Melissa Berman

Reusse is my absolute favorite. The best storyteller Minnesota sports has ever had

This is a great idea. It's a middle ground between the actors who run around hyping up the crowd at Saints games and what's already being done at MLB ballparks

I went to 56 games with my Twins pass last year (I know) and a lot of the games were quite empty. The biggest draws of the season were Prince Night, the Brewers series, and the Dodgers series. At least they offered lots of deals to get to the ballpark for cheap. I like to think that even the Twins aren't playing fantastic, on a beautiful night it's a pleasant place to be, but obviously us hardcore fans expect more

Yes, the pitch clock! I neglected to mention that, you're totally right. It will be really interesting to see if the shortened game times (around 30 minutes?) will have any impact across baseball. I know it will help keep the attention of some of my friends I go to games with

The amount of those red 2019 Bomba Squad towels I own and have no use for. I drove around to so many Cubs stores hunting for them, I'm tellin ya, your ideas would all be great uses for them ?

Definitely more of a gamble. But on those perfect summer nights when the weather aligns, it's divine. The picture I included with this article looks like one of those nights

Thanks for your thoughts. Regardless of the Twins on field performance with him last season, if the Twins had indeed found a way to sign Correa to a long-term contract, it would have generated a lot of buzz and excitement. Especially at the start of last season, there was a not insignificant amount of people who showed up just to see him. How many additional people that would be or wins that would result in, no one can say

Dollar Beer night definitely worked for the Saints indyball era! That line would stretch partway around the stadium lol

They have it on Tuesdays, thankfully, but why just one night, right!?

As we have all heard, the Carlos Correa era in Minnesota came to an end late Wednesday night. What started as an early morning shockwave one Saturday in March culminated in feelings of disappointment and missed opportunity for many. Image courtesy of Melissa Berman Fans will debate whether the Twins made Correa a quality offer and if a 13-year contract is viable and MLB's new direction or ridiculous. We do know that Correa was a significant draw to Target Field in 2022 and a lightning rod of excitement. He represented hope for a Twins fanbase reeling from a 2021 last-place division finish and signified a potential new direction for the Front Office and the franchise. Never before had the Twins gone out and gotten the top free agent in baseball. Plus, Correa chose the Twins. Now, he’s gone. And so are the majority of other impact free agents on the market. Twins fans reacted accordingly late Tuesday night with feelings ranging from frustration to disgust to profound disappointment. The Twins might still make a big move this offseason, like signing free-agent pitcher Carlos Rodón. Otherwise, the Twins have only signed free-agent catcher Christian Vazquez this offseason. It is looking increasingly likely the Twins will have to go back to the well and sign free-agent pitchers of the Dylan Bundy and Chris Archer caliber (the “bargain bin,” as some would pejoratively say). Would these moves be enough to “save” the offseason and spark excitement for 2023? Even with the Correa hype and strong on-field play for much of the season, in 2022, the Twins finished 20th in MLB attendance, averaging 22,514 fans per game. We know team performance significantly impacts crowd attendance. In 2019, the Bomba Squad season, the Twins brought in about 28,000 fans per game. Would a 2023 team lineup that is essentially unchanged but sans fan favorites Correa and Gio Urshela substantially outperform its 2022 lineup? With a healthy Buxton and the continued development of its young stars, maybe, but I have my concerns, especially pitching-wise. Twins fans have a right to expect more out of their team. I don’t blame them if they are feeling disappointed, angry, or even a bit apathetic right now, whether it be because the Twins did not make a Correa contract happen, a feeling that they will never be able to compete with the big market teams, or because they think the Twins put all their eggs in the Correa basket and let the other free agents pass them by. Next season, the Twins play 16 home games in April, the most of any month, so with the cold temperatures, the Twins will already be playing from behind attendance-wise. I doubt the new Twins uniforms and the giant new scoreboard will cause much of an attendance bump. Fans may pack the ballpark to see teams like the Padres, Giants, and Cubs, who the Twins would have been less likely to host before the 2023's new balanced schedule format. Perhaps the Twins will implement more bargain ticket deals or schedule more postgame concerts; regardless, the Twins will have to come up with something to draw fans back to the ballpark because the offseason moves alone have not done much to energize the fanbase in the wake of a disappointing 2022 season. View full article

