Steven Trefz

The eighth road trip of the 2023 Twins season swings down the West Coast through Oakland and Seattle. It’s time to kick off the second half of the season against the A’s and Mariners! Oakland Coliseum. T-Mobile Park. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports July 14-16 @ Oakland Athletics (3 games) Oakland Coliseum - 2022 attendance was 787,982 (ranked 15th out of 15 AL teams, 30th overall MLB) Oakland averaged less than 10,000 fans per game last year. The home of Moneyball has been searching for a new home for the past decade, and the fans have rewarded the team with their indifference. The A’s and Oakland Coliseum formed the backdrop to many childhood heroes before we realized how juiced they were. Lately, the club has been known more for thriftiness than for victories. The Coliseum itself bears the weight of being Al Davis’ Raiders home in the mid-to-late ’90s. The addition of a towering bowl of seats increased capacity while magnifying just how empty the stadium looks today. Interestingly enough, the Coliseum used to mirror Dodger Stadium before “Mount Davis” was erected. Word on the street is that the fans that do attend aren’t there by mistake. They are fans through and through and should make for an interesting road environment. There are unique experiences surrounding the ballpark itself, while the in-stadium experience doesn’t offer much. I won’t go out of my way to mention how the last time the Twins won a playoff series was at the Coliseum, and hopefully, they won’t kill me. Oakland itself boasts connections to the sights and sounds of the Bay Area in general, and there are waterfront and cultural experiences throughout the region. The Oakland Zoo gets solid reviews, and Treasure Island between the two cities carries family connections. This ballpark doesn’t excite me, but picking up three wins to kick off the second half of the season never hurt anyone. I’ve contemplated making the July 12th All-Star Game in Seattle a part of the journey, but I’m going to decline even if I’m voted in this year because, from Oakland, we get to go there anyways! Oakland lies 1,672 miles from my front door, a daunting 25-hour drive. However, there are whispers of an epic family and friends trip through this six-game set. The drive up and down the Pacific Coast Highway beckons, as does the surf and sun. July 17-20 @ Seattle Mariners (4 games) T-Mobile Park - 2022 attendance was 2,286,267 (ranked 6th out of 15 AL teams, 15th overall MLB) Fresh off of hosting the All-Star Game, T-Mobile Park dials up the fan experience with a retractable roof, beautiful sight lines, and stellar food and beverage options. This isn’t your grandpa’s Kingdome, for sure. Success hasn’t been a part of the Mariners’ story, but their current squad is on the way up. Established in 1977, the Mariners endured losing seasons every year until 1991. They hold the less-than-awesome honor of having never been in a World Series. So the town is hungry for change, even if the ballpark is now entering its 24th season. The park hosts the Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest and Mariners Hall of Fame, which pays homage to great moments in professional baseball throughout the region. The ‘Pen is a foody and pub crawler’s dream, and there is a Fan Walk with engraved bricks memorializing those who root for the squad. I don’t remember much history between the Mariners and the Twins. They never seem hot at the same time, and their superstars never seem to be competing for attention simultaneously. I’m not heading to these games looking for baseball drama but hoping for some relaxing and captivating scenery and experiences. My family hates heights, so I’ll probably be heading up the Space Needle alone. The Museum of Pop Culture does seem like a worthy stop, and we can’t be in this part of America without the temptation of a Goonies filming site pilgrimage coming up in the conversation. The Seattle Japanese Garden also looks amazing and perfect for healing and restoration, especially if the Twins are leaning away from the playoffs at this point in the season. It’s 808 miles from Oakland to Seattle and 1406 miles back to Mitchell, SD. Throw in some beaches and mountain passes, and I’m guessing the van will need a deep clean after this trip. With the MLB trade deadline looming on August 2nd, this trip provides the last chance to separate the squad from the pack before decisions need to be made. Where will the Twins be as the season turns? There’s only one way to find out: to go there. Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Oakland Coliseum or T-Mobile Park, please post your list of "best seats" and "must-sees." Is anyone else planning on going to this series? Grace and peace, Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article

I've been kicking around the same question lately. WinsAboveReplacement has such precedence in the computations, that fan "rooting interest" hasn't quite kept up as a priority. And yet, as someone who travels six hours just to go to Target Field, having some idea of who will be playing when you get there DOES matter when planning the trip. Now, admittedly, several families go just to go...and couldn't name four guys on the roster either way :) I would love to get my hands on player jersey/t-shirt sales, and the rest of the metrics at the disposal of the club. I'm looking forward to seeing how players are represented in the attire and energies of their local fan bases this season as I catch some road games. It would be possible, one would think, to ask TV viewers why and who they watch for in games, especially on the verge of the Twins' new TV contract. Or do they have the data, and it says fans pay to watch the "laundry" that is the Twins jersey, regardless of who is in it? In another vein, the Adam Thielen conversation this week speaks to some of the ways Midwestern folk deal with "loss and grief" around local players and local squads. Curious to see what others think. Thanks for bringing it up!

