claim moral victories, but with how big of a Goliath the Yankees are built up to be by the Twins, perhaps we need them. The Yankees are the best team in the American League, and the Twins proved this series they can play right with them. This team can and has beaten the Yankees and could do so in the upcoming postseason if the teams' paths crossed, especially with Joe Ryan back in the starting rotation and the addition of some other arms. 2. Twins fans aren’t quite sure how to feel about Josh Donaldson- Ever since Josh Donaldson was traded to the Yankees, bits and pieces have emerged that seem to suggest Donaldson might have a bit of a negative influence in the clubhouse. A “cancer,” if you will. However, Donaldson was traded to the Yankees, he didn’t leave, and he says he does not regret his time with Minnesota (though he didn’t mind being traded to New York either). This means no hard feelings from Twins fans, right? Mostly, The homecoming of the now-beardless Donaldson left Twins fans unsure of exactly how to react: his at bats were met with some muted boos, but the jeers were quiet and even a bit apathetic. Though Donaldson's legacy with the Twins is up for debate, and he has captured some national attention with his spat with the White Sox's Tim Anderson recently, he has not become a maligned figure here quite yet, 3. Stadium attendance is heating up- Finally, after months of mostly-empty stands, Twins fans returned to the stadium in droves this series. Beautiful weather, school getting out for the summer, and the hated Yankees being in town certainly contributed. The series' best attendance was seen on Tuesday night, Prince Night, which featured a giveaway t-shirt and a special ticket package with a Prince jacket. However, a large portion of the fans in the stands for all three games were donning pinstripes and Aaron Judge jerseys. Where all these Yankees fans come from, I don't know either, but at times when Joey Gallo or Giancarlo Stanton hit a home run, it almost felt like Target Field was transported to the Bronx. Of note, the Twins are running more deals coming up, including a "Vote Early, Vote Often" campaign for All Star voting, which provides fans with cheap ticket incentives for voting. Notably, any fan who votes at least 100 times before 1:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, June 30 will be able to purchase up to eight $1 tickets for a Twins game. So, the Twins emerge from this series with a mixed bag of results. Until we meet again, Yankees, but even if it's in the postseason, I think the Twins will be in good shape. View full article

The Twins signed baseball's biggest free agent, and the team is on pace to win well over 90-games. Even with these factors, there are reasons Target Field attendance continues to be sparse. So far in 2022, the Twins rank 22nd in baseball attendance, with an average of 17,869 fans per game. This total ranks Minnesota just ahead of non-contending teams like Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Kansas City. Last season, the Twins averaged 16,377 fans, which ranked 19th in baseball. There were some attendance restrictions to start 2021, so the 2019 season paints a better attendance picture. The Bomba-Squad Twins won the AL Central in 2019 and averaged 28,322 fans per game (15th in baseball). Minnesota has hope that attendance will improve in the months ahead. Here are three reasons for optimism. Maybe you have more ideas. Why do you think that attendance has been slow to start the season? Summer Starting Now Memorial Day Weekend tends to mark the unofficial start of summer. College students have wrapped up their semester, and many high schools celebrate their graduation in the coming days. Families from across the Twin Cities can start planning summer trips to Target Field. Local families can start bringing younger students to evening games because school is done for the year. College students can meet up downtown and attend a game together as they return home for the summer. Attendance tends to improve in the months ahead, especially if the weather cooperates and the team continues winning. Cold Weather Cold weather has plagued baseball throughout this spring, keeping fans away from the ballpark. Cold weather is also considered one of the reasons offense is down across baseball. In fact, the leaguewide batting average of .231 was the lowest through April in MLB history, and the .675 OPS was the lowest since 1968, which was The Year of the Pitcher. Offensive numbers tend to improve as the weather warms up throughout the season. Minnesota's .717 OPS currently ranks as MLB's tenth best, and only three AL teams rank ahead of the Twins. Scoring more runs can be exciting and bring more people out to the ballpark. Rebounding from 2020 and 2021 Fans didn't get to attend games in 2020, and the Twins were out of contention before the calendar turned to May during the 2021 season. Attendance tends to lag behind a team's on-field performance. Season ticket totals and renewals corollate to how well a team did the previous year. Minnesota suffered one of the club's most disappointing