Article: Cold Front: Breaking Down The First Twins Homestand

[RaymondLuxuryYacht]

 

I respectfully disagree.

It’s an airplane hanger, not a baseball stadium IMO.

A nice hanger, to be sure, but a hanger.

You can't beat a nice hanger

[Mr. Brooks]

US Bank was set up for baseball this spring why not play the first series or two there?

It doesn't meet MLB regulations. It works for college, but they are only able to max out at 290' down the RF line, which MLB won't allow.

[Mike Sixel]

I like the idea of starting off in division so that the games can be made up easier on a later date. I also like the idea of scheduling to warm weather home games early on (TB, HOU, TX, ARI, LA, ATL, etc, and I like the PR games as well). It wouldn't even bother me to have them play in warm weather environments in the south similar to the PR game. Bottom line is that I hate cold weather and therefore, I hate cold weather baseball.

So, warm weather teams get few home games later in the year? I doubt they want that.

[caninatl04]

Ironically / co-incidentally, the photo associated with this thread is of perhaps the most controversial "retractable roof" stadium ever built-- The Big O or Montreal's Olympic Stadium. It was designed for the '76 Olympics as was supposed to be the world's first retractable roof stadium. For the games, the roof would be off (as required by the IOC), and as the then future home of the Expos, the roof would be raised or lowered (kind of like a parachute) depending on the weather.

 

As it turned out, it was many times over budget and never really worked. It is now in the permanently "down" position.

[twinsfanstreif]

I get that, but let's say you live near the ballpark and a game you have tickets for gets rained or snowed out. It gets rescheduled for a later date in the year. You can just go back then since you live there and see it. The travelling fans just spent the money to travel there and hotel room for nothing. I wish this was theoretical, but I only go to a few MLB games a year (if any depending in circumstances) and I almost always schedule the visits between June 1 and end of August. Yet I have only once had a visit for a series where at least one game wasn't cancelled and rescheduled to a later time if the year. It just stinks to have that happen. One time, I was only going to two games at Coors Field and both games were cancelled and rescheduled for like a month later. Money right down the toilet.

That stinks for sure, I've never been to a delayed or cancelled game myself, maybe I'm just lucky or I just wait until May-August to go to games. I also feel like fans traveling to games are not all that common, the majority of people who attended games live in the area. I would be surprised if each game has more than a couple hundred of tourist fans at them. I'm a huge baseball fan and I've never traveled to a city specifically to attend a baseball game, I will go to games if I'm in a particular area for another reason but never to just see a game (granted I don't make a lot of money so that's never been an option for me). There's really no way they are going to run things specifically for a small group of people's convenience.

[jimmer]

That stinks for sure, I've never been to a delayed or cancelled game myself, maybe I'm just lucky or I just wait until May-August to go to games. I also feel like fans traveling to games are not all that common, the majority of people who attended games live in the area. I would be surprised if each game has more than a couple hundred of tourist fans at them. I'm a huge baseball fan and I've never traveled to a city specifically to attend a baseball game, I will go to games if I'm in a particular area for another reason but never to just see a game (granted I don't make a lot of money so that's never been an option for me). There's really no way they are going to run things specifically for a small group of people's convenience.

while I disagree with your belief on the amount of traveling fans that go to games, I agree with the overall idea that parks are built with the hometown fans in mind. And obviously that makes sense.it should be that way, though it certainly doesn't take the sting away from the money wasted when one does travel and the game isn't played. For me, personally, the Rockies are the closest MLB team and they are 8 hours away. The LA teams and the DBacks are 10 hours away. Target is a 20 HR drive without stops. I have to travel if I wanna see a MLB game.

[gocgo]

 

So, warm weather teams get few home games later in the year? I doubt they want that.

It's not about them Mike.  It's about me and my Twins.  I don't like cold weather baseball.  The Twins don't like cold weather baseball.  It's the price they should pay for living in a warm weather city.

[Blackjack]

Baseball also needs to schedule more day games this time of year.

 

I was just looking at the schedule, the games 4/9 and 4/10 with Houston are night games, forecast for 32/20 and 32/23 for the two days. 32 and sunny is a heck of a lot warmer than 20 degrees!!!!!! The sun is powerful this time of year, I was out at noon and even at 22 degrees it was melting the ice off the roads and steam was coming off the parking lots. 