This is absolutely hilarious lol, good work

I agree. The actual festival/ convention format is what people really care about. I don't see a reason for having to cram it into one 9-5pm day (very limited hours- it seems like it could go until like 8 p.m. at least)

This is where my mind is at too!! ? I'm not in on those talks, so stay tuned!!!

Twins fans dreaming of baseball during the dark and cold winter will not have to wait until Opening Day to get back to Target Field. On Thursday, the Twins announced the return of the “better than ever” TwinsFest, a two-day event taking place January 27-28 at Target Field and nearby Minneapolis venues. It might look a little different than what some fans are accustomed to. In 2023, TwinsFest features a new, live event on Friday and only one day of the team's standard convention event on Saturday. Image courtesy of Melissa Berman TwinsFest, the team’s annual fan convention, was canceled in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Twins Territory back to Minneapolis for our first in-person TwinsFest in three years, while introducing some fresh elements to bring our fans even closer to their favorite Twins players and personalities in new and exciting ways,” said Twins President & CEO Dave St. Peter. Friday, January 27, features a new event called TwinsFest Live!, which the team deems an “exclusive, intimate, and entertainment-filled evening with Twins players, coaches, alumni and broadcasters” located at The Fillmore, a concert venue adjacent to Target Field. A “limited availability” of tickets will be sold in General Admission, All-Star, and MVP packages, each level with increasing benefits and access. Tickets for the General Admission level start at $35 and the All Star and MVP Packages cost $149 and $279, respectively, and go on sale December 8. All proceeds benefit the Minnesota Twins Community Fund. “Signature Saturday” is TwinFest's standard convention event and takes place on January 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Target Field. It will feature the return of autograph stations with current and former Twins players, coaches, alumni and broadcasters; interactive games; memorabilia displays; and a merchandise “Yard Sale.” Adult admission tickets are $20 and tickets for children 12 and under are $10. The Twins will also be hosting a youth Futures Clinic at Urban Ventures. As recently as 2020, autographs were available at TwinsFest both Friday and Saturday nights at its traditional convention format. TwinsFest Live! is designated as a non-autograph event, per its website. TwinsFest began in 1989 and, at its peak, drew almost 35,000 fans to the Metrodome. Because Target Field is an outdoor stadium and TwinsFest takes place in the middle of the frigid Minnesota winter, the Twins utilize the stadium’s indoor areas, like their club level, for the fest, so since then, attendance has been about half of the amount of its Metrodome heyday. Twinsfest pared down from three days, Friday-Sunday, to two in 2020. My take While I am glad that TwinsFest is returning this year (looking at you, White Sox) and it signals one more step towards perceived normalcy, I do not entirely blame fans who might find themselves a bit disappointed in looking at the weekend’s events, which in reality, are only two days (and only one day of the traditional, revered convention). While I’m sure those in attendance of TwinsFest Live! will find the event unique and enjoyable, the high price point and limited quantity of tickets will likely make it out of reach for many. Plus, with its 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. timeframe, talk of a "cash bar," and lack of seating for General Admission tickets, it does not seem geared toward families. Regarding Signature Saturday, growing up, some of my fondest memories and formative experiences as a Twins fan were at TwinsFest. My older sister was so Twins-crazy as a teenager that she recalls going all three days. While all the other experiences at the festival are great, the most coveted of all is the player autographs and photo opportunities. In my family’s living room, we have a framed photograph of our entire family with Harmon Killebrew at TwinsFest. (Yes, he was every bit as kind, classy, and friendly as everyone says; my mom still talks about that meeting to this day). I remember my family also having a long, probably 10-minunte conversation with former Cleveland pitcher Bob Feller. With only one 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. day of the actual convention (and very limited hours at that- it seems it should go until at least 8 p.m.) it is not hard to imagine that lines for players might be long and overwhelming and that when fans do meet the players and coaches, it will have to be brief. Some on social media were less than impressed with the number of current players listed on TwinsFest's bill and noted it is less than in past years like 2020, but the TwinsFest page states to “check back often for updates" on players, so it seems too early to judge (Correa TwinsFest appearance post-contract, anyone?) Regardless, I am happy that TwinsFest is back for 2023 and especially hope that the team’s littlest fans have as fun of an experience as I did, but I worry just how family-friendly the event is becoming. -- Do you think you'll attend TwinsFest in 2023? What do you think of the two-day schedule and revamped events? Let us know in a comment below, View full article