seasons in recent memory in 2021, so it makes sense that attendance reflects a team on the rebound. The hype around signing Carlos Correa helped sell tickets before the season, but one player can only draw so many fans. If the team continues to play well, attendance will improve, and next year's numbers should look even better. Overall, fans likely won't care about how many people are in the stands at any given home game. Shorter lines for food and bathrooms can be positive with fewer people in attendance. However, more fans in the stands can be a benefit to provide a home-field advantage for a team fighting for playoff contention. Luckily, the team's sparse attendance should begin to improve in the weeks ahead. Do you think fans should be worried about early season attendance? Will crowds come back this summer? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Last week, we covered the 1000th home run hit by a Twins player at Target Field that really wasn't. Despite the in-stadium fanfare, including the Target Field outfield big screen labeling Byron Buxton's blast during May 15's finale vs the Guardians as home run #1000, an eagle-eyed Twitter user spotted a counting discrepancy that meant Buxton's home run was actually #999. The Twins issued a correction, everyone backpedaled, and the wait for the real #1000 was back on. After embarking on a weeklong road trip, the Twins returned to Target Field on Monday to begin a series vs the Detroit Tigers. Fans did not have to wait long for the Twins to finally reach the milestone in the most grandiose of fashion. In the first inning with the bases loaded with Luis Arraez, Carlos Correa and Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler hit a towering, 408-foot grand slam off pitcher Elvin Rodriguez. It was such a sure thing that outfielder Robbie Grossman did not even turn around. A rare feat, it was only the 17th grand slam hit by the Twins in the 12 years of Target Field, but the third so far this season (Gary Sanchez, Royce Lewis and Kepler). This time, the Twins did not recognize the milestone in-stadium or tweet it out on their official account, but various other affiliates did, including Twins Radio and Bally Sports North. A Twin for his entire MLB career so far, it was fitting that Kepler was the one to bring the team to the 1000 mark. In addition to #1000, Kepler is also responsible for Target Field's 600th and 700th home runs. He is one of 78 different players to contribute to this statistic. So, for those looking to put a bow on the benign controversy of the 1000th home run that wasn't, this story has come to a close. This 1000th home-run saga is also perhaps a lesson in the power one individual voice can have, especially in the age of social media: one individual Twitter account speaking up led to a billion-dollar sports franchise issuing a correction. If this had occurred in the pre-Twitter era, who knows whether or not anyone else would have taken notice. Happy #1000, Target Field, and here's to the next 1000. View full article

The boys of summer are back. And with them comes every baseball fan’s urge to soak in the sun in one of the many beautiful ballparks around the continent (couldn’t leave you out, Toronto). With temperatures rising, summer vacation approaching, and unused PTO sitting and waiting to be burned, it’s the perfect time to plan a stadium tour. Baseball stadiums are undoubtedly the crown jewel of American sports venues: the expansive green grass, quirky outfields, skylines, and geographical landmarks are just parts of what make these American sports cathedrals magnificent and charming. Not all ballparks are created equal, however: some need to be renovated, some should be burned, and some will go down in history as great American landmarks. Let’s put these parks in their place. 30. Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay Rays Let’s just get this one out of the way. The worst place on earth to play any sport. 29. RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland Athletics There’s a reason that there has been talk of moving the A’s out of Oakland. They play baseball in a football stadium that is no longer home to a football team. 28. Rogers Centre, Toronto Blue Jays Slightly better than Oakland and Tampa simply because there’s a view of the CN Tower from the 3rd-base line. Everything else about it is forgettable. Points for having a completely symmetrical outfield? 27. American Family Field, Milwaukee Brewers You’ll notice a trend: retractable roofs and indoor stadiums will suffer on this list. Formerly known as Miller Park, this ballpark looks more like a corporate building. Not much to write home about. The best part is probably the left-field slide that Bernie Brewer slides down after a Brewers home run. 26. LoanDepot Park, Miami Marlins What is the statue thing in left-center field? It’s cool and big, but this place looks like it was built to be a Miami hangout spot rather than a place to watch baseball. 