GAME THREAD: 4/12/21 (POSTPONED) Minnesota Twins vs Boston Red Sox

[Diesel]

Maybe A-Rod can buy the Twins while he's at it and move the team to a suburb

Dick Bremer: “Yes A-Rod...the Metrodome was a great place to hit....especially when you were gooned up on the juice and your urine glowed in the dark.”

[Joey P]

I wonder if they can just play the series with no fans. The riots aren't going to storm TF. 

[Diesel]

Officially postponed.... they should be flying to Boston today and play their series there. Things aren’t going to get any better in MSP this week...

[hybridbear]

Just said on BSN that game is postponed due to events in BC yesterday. No information about rescheduling.

[Diesel]

I wonder if they can just play the series with no fans. The riots aren't going to storm TF.

Didn’t Baltimore do this a few years ago?

[Mill1634]

Might as well fly to Boston. As previously mentioned, the riots, or potential for them, aren't going to go away overnight. 

[AZTwin]

Just saw that MLB cancelled this game. Good grief, they are getting beyond political. This product is becoming unwatchable

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Welp.

 

Supposed to rain and snow tomorrow, so...

[gunnarthor]

Seems like the right decision. I suspect the release of the footage and the disaster that was the press conference weighed in on the decision and that didn't happen until late morning/noon.

[MNT1996]

Maybe move the series to CHS Field? 

[Craig Arko]

For those of us what actually lives in Minneapolis, I'll point out it actually is raining and there's a forecast of possible snow tomorrow and Wednesday.

 

But we have it on good authority that couldn't possibly mean anything.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Just saw that MLB cancelled this game. Good grief, they are getting beyond political. This product is becoming unwatchable

It's not merely a political decision. Civil unrest can be far-reaching, especially if you're hosting a sporting event close to the epicenter of the unrest.

 

It was probably the right decision to cancel from purely a safety standpoint, though they shouldn't have waited this long to do so. If you're going to cancel, do it early before fans and players are basically ready to watch first pitch.

[hybridbear]

Swapping series seems like a good idea. Both teams have an off day before the 3 game series in Boston in August. They could play 3 games in Boston tomorrow-Thursday & then both teams could come to Mpls in August to play 4 games 8/23-26, giving up an August off day for the off day today.

[twinbythebay]

 

Just saw that MLB cancelled this game. Good grief, they are getting beyond political. This product is becoming unwatchable

Has there been any indication that the postponement is related to politics at all, rather than player/fan safety?

[MNT1996]

 

Swapping series seems like a good idea. Both teams have an off day before the 3 game series in Boston in August. They could play 3 games in Boston tomorrow-Thursday & then both teams could come to Mpls in August to play 4 games 8/23-26, giving up an August off day for the off day today.

 

Teams planned months ahead of time for each road trip they take during the season. The logistics behind a last minute swap like this seems like it would be overwhelming. 

[Mill1634]

 

Swapping series seems like a good idea. Both teams have an off day before the 3 game series in Boston in August. They could play 3 games in Boston tomorrow-Thursday & then both teams could come to Mpls in August to play 4 games 8/23-26, giving up an August off day for the off day today.

This makes WAY too much sense for it to actually happen

[Mill1634]

[Cap'n Piranha]

 

This makes WAY too much sense for it to actually happen

 

It's actually probably quite difficult.  Does Delta have two planes large enough to carry both teams travel parties not committed to other schedule right now?  Do they have full flight crews able to staff those planes able to get to them in the next few hours?  Is there sufficient hotel space somewhere in Boston for the Twins to stay without compromising COVID protocols?  Are the Red Sox willing to give up August games (with a chance for far more fans, and therefore far more revenue), for games where they might not be able to sell out even the limited capacity?  Are the Red Sox able to staff their stadium on one day's notice?

[MMMordabito]

After watching Leadership Fail 101 late last spring, I understand the decision.  However, I give an F for waiting until the 11th hour.

