Weather during the April 5-15 home stand

[Mr. Brooks]

It's not fair IMO for fans of 'cold weather' teams waiting 2-3 weeks to see their teams at home.

I feel the opposite.

Baseball has always been, and likely always will be, my favorite sport. But I'm not impatient enough to sit in 30 degree weather to watch it.

Warm summer nights are part of the essence of baseball, to me.

 

I'd much rather swap out these early season games for more home games later in the year.

[Vanimal46]

I feel the opposite.

Baseball has always been, and likely always will be, my favorite sport. But I'm not impatient enough to sit in 30 degree weather to watch it.

Warm summer nights are part of the essence of baseball, to me.

 

I'd much rather swap out these early season games for more home games later in the year.

I won't sit through them either, but others will. Is it fair for warm weather cities to play mostly on the road the month of August/September?

 

There's been years in the past where spring showed up early too. Minnesota is particularly miserable this year. One of the big reasons why I moved away.

[nater79a]

 

It's not fair IMO for fans of 'cold weather' teams waiting 2-3 weeks to see their teams at home.

 

True.  Maybe they could schedule a couple road series to start (like now), then come back for a 3-game or 4-game set for the home opener (instead of like 10 games).  Then back on the road for another couple series.  By that time we're to mid-April.  Better odds of having warmer weather.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Target Field is in its ninth season (how’d that happen already?) and this is the first year weather has been a real problem. We’re something like 20+ degrees below the expected norm.

 

It’s fine. We’re seeing a really weird non-spring for the first time since the stadium was built. It will pass.

[Dave The Dastardly]

Solution:

 

Knock 6 games off the schedule, schedule 4 double-headers for each team in mid-summer, start the season no sooner than mid-April, schedule all cold-climate teams to play on the road in April and lower the price of beer and hot dogs.

 

Players will be happy they don't have to play in 30 degree weather at the risk of pulling a muscle (you ever catch a line drive or hit a ball off the end of the bat in cold weather? - hurts), fans will be happy they don't have to wear a snowmobile suit to enjoy outdoor baseball, out-of-area fans can plan vacations to take in a couple of games during warmer weather with less fear of having games canceled, and everybody will drink more beer and eat more hot dogs thus lining the pockets of team owners even further (check out what the Falcons did this past football season) and contributing to the ever-growing problem of overweight America, thus boosting the profits of doctors, hospitals, drug and insurance companies.

 

Everyone's a winner.

 

I'm here all week!

 

[sloopjont]

 

It's not fair IMO for fans of 'cold weather' teams waiting 2-3 weeks to see their teams at home.

I just meant for this situation; for this year.  It just seems like the best way to get these games in--this year.

[Vanimal46]

I just meant for this situation; for this year. It just seems like the best way to get these games in--this year.

Understood. But the schedule is finalized months in advance. It's hard to anticipate brutally cold temps in April when it's January.

[Mr. Brooks]

I won't sit through them either, but others will. Is it fair for warm weather cities to play mostly on the road the month of August/September?

 

There's been years in the past where spring showed up early too. Minnesota is particularly miserable this year. One of the big reasons why I moved away.

Personally I don't think the schedule can be unfair as long as every team plays 81 each.

Does when they play them really matter?

[Nine of twelve]

Personally I don't think the schedule can be unfair as long as every team plays 81 each.

Does when they play them really matter?

Yes. Long road trips wear a team down. A schedule that alternates 6 home games with 6 road games is easier than one that alternates 12 home games and 12 road games.

[Squirrel]

It will pass.

Yeah. In June.

[sloopjont]

 

Understood. But the schedule is finalized months in advance. It's hard to anticipate brutally cold temps in April when it's January.

Still not what I meant.  I mean someone (commissioner) make a decision now, based on expected weather and play these games, supposed to be at Target field, in Houston and Seattle, and then play the return games scheduled later in the season at Target field.  But I know it won't be done; I just thought it'd make the most sense.  