25. Globe Life Field, Texas Rangers They built a stadium with a retractable roof and artificial turf in Arlington because it got so damn hot in the summer time that it was borderline dangerous to play and watch baseball in the Texas sun. At that point it’s probably just time to move the team. 24. Minute Maid Park, Houston Astros Don’t be fooled by the team’s recent success as a measuring stick for the ballpark’s charm. The train tracks in left field are cute. But from the Chick-fil-a signs on the foul poles, indoor-feel (even with the roof open), and train-depot aesthetic, it’s just kinda meh. 23. Comerica Park, Detroit Tigers It’s the 8th wonder of the world that Miguel Cabrera hit 500 home runs while playing primarily in this massive ballpark. The view is subpar, unless you like industrial buildings; and the cars out in center field are a little awkward. As if they need to remind you that you’re in the Motor City. 22. Chase Field, Arizona Diamondbacks It has a beautiful feel to it, despite its stuffy, indoor nature. The contrasted, striped grass is fresh, and it has the perfect antidote to that desert sun: the right-center field pool. 21. Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago White Sox It’s an average ballpark with nothing special about it. A fine place for a ball game. I have always wondered what those candy cane things are out in center field. 20. Nationals Park, Washington Nationals Any place that is home to a recent World Champion and also sits in the nation’s capital is going to get some love. Unlike some of the new-age parks built in the last few years, the Nationals didn’t try and do too much when they built this beauty in 2008. Simple and sweet. 19. Progressive Field, Cleveland Guardians A solid place to play ball, although it is in need of renovation.The wall in left field is trying to be the Green Monster, but the trees in center are a nice touch. 18. Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati Reds Catch a game here on a sun-soaked afternoon and you won’t be disappointed. The view of the Ohio River and Newport, KY hills are breath-taking. A calm, peaceful place to watch a pitiful team. 17. Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia Phillies The coniferous trees behind the short wall in center field next to the zig-zagging tall wall in left-center, the right-center field bell, and the distant skyline provide real charm. 16. T-Mobile Park, Seattle Mariners The best of all the retractable-roof parks by far, this venue is the only hybrid stadium that truly has an outdoor feel. The grass just seems greener than most (probably because all it does is rain in the Pacific Northwest). The only downside is how much magenta is plaguing the architecture since the T-Mobile rebranding. 15. Citi Field, New York Mets The blue and jagged outfield walls, orange foul poles, and Home Run “Big Apple” out in center field are all unique aspects that provide an individuality to this 21st-century park. A true upgrade to the old Shea Stadium that could seat about fifteen people in the outfield bleachers. 14. Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles Dodgers It’s got history, it’s been the home to mythical teams with all-time great players. But nostalgia only counts for so much. It’s a relatively standard design without many distinctive qualities. And that storage-like batter’s eye in center field is an eye sore. The beautiful canyon that it sits in is what saves this park from not being lower on the list. 13. Yankee Stadium, New York Yankees How dare I place this so low on the list. The reason it’s this high on the list is out of respect. First off, the field dimensions are atrocious. A lazy fly ball in almost every other park is a home run in left or right field. The skyline view is sorta meh considering it’s in New York. Most of all though, this is like owning a copy of the Declaration of Independence for your classroom. There is no history to this ballpark. It’s not the “House that Ruth Built”; and sorry, the “House that Jeter Built” doesn’t have the same ring. You’re welcome for not putting you lower, Yankees fans. 12. Truist Park, Atlanta Braves Atlanta did it right when they moved from Turner Field in 2017. Built into the beautiful Battery district, its simple design wins in an era of over-architected stadiums (talking to you, Miami). The brick wall beneath the Chop House provides a variable that complicates things just enough for visiting right fielders. 11. Petco Park, San Diego Padres Nestled in-between shimmering skyscrapers in downtown San Diego, Petco is a glorious place to witness a Major League game. The historic Western Metal Supply Co. building built into the left-field line is unlike anything else in the sport, while the minimal center-field architecture allows for a beautiful view of the city; the palm trees out there don’t hurt either. 10. Coors Field, Colorado Rockies Location, location, location. The mediocre Colorado baseball franchise has one of the best ballparks in the land in large part because of its Rocky Mountain backdrop. I suppose the team is adequately named. The pine trees and greenery in the center-field batter’s eye and rocky streams in the right-center-field bullpens make it actually feel like you’re in the mountains. 9. Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore Orioles A beautiful home for an abysmal baseball team. The historic and repurposed B&O Warehouse behind the right-field porch, (which rivals the quirkiness of the Western Metal Supply Co. building at Petco Park) and the great skyline view provide pretty things to look at since Oriole fans need to look away from their pathetic team every so often. The new left-field wall design is bad, and frankly dangerous for any left-fielder trying to cut off a ball deep in the gap. 8. Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City Royals The crown jewel (get it?) of the lower Midwest. The crown on the center-field jumbotron. The waterfalls and fountains in the right-center field. It’s quite the picture. Only downside is that it feels a little dark there during night games. 7. Oracle Park, San Francisco Giants There may not be a more unique place in the league. The giant (yes, the Giants did this intentionally) Coke-bottle slide and old-time four-fingered glove behind left field are just odd. And what’s the deal with that car-shaped bulge in the left-field fence? But the sneaky-big outfield, right-field garages and short porch backing up to the Bay are special. Don’t forget the kayak wars. 6. Angel Stadium, Los Angeles Angels The grassy hills behind the left-center- and center-field walls would be highlights in most stadiums, but the rocky waterfall takes the cake here. It’s even more picturesque when Mike Trout is pulling a home run back in front of that waterfall. The massive Angels hats in front of the entrance are almost hilariously large and unique. 5. Target Field, Minnesota Twins If a Twins fan tells you they want the Metrodome back, just ignore them. Thank goodness that retractable roof idea was dismissed. There are many subtle aspects to Target field that make it unique. There’s the one-of-a-kind “living wall” batter’s eye sitting above the grassy berm behind the center field fence. The flower boxes behind the left-fence are a nice touch for a state that loves their summertime gardening (great photo ops here, too). If you’re going to play right field at Target Field, you’d better be ready for the four different surfaces to contend with: the Minnesota limestone overhang, the padded wall, the non padded section under the limestone, and the scoreboard. The skyline view with Minnie and Paul in the foreground is the perfect way to watch night fall on Minneapolis. 4. PNC Park, Pittsburgh Pirates Something with this franchise and Ps. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better view in baseball. The Clemente Bridge crossing the Allegheny River, with the majestic skyline behind it is hard to beat. The variable outfield wall with the “PIRATES”-sculpted hedges behind center field are just quirky enough to make the park itself unique. 3. Busch Stadium, St. Louis Cardinals Now this is a baseball stadium. Everything about this place just pops. The vibrant green grass, the “arch” mowed into the outfield grass, the red bleacher seats. The Old Courthouse historical landmark peeks out from behind the left-center field wall, bringing majesty and history to an already historic franchise’s home. What really brings this one home is the shimmering St. Louis Arch towering behind the center-field Budweiser sign. I’ve never understood the whole Big Mac Land thing, though. 2. Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs About the only negative things I can say about Wrigley Field are that it gets a little dark and shadowy at night (probably because they didn’t have permanent lights until 1988) and that playing outfield has to be about as dangerous as getting tackled by Ray Lewis. I wouldn’t have any interest in crashing into a brick wall covered in ivy to catch a flyball. The outfield basket is an oddity that must drive outfielders nuts. It’s got charm. It’s been around forever. It’s simple. There’s a reason it’s on every baseball fan’s bucket list. 1. Fenway Park, Boston Red Sox The oldest ballpark in the Bigs, Fenway is the weirdest place to play baseball. The massive Green Monster is so close to home plate that singles off the fence are nearly as common as doubles. The short right field fence is just flat out dangerous. The triangle and garage doors in center field cause all sorts of problems. Oh and don’t forget Pesky’s Pole: a hitter can hit a lazy fly ball down the right field line that ends up a home run (and would very likely be a foul ball in 29 other stadiums). The Citgo sign is to Fenway as PB is to J. These quirks and its history are second to none. Congrats Boston, another thing to puff your chests out about. Honorable mention: Field of Dreams, Iowa Yes, it is heaven. Commissioner Manfred needs to seriously consider adding a 31st team in Iowa solely for the fact that there can be Major League baseball played in this haven 81 nights a year. I may start a petition for the All-Star Game to be held here every summer. You simply can’t beat it. Check out my other unique sports content at the Bad Loser Blog; covering basketball, football, baseball, and the human side of sports.