I agree, even when the Twins were in the division basement last year I still went to a bunch of games and had a great time with my friends. Weather is beautiful and absolutely a great time to get some amazing seats like you mentioned (I also like those early season snow games for that too!) Looking forward to Ryan vs Ohtani this Friday!

Joe Ryan vs Ohtani, that will be a great game to get to! Definitely will be better attendance than there otherwise would be with any other matchup/ opponent

Hey, I would be more than on-board with that!

The days are getting shorter and the baseball season is fading (and so are the Twins playoff hopes), but if you are still hoping to get to Target Field to enjoy some fall baseball, the Twins are running a myriad of deals in order to get fans out to the ballpark on a dime. Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports Currently, the Twins are ranked 20/30 teams in attendance with 22,321 fans per game. History shows that team performance has a sizeable impact on attendance: in 2019, the AL Central Champion, Bomba Squad Twins drew 28,322 fans per game, and some of its most-attended games were in September. With kids back in school and the Twins 2022 playoff hopes looking grim, the team is running some new deals and fan incentives to combat potential light fan attendance. Here is a roundup of the deals the Twins are running the rest of the season and some of my other money-saving ballpark tips. College night every night- Every September home game is now college night, including weekends. Students can grab $5 standing room tickets on the Twins website or through the MLB Ballpark app. Students who buy a ticket will also get a free MLB.tv subscription for the rest of the 2022 season. https://www.mlb.com/twins/tickets/specials/student-discount. Cheap single-game tickets- Twins fans will have the opportunity to see Mike Trout and potential MVP Shohei Ohtani for cheap during the Angels series September 23-25. Tickets for this series start at $14 through the Twins website (and are similarly priced after fees on ticket resale sites like StubHub). Tickets to the White Sox series September 27-29 start at $9. Tip: buy the tickets in person at the Target Field box office to avoid paying online ticket fees. And if you go to the Tuesday, September 27 game, grab some dollar hotdogs at the last Dollar Dog night of the season. Four Pack- A new deal the Twins are running- every Monday-Thursday game fans can purchase a four-pack of tickets that includes a Home Run Porch View or Field Box ticket, hot dog, pop and chips. https://www.mlb.com/twins/tickets/specials/daily-specials. Tip: if you do not get the four-pack and are still looking for discounted food and drinks, head to the Family Value section in centerfield (sections 133 and 327). A bit of a hidden gem, at this stand offers $2 cups of pop, $5 cans of beer, $4 soft pretzels and hot dogs, and $3 bags of popcorn. Fan appreciation weekend- The Angels series September 23-25 is also Fan Appreciation Weekend. The first 20,000 fans to arrive at Target Field for the Friday and Saturday games will receive a Target Field beanie, which should come in handy in 2023 when the Twins play 16 home games in April, the most of any month. Are you going to head out to Target Field for any more games this season, or have you moved on to 2023? Leave a COMMENT below. View full article