[Mike Sixel]

Target Field is in its ninth season (how’d that happen already?) and this is the first year weather has been a real problem. We’re something like 20+ degrees below the expected norm.

 

It’s fine. We’re seeing a really weird non-spring for the first time since the stadium was built. It will pass.

 

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[Mike Sixel]

Yes. Long road trips wear a team down. A schedule that alternates 6 home games with 6 road games is easier than one that alternates 12 home games and 12 road games.

you sure? That means twice as much actual travel, which would be terrible, I'd think.

[Mr. Brooks]

Yes. Long road trips wear a team down. A schedule that alternates 6 home games with 6 road games is easier than one that alternates 12 home games and 12 road games.

Do you have any data to prove this?

What would be wearing them down?

[sloopjont]

 

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that's fine, but if several games are weathered out, how can you make them all up?  There aren't three game open stretches of the schedule for makeup games.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Now that you bring that up I seem to recall a handful of games being moved to other cities a number of years ago due to early season weather.

The year I lived in Milwaukee, Cleveland was getting buried in snow in early April and they hosted some games at Miller Park.

[Number3]

The Houston series in cold weather should be advantage Minnesota Twins. How about just going out and winning the games. Then no one will notice the weather. Should be a series sweep. Make sure that the heat doesn't work in the Houston dugout and point a fan towards the pitchers mound when Houston is in the field. Not as many drastic measures against Seattle.

[Nine of twelve]

you sure? That means twice as much actual travel, which would be terrible, I'd think.

There would be only a little more travel but it would be broken into smaller segments. Think of it this way--a weekend getaway is an easy travel experience. A two-week trip to various locations around the country is an ordeal.

[MN_ExPat]

 

It's Sunny and 79 D in Atlanta Twins can come down here and play.

Yes, excellent choice!   Because yesterday was a chilly 77 in South Georgia and today might hit 80.   Oh the horror!!

 

Plus I'm pretty sure Buck wouldn't mind playing in front of his friends and family down here

[Mike Sixel]

that's fine, but if several games are weathered out, how can you make them all up? There aren't three game open stretches of the schedule for makeup games.

In the history of the sport, no team that needed to make up games has failed to do so.

[Mike Sixel]

There would be only a little more travel but it would be broken into smaller segments. Think of it this way--a weekend getaway is an easy travel experience. A two-week trip to various locations around the country is an or deal.

I find two week trips much more relaxing than four consecutive trips. Not even close.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I find two week trips much more relaxing than four consecutive trips. Not even close.

I find most of the hassle of travel to be the actual traveling portion of the trip (get to airport, stand in line, wait for bags, travel to destination from airport).

 

MLB players have it much easier than us commercial airline passengers and get to slide through a lot of that hassle without any real effort on their part (they're taken to the airport, fly on a chartered plane, and are taken to their hotel afterward).

 

I'm not saying it's easy or completely devoid of hassle but it's a rather different experience than what we face when traveling.

[bighat]

 

It’s just so stupid for MLB to schedule games this way. Load up on intra-division games that are in non-dome, and colder area ballparks the first 2-3 weeks. It’s not that freaking hard.

It’s just a computer program that spits out the schedule. Put those variables in.

 

Yeah, but it puts teams like the Twins at a severe disadvantage to start the season on a 15-game road trip. Ain't fair. Say the Twins come out of that trip with a 3-12 record, the season could be in the tank before it gets started. MLB schedule makers try to start teams like the Twins on the road, but not for too long.

[Squirrel]

 

I find two week trips much more relaxing than four consecutive trips. Not even close.

Trips for pleasure are way different than trips for work. I really hate touring when I have to be on the road for work. Go to the airport, fly somewhere, get off the plane and onto a bus to the hotel, then onto another bus to the venue (or find your own way there), work for 3-4 hours, back to the hotel, get up the next day ... wash, rinse, repeat. It's EXHAUSTING. And often times we aren't even flying commercial but there is a certain amount of hassle with that, too. And sometimes the distance between cities is such that we bus or train it. And doing it across various time zones. On the other hand, the runouts we have on occasions, much easier. Traveling for work and traveling for pleasure, as you know, is different. I don't think 9/12's analogy is really that effective for that reason.