I woke up on Saturday morning feeling a little sad. And no, my sadness did not come from the fact that my wife and I were embarking on the three-day sojourn of potty-training our 2-year-old. It was because my Timberwolves lost another heartbreaker the night before, eliminating them from the playoffs. Isn’t that a little pathetic that a grown man is emotionally affected by a basketball team losing? Sort of. But there’s more to fandom than being overly invested in a team’s performance. A good friend of mine from South Dakota cheers for the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Celtics, Tennessee Titans, New York Islanders, and Duke Blue Devils. He blames his dad for his strange allegiances: “I’m a second-generation bandwagoner,” he says. That’s not normal. Most sports fans cheer for their hometown team. There are outliers like those who jumped on Coach K’s bandwagon this March; those who cheer for a team because there is a certain player or coach you really like (for me that’s LeBron James); those who you really appreciate a team’s culture (a popular one here is the Tim Duncan Spurs teams); or those who just like a team’s uniforms (yup, clothes). Being a fan means being a part of something bigger than oneself: a fanbase, a culture, a team. Depending on level of commitment and following, it can often feel like you really are a part of the team. I followed the 2020 Twins closely, watching portions of all 60 games that year. That highly-anticipated season was filled with adversity, struggles, and resilience. After rallying to clinch the division on the last day of the season, the Twins were quickly extinguished in the playoffs by the Houston Astros. When I heard Jorge Polanco strikeout looking to end the series on the radio, tears rolled down my cheeks as I drove home. Not only did I ache for some long-awaited playoff success (it’s been 20 years for crying out loud), I wanted it for those players. I “knew” this group of men as much as someone can without ever having met them or even attended a game in-person that season (thanks, Covid). I watched them struggle and overcome. I saw their joys and pains. Sure, my reaction to their loss may have been a little much, and quite frankly had more to do with my emotional state and level of energy (we were new parents of a six-month old at the time). But that team made me feel something, be a part of something, and just have something to cheer for. Life is hard. We need things to pull us out of our own heads, out of our own agendas and plans. Sports is one such thing. It’s a chance to cheer. To take joy in something external to yourself that you have no control over. We try to take control over far too much in life; the outcome of your team’s season is not something you can control. Fandom is a chance to let go and just enjoy life. Sometimes, the lack of control can be painful: it can be even more agonizing to watch my team lose than it was when I was an athlete and lost a heartbreaking game. Because then, I was able to influence the outcome; I knew I had given every ounce of effort to succeed. So if I lost, I could live with it. When the Timberwolves lost on Friday, it continued to sting because I felt helpless in front of the situation. I watched as their season wilted away and couldn’t do anything to stop it. Often when fans feel this helplessness we rush to Twitter and b**** and moan about the team doing this, or failing to do that, as if we are owed something by our sports heroes. We so often forget that these animatronic athletic machines are human beings. They have families. Hopes and dreams. Fears. Wounds. Suffering. Contrary to popular opinion, money and fame don’t cover up the human condition these men and women deal with every day. Just like you and me. So next time your team loses, and you’re about to go to Twitter or your group chat with the boys, remember that there’s a person behind that uniform that has “failed” you. Quite honestly, the more I read what is written about them, hear their interviews, and watch their games, the more I can see the goodness inside of them and the humanity within them; which in turn has led to an appreciation for them outside of what they can do for my team. Take Patrick Beverly and Carlos Correa. I have always known that Pat Bev is a whiner, agitator, and kind of a jerk when he plays basketball; he’s the kind of guy you hate playing against, but love having on your team. Since he’s been in Minnesota, I’ve grown to appreciate the toughness, leadership, and energy he brings to a team and fanbase, without ignoring the not-so-good things about him. I hated Carlos Correa for what he did to not only take part in but lead the Astros sign-stealing scandal that helped win them a World Series in 2017. So, when he signed with the Twins in March, I was torn. I had “decided” that I loved the player (damn he can play) but hated the person. Ever since he put on a Twins uniform, he’s grown on me. He brings accountability to a clubhouse that is in desperate need of a bounceback year. His constant smile plastered on his face while patrolling shortstop reveals how he relishes playing a kid’s game as a grown man. He has his baby boy’s name etched in his glove, where most players have their own name and number. He’s shown deference that despite his massive salary and pedigree, he’s not trying to take over as the big man on campus. Thanks for showing me that you’re people too, C4 and Pat Bev. There’s a reason why we pace around our living rooms with the game on the line. Why we covertly pull out our phones at weddings to check the score. Why we rush to the nearest TV when the game’s on the line. Being a fan shows our need to belong to something, to find joy in daily life, and just let go of all the s*** that life throws at us. It isn’t just an obsession. It’s an expression of who we are. Check out my other unique sports content at the Bad Loser Blog; covering basketball, football, baseball, and the human side of sports.

