Terry Ryan said this ballpark [Target Field] has not settled in...

[drjim]

No but he's suggesting the concrete settling is part of how the field is playing. Which is something Thome regurgitated a few years back about why it's hard to hit home runs. Essentially, Ryan is verifying this weird notion that part of why lefties don't hit homeruns is because of how the concrete is or is not settling.

 

Ryan was asked about LH hitters having trouble hitting home runs. He replied "This ballpark hasn't settled in yet I don't think. I think it was a little more fair this year than the previous two. And I don't know about concrete settling in and stuff like that." He then expands on how they wanted it to be fair when they built it and not a launching pad and that they are still analyzing it before fences would be moved in.

 

I still read that to mean that the park hasn't settled as a pitchers or hitters ballpark moreso than about concrete settling but it is ambiguous. Right center is a canyon and has a high fence. Probably good they are developing RH power hitters.

[Linus]

Concrete cures over the first several years after it is poured; during this process excess moisture in the concrete evaporates (this is a fact). The theory is that all this moisture leaving the concrete makes the air heavier and the ball doesn't carry. I have no idea if this is true or not but its not out of the realm of possibility when you consider the incredible amount of concrete that goes into a stadium.

 

If I am not mistaken, the total number of homeruns hit at Target field has gone up each year.

[johnnydakota]

So is the new Vikings stadium going to cause our kicker to lose a few feet on his kicks?

[TheLeviathan]

He then expands on how they wanted it to be fair when they built it and not a launching pad and that they are still analyzing it before fences would be moved in.

 

Except that the concrete issue was completely, 100% unprompted. Why are Twins players and now their public figurehead even mentioning this? Who, if not someone in the organization, is propagating this nonsense and why in the hell would Ryan even mention it if not as at least a partial excuse?

[Kwak]

For those interested here is the link:

Judd & Dubay | 1500 ESPN Twin Cities ? Minnesota Sports News & Opinion (Twins, Vikings, Wolves, Wild, Gophers)

 

Hour 2 from 1/30

 

When asked if you guys knew if the ballpark was be tough for lefties to hit out of the park (TR wasn't involved in that was he?... anyway) TR says:

 

"Well this ballpark hasn't settled in I don't think ... I don't know about concrete settling in .. I wasn't a part of this thing all that much but we set out to make it fair..."

 

I just couldn't believe that I actually heard the stadium settling/concete being used as a possible excuse for poor performance, and by Terry Ryan of all people.

 

This statement reminds me of one I read yesterday: "After being fiercely whipped, the chef fried the egg."

[ThePuck]

In 2010,Twins pitchers gave up the 64 HR (24th most)

2011: 80 (10th most)

2012: 6th most HR at home (98)

 

So trending up. An increase of 34

 

Thing is, for the Twins hitters:

 

2010 we hit 52 HR (28th)

2011 we hit 46 HR (27th)

2012 we hit 69 HR (20th)

 

 

An increase of 17 and going down, then up.

 

So is it due to the 'quality' of our pitching or the park settling?

[Top Gun]

Stop the crying and play the hand that you are dealth.

[drjim]

In 2010,Twins pitchers gave up the 64 HR (24th most)

2011: 80 (10th most)

2012: 6th most HR at home (98)

 

So trending up. An increase of 34

 

Thing is, for the Twins hitters:

 

2010 we hit 52 HR (28th)

2011 we hit 46 HR (27th)

2012 we hit 69 HR (20th)

 

 

An increase of 17 and going down, then up.

 

So is it due to the 'quality' of our pitching or the park settling?

 

2011 Twins offense was godawful. Outside of that it has been trending towards more HRs in both hit and allowed. I'll go with park settling.

 

Maybe there is something to this concrete settling.

[Kobs]

What an absolute load of ****.

[ashbury]

"Well this ballpark hasn't settled in I don't think ... I don't know about concrete settling in .. I wasn't a part of this thing all that much but we set out to make it fair..."

 

When I listened to the audiocast, it seemed clear what he meant by "settled" the first time he used the word, and then the second usage was kind of off-the wall, wait, let me rephrase, out of left field, no never mind, anyway, it seemed like he was referring to some off-microphone exchange when he brought up the word "concrete". The effect was somewhat old-man ramble-ish, but I did not get the idea he was bringing up concrete to explain anything at all. More like he was referring to an inside joke, which is not usually a good idea. So, kind of dumb portion of the interview, but nobody speaks in public without eventually messing up. I give him a complete pass on this one.

[ThePuck]

2011 Twins offense was godawful. Outside of that it has been trending towards more HRs in both hit and allowed. I'll go with park settling.

 

Maybe there is something to this concrete settling.

 

Or, since WIllingham hit 21 at home all by himself, and we only increased HR output at home by 17 HR since opening year at Target Fied, maybe it was just him. Twins really haven't increased THEIR HR hitting at home since 2010. They just brought in a HR hitter. The Twins pitching staff; however, has steadily increased the amount they've given up...

[drjim]

Or, since WIllingham hit 21 at home all by himself, and we only increased HR output at home by 17 HR since opening year at Target Fied, maybe it was just him. Twins really haven't increased THEIR HR hitting at home since 2010. They just brought in a HR hitter. The Twins pitching staff; however, has steadily increased the amount they've given up...

 

But they also lost Cuddyer, Kubel and Thome in that timeframe. That has to count for something.

[ThePuck]

But they also lost Cuddyer, Kubel and Thome in that timeframe. That has to count for something.

 

That's true...good point.

[FrodaddyG]

But they also lost Cuddyer, Kubel and Thome in that timeframe. That has to count for something.

In 2011, the three of them counted for 22 HR at home. Willingham's 2012 fell short by a quantity known in the home run business as "a Revere plus one".

[Brock Beauchamp]

In 2011, the three of them counted for 22 HR at home. Willingham's 2012 fell short by a quantity known in the home run business as "a Revere plus one".

 

Also known in drinking circles as "The Golden Butera".

[FrodaddyG]

Also known in drinking circles as "The Golden Butera".

I dated a girl who asked me for a "Golden Butera" once. I had to fake my death to get out of that one.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I dated a girl who asked me for a "Golden Butera" once. I had to fake my death to get out of that one.

 

I don't blame you. It's not as easy to find a donkey to rent as it once was and investing that much money in ping pong balls raises eyebrows at the sporting goods store.

 

And then you have to find the rohypnol to bring it all together, otherwise you're stuck with the "Solo Butera", which is completely unacceptable.

[Ultima Ratio]

Put a giant dehumidifier in the vacated CF batter's eye, paint it green, and start sucking up that moisture from the concrete. Solves two made-up problems really.

[Mike Sixel]

Make it a big dehumidifier with signage, and maybe they get revenue so they are no longer small market....three made up problems solved.

[TheLeviathan]

Make it a big dehumidifier with signage, and maybe they get revenue so they are no longer small market....three made up problems solved.

 

Well played gentlemen.

[spideyo]

The concrete settling makes no damn sense. There are many, MANY layers of stuff under the field before you get to the concrete.