[jkcarew]

From a scheduling standpoint, worried only about the 6 games against Seattle and Houston.  You have 4 days available for the 3 Seattle games and 3 available for the 3 Houston games.

 

In a situation like this, everyone will try hard to get all the games in, maybe allowing for a one game exception.  It is not all that uncommon for a game to be skipped and only played at the end of the year if it makes a difference in the playoff picture.

 

The only place where I would care about the temperature is with regard to the pitcher's grip on the ball.  It's in everybody's best interest that the pitchers have the ability to secure a good grip on the ball.  I would be interested to know if MLB has measures, or has considered measures to keep balls that are in play close to 'normal' temperature and measures to provide heat (chemical or whatever) for pitchers hands while on the mound (beyond just allowing them to go to their mouth).

[spanman2]

I have had this conversation with baseball friends...not going to happen but thought I would throw it out there.

 

Go back to a 154 game schedule.

Have ONE scheduled day/night double header per month on a Saturday.

Start teams up north on a modest 6 game max road trip.

More DAY GAMES in April in northern cities.  50's and sunshine for an 'avg' April in Minny would be fantastic

Have playoffs start earlier with a 1st round best of 3 vs. current one/done model.

Helps to diminish horrible cold weather in late October for WS games by starting playoffs weeks earlier.

Enjoy the day and WIN TWINS!

[jkcarew]

I was curious...when the Senators moved to Minny, here is what the MLB schedulers did...

1961, first home game 4/21; total home games in April: 3

1962, first home game 4/14; total home games in April:  5 (a sixth on April 30, begin home stand)

1963, first home game 4/9; total home games in April:  5 (a sixth on April 30, begin home stand)

 

162 games, 10 teams, no-interleague play, no CBA travel restrictions, TV an afterthought.  Probably moved some index cards around on a couple tables they shoved together, and were done in a couple of hours.

 

Years later, still 162 games, but way more teams, way more playoffs, way more rules, way more TV, way more money, and more computing power than the world ever thought it would see...has the Twins hosting 12 home games before the 18th of the month.  Ah...progress!

[Brock Beauchamp]

I was curious...when the Senators moved to Minny, here is what the MLB schedulers did...

1961, first home game 4/21; total home games in April: 3

1962, first home game 4/14; total home games in April: 5 (a sixth on April 30, begin home stand)

1963, first home game 4/9; total home games in April: 5 (a sixth on April 30, begin home stand)

 

162 games, 10 teams, no-interleague play, no CBA travel restrictions, TV an afterthought. Probably moved some index cards around on a couple tables they shoved together, and were done in a couple of hours.

 

Years later, still 162 games, but way more teams, way more playoffs, way more rules, way more TV, way more money, and more computing power than the world ever thought it would see...has the Twins hosting 12 home games before the 18th of the month. Ah...progress!

The 1961 season didn’t start until April 10th.

 

And that’s the real problem, I think. The season continues to stretch outward and baseball is a seasonal game.

[Blackjack]

Both teams are playing in the same weather, no advantage for either team, deal with it. If the players don't like it, bring it up at the next collective bargaining agreement. Obviously MLB likes it and the money that the longer schedule brings in.  

 

The only reason the games should be postponed is if the fields are dangerous, as in its snowing out. Otherwise deal with it.

 

Hopefully we'll be having this same discussion in November when the Twins are playing in the World Series!!!! 

[Mr. Brooks]

The Houston series in cold weather should be advantage Minnesota Twins. How about just going out and winning the games. Then no one will notice the weather. Should be a series sweep. Make sure that the heat doesn't work in the Houston dugout and point a fan towards the pitchers mound when Houston is in the field. Not as many drastic measures against Seattle.

Aside from Mauer, is anyone on the team actually from Minnesota?

Not sure why the weather would give one team an advantage.

I'd imagine we have roughly the same number of players from warm weather areas as the Astros do.