Baseball is a sport where tradition is engrained in the fabric of the game. As far as baseball traditions go, the Twins Cities have a long history, but the MLB history in the city is relatively young. Last spring, Paul Goldberger released a book called Ballpark: Baseball in the American City and he chronicled baseball’s different ballpark eras and what they have meant to the cities in which they reside. Here’s how the Twins ballpark history follows closely with trends seen through baseball’s different eras. The Suburban Era: Metropolitan Stadium Metropolitan Stadium was one of the first stadiums to be part of a trend that moved from city centers to the suburbs. One of the biggest reasons for this trend was the lack of space and rising cost of land. Bloomington allowed the Twins to build a large complex with plenty of parking, especially since the team’s fans would be coming from multiple states and cars would be the main form of transportation. Paul Golberger, the author, said, “Metropolitan, in the midst of a huge parking lot, exemplifies the notion of the suburban stadium (and how logical that it would become the site of the Mall of America, the ultimate suburban mall).” Some fans were sad to see the Met’s eventual demise. Goldberger said, “Fans do get attached to places because they have intense emotional experiences there, and understandably they become the source of deep-seated, meaningful memories.” The Met helped convince a franchise to move to Minnesota and it served the team well for multiple decades including the team’s first World Series appearance, but baseball continued to evolve, and the Twins made the move from the suburbs into the city. The Domed Era: The Metrodome Houston’s AstroDome ushered in a new ballpark experience for fans and Minnesota would follow, although it would be 17 years after the AstroDome opened. The Metrodome certainly had its quirks and as a multipurpose stadium it didn’t exactly ever feel like a ballpark. Everything about the stadium was fake from the grass to the pumped in air, but it certainly fit in with some of the stadiums at the time. “The Metrodome was one of the most egregious of the domed stadiums with no connection to anything around it and no natural connection to baseball,” said Goldberger. Some of the Twins’ most memorable moments came under a Teflon roof on artificial grass, but all the Dome’s flaws made the move back outdoors even more impressive. The Return to Downtown Era: Target Field Target Field opened in 2010 and it followed in the footsteps of plenty of ballparks that returned to downtowns across the United States and became part of the city again. Camden Yards in Baltimore, Coors Field in Denver, and PNC Park in Pittsburgh are just a few examples of what a city can do to make a ballpark integrated into a downtown footprint. “Target is a really fine example of the later generation, where baseball not only came back into the city but was of the city, integrated with it,” said Goldberger. Later he said, “The home stadium for any team you care about will become a place you feel emotionally connected to, even if it’s a lousy piece of architecture and doesn’t do its job very well. But in a place like Target you can have the same emotional intensity and the same long-lasting memories and have a much happier environment besides.” The Future Target Field celebrated its 10th anniversary last season and the Twins front office and the Pohlad family continue to make upgrades on a yearly basis. Some teams like Atlanta and Texas abandoned relatively new ballparks in hopes of creating a different type of baseball experience. “There’s no reason a ballpark can’t last for 50, 75 or even 100 years with proper care,” said Goldberger. “There is absolutely no reason that the Texas Rangers had to tear down Globe Life Park, which was only 25.” The Twins have also embraced another budding ballpark trend by creating specific spaces at Target Field. Areas like Bat & Barrel, Minnie & Paul’s and Barrio are open to all fans and combine a social atmosphere that is far from the traditional way of watching a game. Goldberger said, “We’re seeing much more in the way of social spaces in ballparks now, including standing room areas where people can get drinks and wander, treating the experience of the game more like a cocktail party than something you need to observe from a fixed seat.” Moving forward there could be another possibility for growth without leaving Target Field. Some organizations have started to create spaces around the ballpark that make for a full-day experience. “Team owners, wanting to have more sources of revenue, are buying and controlling adjacent properties outside the gate,” said Goldberger. “We see that at Wrigley Field, and also at Busch Stadium, where the Cardinals have developed the adjacent site as Ballpark Village.” Target Field has certainly been a revelation when compared to previous Minnesota ballparks, but fans were very passionate about some of the quirks with Metropolitan Stadium and the Metrodome. Baseball is meant to be outside under the sun and it will be exciting to see what Target Field could be in the future. What are your memories with all of Minnesota’s ballparks? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article