Like it or not, change is here: a pitch clock, shift ban, and bigger bases are officially coming to the game's highest level in 2023. Image courtesy of Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports Earlier this year, Twins Daily covered a host of experimental rules MLB was trying out in its minor leagues during the 2022 season. On Friday, September 9, MLB's Joint Competition Committee, which evaluates and ratifies proposed rule changes, officially approved these rules for use in the majors beginning in 2023. Baseball purists can exhale for now: "robot umpires," currently being experimented with at the minor league level, are not coming to MLB quite yet. The pitch clock, ban on the shift, and larger base sizes were the only three rules proposed by MLB to the Joint Competition Committee- a voting body consisting of four active players, six members appointed by MLB and one umpire that was created as part of the this spring's 2022-26 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Though an automatic ball-strike system, otherwise known as "robot umpires" or "robo umps" is currently being experimented with at the minor-league level, a formal rule change proposal related to the robot umpires has not yet been made to the committee and is not expected for the 2023 season. A common thread connecting these approved changes is MLB's goals of making the game faster and improving player safety. Though these rules will be new at the MLB level, each of these has been tested and deemed successful in the minors during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Here is a rundown of the changes MLB fans will see in 2023. Pitch Clock For the first time, MLB will implement a pitch clock. Pitchers will be required to deliver the pitch within 20 seconds with runners on base or 15 seconds with the bases empty. The batter must be in the box "alert to the pitcher" with at least eight seconds left on the timer. In order to further keep the game moving, there will be a 30-second timer between batters. In addition, MLB will also implement a limit on throws to first base, which has reportedly increased stolen base attempts in the minors. MLB explained how a pitch clock would work in detail on Friday. The pitch clock has been seen as an overwhelming success at the minor-league level- if success is measured by faster games. MLB reports that games have sped up by an average of 26 minutes at the minor-league level with use of the pitch clock. Players appear to have gotten used to the pitch clock: according to MLB, in its most recent week, the MiLB has seen an average of only .45 pitch clock violations per game. In MLB's eyes, the same amount of game action (or even more, if there are more stolen bases) will be packed into a shorter amount of time, thus increasing excitement for fans. Time will tell whether or not this change will actually lead to greater fan engagement or recapture the interest of a younger age demographic. MLB has the oldest fans among the major sports, with an average age of 57, according to a 2017 survey by Sports Business Journal. Twins Daily covered the pros and cons of a pitch clock earlier this year. Bigger bases First, second, and third base will be increased by three inches (from 15 inches by 15 inches to 18 inches by 18 inches). MLB’s stated goal of using the larger bases is to reduce player injuries on the base paths. With slightly shorter base paths, MLB is also hoping it will increase the amount of stolen base attempts, and thus bolster game excitement. Though a few inches over the course of a 90-foot base path might not sound like much, seasoned baseball fans know that the amount of plays that come down to an inch or two is not insignificant. Larger bases were used in the Arizona Fall League and at the Triple-A level in 2021, and MLB found that they not only reduced injuries but contributed to an increase in stolen base rates due to the slightly shortened base paths and the larger base size making it more difficult to overslide the base. Bigger bases are being used in all full-season minor leagues during the current 2022 season. Previous Twins Daily coverage evaluating the new, oversized bases. Banning the shift New to MLB in 2023, the defensive team will be required to have at least four players on the infield when the pitcher delivers, with two on either side of second base. MLB is hoping that these restrictions "increase the batting average on balls in play, to allow infielders to better showcase their athleticism and to restore more traditional outcomes on batted balls." In other words, MLB wants to see more hits and higher player batting averages, Defensive shifts have been around for years, but in recent years, MLB shifts have greatly increased in prevalence, thus leading to the league cracking down. Currently, in 2022 the league-wide batting average on balls in play is .291 . This is six points lower than in 2012 and 10 points lower than in 2006. According to MLB, this can be attributed to an increase infield in shifts over the years, which have risen by 589% since the start of the 2018 season. A shift ban is being used in Double-A and both Class A levels during the 2022 season. - - Now that these rules are official, what do you think? Will you enjoy faster MLB game times? Do you think robot umpires will actually make it to the majors? Leave a COMMENT below. View full article