[denarded]

 

It's actually probably quite difficult.  Does Delta have two planes large enough to carry both teams travel parties not committed to other schedule right now?  Do they have full flight crews able to staff those planes able to get to them in the next few hours?  Is there sufficient hotel space somewhere in Boston for the Twins to stay without compromising COVID protocols?  Are the Red Sox willing to give up August games (with a chance for far more fans, and therefore far more revenue), for games where they might not be able to sell out even the limited capacity?  Are the Red Sox able to staff their stadium on one day's notice?

Nailed it. Everything can't be knee jerk. I've been around college teams traveling and have seen how much effort goes into that. MLB teams can't teleport to another site with hotels etc.

[Diesel]

Nailed it. Everything can't be knee jerk. I've been around college teams traveling and have seen how much effort goes into that. MLB teams can't teleport to another site with hotels etc.

They were able to move the Vikings game to Detroit in a day after its roof collapsed, it is definitely doable

[KFEY93]

 

They were able to move the Vikings game to Detroit in a day after its roof collapsed, it is definitely doable

Thats because no one actually WANTS to go to Detroit. There's always room there. 

[bighat]

 

They were able to move the Vikings game to Detroit in a day after its roof collapsed, it is definitely doable

Football and baseball schedules are apples and oranges.

 

I agree with most here in that this late cancellation (after the fans had arrived) was really unfortunate. Seems like they should have done this first thing in the morning or even last night.

 

Back to swapping, I'd like to see them give it a shot. But it's far more likely the Sox will ask the Twins to host at another site. Milwaukee is hosting the Cubs now, so that's not open.

 

Also, both teams are going in completely different directions after this series. Twins are heading out to Los Angeles, while Boston is going back home.

 

Maybe Wrigley's the option here? If so, decision's gotta be made quickly.

[MNT1996]

I think a doubleheader on Wednesday and regular game on Thursday at CHS should be in consideration. Then have the Twins play a "home" game at Boston as the first part of a doubleheader over there when the Twins are at Fenway. 

[Dodecahedron]

They probably watched that carnival of a press conference before making the decision. If there had been an actual train wreck at that moment, our eyes still would have been on the news conference because that's how bad it was.

 

Anyway, this is more about the safety of people while travelling than it is safety at the stadium. The Twins are good citizens.

[strumdatjaguar]

After last year’s riots, the Twins have to think about the safety of its players, staff and fans. Pretty lousy that they didn’t figure this out earlier to keep people from driving down

[Brock Beauchamp]

If there had been an actual train wreck at that moment, our eyes still would have been on the news conference because that's how bad it was.

This situation is no laughing matter but I LOLed at this line.

 

Partially because it’s painfully accurate.

 

Maybe the Twins thought they could squeak in a game and then saw gasoline being poured on the fire via that press conference and immediately said:

 

 

And I guess I can’t blame them for that. They had no control over that dumpster fire of a presser.

[AZTwin]

Has there been any indication that the postponement is related to politics at all, rather than player/fan safety?

The press release on MLB tv certainly made it seem more political reasons rather than safety reasons. I’m sick of politics in sports

[KirbyDome89]

 

It's not merely a political decision. Civil unrest can be far-reaching, especially if you're hosting a sporting event close to the epicenter of the unrest.

 

It was probably the right decision to cancel from purely a safety standpoint, though they shouldn't have waited this long to do so. If you're going to cancel, do it early before fans and players are basically ready to watch first pitch.

It isn't just the reach, but the rate at which things can escalate. We closed early one night last summer because there was unrest growing in the immediate area. Usually we'd grab a beer nearby after work, but that night our group decided to head a few blocks away. We walked through a pretty large crowd on our way to the cars. 10 minutes later someone opened fire on that crowd, in the exact spot we'd walked though; 12 people were shot and one was died. 

 

100% the right call. Political or not, we all know if there wasn't the possibility for commotion the game would have happened. Double headers and rescheduling aren't that difficult.  

[gunnarthor]

 

The press release on MLB tv certainly made it seem more political reasons rather than safety reasons. I’m sick of politics in sports

Why? Baseball still celebrates Jackie Robinson. Many of our most iconic moments - especially in civil rights - are tied directly to sports. Frankly, it's one of the reasons I like sports and athletes. I understand for some there is this desire to have something that let's us ignore the present but sports has always been political (think of all the rich owners using fans to get stadiums built by cities and states for them).