 

We can only hope that the Twins get used to the cold over the weekend so that the when the hot-house flowers from Houston come to town, worrying about neck gaiters and long underwear, the Twins are acclimated to it and just worrying about playing good ball.

[Mike Sixel]

It's not about them Mike. It's about me and my Twins. I don't like cold weather baseball. The Twins don't like cold weather baseball. It's the price they should pay for living in a warm weather city.

Fair. Very fair.

[Mike Sixel]

Baseball also needs to schedule more day games this time of year.

 

I was just looking at the schedule, the games 4/9 and 4/10 with Houston are night games, forecast for 32/20 and 32/23 for the two days. 32 and sunny is a heck of a lot warmer than 20 degrees!!!!!! The sun is powerful this time of year, I was out at noon and even at 22 degrees it was melting the ice off the roads and steam was coming off the parking lots.

 

We can only hope that the Twins get used to the cold over the weekend so that the when the hot-house flowers from Houston come to town, worrying about neck gaiters and long underwear, the Twins are acclimated to it and just worrying about playing good ball.

It's hard to see day games during the school year being a great idea.

[Mr. Brooks]

Yep, and if there are more weekday afternoon games added to the schedule, it's going to affect TV deals. TV ratings for those games are probably near zero.

[yarnivek1972]

Bunt (like for a hit) here.

[Blackjack]

 

It's hard to see day games during the school year being a great idea.

Pick your poison, night games at 24 degrees or day games, at 32 degrees with sunshine. Pull up a chair on the west side your house this afternoon (provided you are in Minnesota), if you're out of the wind and in the sun, its actually pretty nice.

 

Are the Twins going to get a higher attendance in the afternoon games in nicer weather or in the evening, even with the kids 'available', when everyone has to dress up in snow suits?  Remember, the Twins goal is to get more fannys in the seat so the can sell more $10 beers, $8 hot dogs, and all the other foodie items that are not cheap.

[Mike Sixel]

Pick your poison, night games at 24 degrees or day games, at 32 degrees with sunshine. Pull up a chair on the west side your house this afternoon (provided you are in Minnesota), if you're out of the wind and in the sun, its actually pretty nice.

 

Are the Twins going to get a higher attendance in the afternoon games in nicer weather or in the evening, even with the kids 'available', when everyone has to dress up in snow suits? Remember, the Twins goal is to get more fannys in the seat so the can sell more $10 beers, $8 hot dogs, and all the other foodie items that are not cheap.

Neither? Also, as pointed out,tv hates day games. It's unusually cold this year. Happens sometimes. Not so that often, though.

[MN_ExPat]

 

You must of had some bad luck, I've travelled to watch probably more than 100 baseball games in various places and have sat through a couple rain delays, but never had one postponed. Ironically, the only sporting event I didn't get to see was when I took my oldest son to see the Vikings for his 16th birthday and the dome collapsed. 

You mean much like their defense...and offense against the Eagles?...

 

Too Soon???

[USAFChief]

Off to a good start.

[yarnivek1972]

Pick your poison, night games at 24 degrees or day games, at 32 degrees with sunshine. Pull up a chair on the west side your house this afternoon (provided you are in Minnesota), if you're out of the wind and in the sun, its actually pretty nice.

 

Are the Twins going to get a higher attendance in the afternoon games in nicer weather or in the evening, even with the kids 'available', when everyone has to dress up in snow suits? Remember, the Twins goal is to get more fannys in the seat so the can sell more $10 beers, $8 hot dogs, and all the other foodie items that are not cheap.

Without looking at actual game by game attendance data, I’d wager attendance is actually better during the weekday day games. There certainly aren’t going to be many families out until 10:30 on a school night. There’s a reason they call those games “business man’s specials”. I suspect there might be some dealing going on over beers, brats and baseball.

[Blackjack]

 

Without looking at actual game by game attendance data, I’d wager attendance is actually better during the weekday day games. There certainly aren’t going to be many families out until 10:30 on a school night. There’s a reason they call those games “business man’s specials”. I suspect there might be some dealing going on over beers, brats and baseball.

That was my original point, that the Twins would be better off playing day games this time of year because of the warmer temps and sunshine but then someone piped up that 'day games weren't smart while the kids were in school'.