Let's Road Trip 2024: Trip #2 - Eastern Bound and Up? Detroit and Baltimore (April 11-17)

Detroit Tigers – April 11-14
Comerica Park: Capacity 41,083
2023 Attendance: 1,612,876, up from 1,551,149 in 2022 (Averaged 20,946, ranked 12th out of 15 AL teams, 25th overall MLB)

The not-quite-new home of Tigers baseball launched in 2000, as Comerica Park attempted to replace a jewel box ballpark icon in Tiger Stadium. How did they do it? Well, for starters, they built a bunch of giant Tiger statues. Then they made the dimensions of the outfield astronomical in nature. The walls were so far back that they realized they messed up and brought them in a bit in 2003. Players’ stats continue to take a hit from the dimensions, and they brought the walls in again (in right-center and center field, this time) in the last couple seasons.

Comerica Park hasn’t been hospitable to the Twins for the past four seasons. Despite Detroit being in the dumps, they have been 18-12 against the Twins at home since 2020, including a 4-3 mark last season. As the Tigers look to a young stable of starting pitching, questions remain about their ability to score enough runs to compete in the post-Miguel Cabrera era.

Located just a few blocks from the Detroit River and Canadian Border, Comerica Park sits in the downtown district, with plenty of entertainment and eatery options. There is a Motown Museum, The Corner Ballpark (a recreation of Tiger Stadium), the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Henry Ford Museum just down the road. In-Stadium attractions include a carousel, Ferris Wheel, and the Tigers Hall of Fame.

The Twins won’t have much time to celebrate or lick their wounds, as they must journey 528 miles east without an off day to face the high-flying Orioles.

Baltimore Orioles – April 15-17
Oriole Park at Camden Yards: Capacity 44,970
2023 Attendance: 1,936,798, up from 1,368,367 in 2022 (ranked 9th out of 15 AL teams, 21st overall MLB)

Baltimore excelled in 2023, cruising to the top record in the American League with 101 wins. The eventual World Series champion Rangers sent them home early in the playoffs, however, and this sparked changes both in roster and ownership. The team was sold on the heels of a renewal of the lease on their retro classic home, and Corbin Burnes was brought in to push the rotation into “playoff-caliber” status. The Twins got swept at home by the Orioles last July, but managed to win two of three in Baltimore later that same month.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards will forever be tied with Ken Griffey Jr. in my mind. Not because of anything that transpired there, but because the Ken Griffey Jr. Super Nintendo game was the first time I saw the ballpark. Built in 1992, Camden Yards changed aesthetic templates for Major League ballparks. (Also, eventually, Griffey hit a ball over Eutaw Street, creating a tangible, non-digital connection between visitor and venue.)

The warehouse in right-center frames a beautiful backdrop for baseball and batter’s dreams. The seats are designed for viewing baseball, but the third-base line is the way to go. Legends Park holds statues of Orioles greats, the walkways bustle with food and fun, and the city itself carries a history of the birthplace of baseball immortality, Babe Ruth.

The Inner Harbor and National Aquarium are tourist destinations that boast ships straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean, and over 17,000 animals. Locals have been pursuing a Loch Ness-type creature named “Chessie” since the 1930s. Ok, interesting. My friends in the area don’t describe Baltimore as a vacation hotspot, but it sounds like a great 2.5 days to me!

The Twins will be traveling 2327 miles for 7 games, 0 off days, and ____ wins?

How do you think the Twins will fare on their opening road trip? Anyone planning to go to either series?  Any favorite watering holes or tourist traps? Baseball is almost here Twins Territory…let’s get talking!

Let's Road Trip is a series of stories exploring the Twins' 16 road trips during the 2023 season.  I will focus on stadium highlights, attributes, Twins history, and community amenities.  Potential pitfalls and roadblocks get considered, and travel considerations get mentioned.  My handy-dandy Baseball Road Trips by Timothy Malcolm and Moon travel guides will be a go-to for this conversation.