Notes From the Ballpark: Dogs and Twins Home Runs Take Over Target Field During April

Have you been to any (or many) Twins games so far this season? If so, let us know if you've had some of these same thoughts, opinions or experiences. 

Upper Deck Closed in April 
The upper deck (200 and 300 levels) has been closed for all April home games except the Home Opener- and it has been a good move. Attendance is always very sparse during the traditionally-cold April home games, and this year has been no different- attendance has been pretty abysmal so far, with this most-recent White Sox series averaging around 13,000 fans.

However, this is typical. I’ve been closely following Twins attendance for years, including writing several pieces about it for Twins Daily. Attendance always picks up once school is out and warm weather returns. The team’s performance also massively determines attendance as well. So, I thought it was wise of the Twins to close the upper deck and just let people sit pretty much wherever they wanted in the lower level. Think of it as a little reward for the fans willing to show up in the snow (it was snowing at the 35-degree Twins game I attended on Friday, April 19) and is a much smarter use of their resources (ushers, concession staff). Besides, the lower level has looked sparse even with the upper deck fans mixed in, so this was a good choice.

"Cold Beer, Here!"
Beer lovers (or hot chocolate lovers) rejoice. Vendors can walk up and down the stadium aisles again this year! Last year, beer and food vendors were strictly confined to the concourse. However, there appear to be far fewer vendors in the stands than in the past, but still, it is a step in the right direction. Vendors walking the aisles selling peanuts and Cracker Jack are part of the quintessential American baseball experience, so I am glad to see them back among the crowd in some form. 

Bark in the Park Day is Awesome! 
The Twins had their first-ever Bark in the Park Day at Target Field on Monday, April 22. In my eyes, it was a resounding success. My full recap can be read here.

The Twins incorporated so many funny, adorable bits.

• Prompting Twins fans to hold their cute little dogs high into the air as ‘The Circle of Life’ plays during the Simba Cam.
• Sounding a different type of doorbell over Target Field’s loudspeakers anytime they wanted the crowd to make noise.

People, including me, were smiling the entire night, seeing what the entertainment team had planned next. Logistically, I thought the event was managed super well. Not everyone feels comfortable around dogs or wants to be near them, so dogs had to enter through one specific gate. They were not allowed anywhere else in the ballpark except the two seated dog sections and the concourse area outside those two sections. I saw some concern on social media from people who thought dogs would be everywhere, but they were easy to avoid. Now that the Twins have passed this first test, I hope they expand in the future by adding more than one dog day or increasing the number of dogs allowed in.

Gio Urshela and his Walkup Song Return to Target Field 
One of my favorite moments at the park this year was when the Detroit Tigers were in town. During Gio Urshela’s first at-bat (and sadly his only, as he got injured following his at-bat and subsequently went on the IL), they played his walkup song, you know the one. “We still really miss his walkup song at Target Field,” the big board said. Urshela’s walkup song is kind of notorious throughout the league. I’m in the camp of people who like it. You could tell Urshela really appreciated the gesture, and social media loved it too.

In my eyes, I don’t think Urshela really got a fair shake here. I thought he was excellent as a Twin and he, at many moments last season, was the team's most clutch player. I know we didn’t really have a spot in the infield for him. I think in the future, this is the ultimate way to honor former beloved Twins who come back to their first visit to Target Field- not solely just ones with well-known walkups.  

Playoff Wins and a Walk-Off 
April 23’s walk-off win vs. the Chicago White Sox will always be one of the most memorable games I’ve attended, even though I saw less than an inning of it. In addition to attending as many Twins games as possible (around 60 in the last two seasons), I am a huge Timberwolves fan and have season tickets. On Tuesday, I was at Game 2 of the Timberwolves’ playoff series vs. the Phoenix Suns. I was on my phone following the Twins game just across the street. The Twins were down the entire game until the 9th inning when I got an alert that Byron Buxton had hit a game-tying home run.

Luckily, the Timberwolves game had just wrapped up, a blowout win, so I literally ran out of Target Center, Twins pass in hand, and sprinted as fast as I could over to Target Field. Staff had already taken down the AI scanners, so a security member used a mobile wand to scan me. Around me were people asking security if they could just be let in, which, of course, they were not allowed without a ticket. I grabbed a seat in time to watch Christian Vázquez’s at-bat, where he struck out, and then, of course, I saw Alex Kirilloff’s walk-off single. As the Twins players mobbed each other and fireworks burst into the sky, I was astounded that I had just seen two incredible Minnesota wins in one night.

Gotta Love Queen
As their Win Song this year, the Twins are using the same sped-up, slightly-remixed version of Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" that they played after last season's playoff wins, and I love it. Every win the Twins have this year has brought me back to how I felt being in the stands after last year's playoff wins and soaking in the postgame euphoria as people around me hugged each other and even cried. 

The Jury's Still Out on The Dock 
The Twins' new seating area, The Dock, is hilarious. It is basically a suite near the right field concourse that looks like a pontoon boat. I'm curious how comfortable those seats are and how practical it is to watch a game. The Dock accommodates 12 people, but there are only six captain's chairs directly overlooking the field (there are two bench seats near the back of the "boat." I noticed that both the Twins and Timberwolves have leaned into Minnesota's lake life image this year. The Timberwolves' City Edition uniform and court are made to look like the water found in one of Minnesota's 10,000 Lakes. 

Magnet Issues
In a complaint I had last year, once again, the Twins only handed out 5,000 magnet schedules this year. Still, it was worse this year because the Twins handed them out when the Dodgers were in town, and thus, the predominately Dodger crowd largely trampled and left behind the magnet schedules they received (why even take them in the first place is my question).

Have you attended any Twins games so far this year? What are your ballpark observations? Let us know in a COMMENT below.