The Twins away game idea emerged as a "rooting for laundry" dream. Roster moves over the past month have started to imply that something more might be underfoot for our 2023 squad. All of a sudden, I have new names to learn and new expectations to decipher. A trip to re-introduce myself to this nation that I call home now is beginning to reek of fanboy angst... Are the Twins for real in 2023 all of a sudden? I wasn't anticipating a need to feel nervous at these ball games. I was just going to enjoy the relationship-building travel and some delicious food along the way. Now I might have to worry about a playoff race? I was just going to cheer on Luis Arraez as he wiggled his way to breaking up some Dodger pitcher's no-hitter in a 9-0 game, but now I might have to be on the edge of my seat with a series victory on the line in Chavez Ravine? I was breathing a sigh of relief at not having to witness Carlos Correa Giants jerseys in year one, and then it was Mets jerseys for a few weeks, and now I'm left kicking myself for not buying every jersey while they were still on clearance. The worst part is, Carlos will know after 81 games of seeing me in the one Correa jersey that I have, that I gave up on him when he said he signed with two other teams. I'm not a true believer. Increased team expectations for 2023 mean that frigid April bullpen debacles in Kansas City sting that much more. Random acts of lineup malfunction in Chicago in May mean increased blood pressure in September. I'm pretty sure that the Twins aren't yet finished with shaping this year's roster. I'm guessing that at least one more familiar face that my kid's loved cheering for will be someone I now get to see in a new home on the road this season. There will be more where that came from during the trade deadline in July/August for sure. Why? Because when Correa re-signed the tables turned and the season took on an urgency that wasn't a part of my earlier trip calculations. I'm fine with it. Trust me. I like winning. But instead of being "the weird dude in Twins gear at our ballpark when the Twins have moderate to no shot at winning the game," I'm more often than not going to be "the weird dude in Twins gear at our ballpark when the Twins are making local fans angry for shelling out cash to watch our team beat their team in their park so they are gonna verbally (not physically please) take it out on that weird dude" guy. It's going to be very hard for the Twins to go unnoticed this season on the national level. Will this help our team rise to the occasion? Or will the added attention multiply our faults? Will it drive up my ticket prices and lodging costs? Or will locals stay away because they don't want to cry in their own stadium? Time will tell, and I for one can't wait to get it started! Pitchers and catchers report in less than a month, on my birthday, Februrary 16th. I can't think of a better gift in the middle of such a long harsh winter on the Dakota plains. Grace and peace Twins Territory, wherever you are!

Thank you for this awesome advice! This week is "logistics" week in our house...time to figure out who is joining me for which legs of the journey. Have you been to Camden Yards quite a bit? Ever been to Truist?

The seventh road trip of the 2023 Twins season covers the most amount of days, with three series taking the Twins through Detroit, Atlanta, and Baltimore. It’s time to make a mid-season run against the Tigers, Braves, and Orioles! Comerica Park, Truist Field, Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports June 23-25 @ Detroit Tigers (3 games) Comerica Park - 2022 attendance was 1,551,149 (ranked 10th out of 15 AL teams, 22nd overall MLB) The latest iteration 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 back in 2003. Players’ stats continue to take a hit from the dimensions, and the conversation on bringing in the walls is circulating again. Comerica Park hasn’t been hospitable to the Twins for the past three seasons. Despite Detroit being in the dumps, they have been 14-9 vs. the Twins since 2020. The path back to the top of the central requires a change in this trend. We’ve shared Ron Gardenhire, Jack Morris, Torii Hunter, Robbie Grossman, Jonathan Schoop, Akil Baddoo, Dan Gladden, and now Willi Castro. Familiarity breeds something. Hopefully, in 2023 it breeds wins. Located just a few blocks from the Detroit River/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. It's 923 miles from Mitchell, SD, to Detroit. There is a 10-11 hour drive from Detroit to our next destination, so it's doable by car. It’s not optimal, but it is a trip through a part of the country that I’ve never been through. The players never experience the “in-between” zones of America on their trips from stadium to stadium. This is one perk of self-travel that I’m going to enjoy. June 26-28 @ Atlanta Braves (3 games) Truist Park - 2022 attendance was 3,129,931 (ranked 3rd out of 15 NL teams, 4th overall MLB) Baseball arrived in Atlanta in 1966, but the national audience for the Braves arrived with TBS. Even a kid in the middle-of-nowhere South Dakota could watch the Braves long before he could watch the Twins. This made the 1991 World Series that much more exciting. The Atlanta Fulton County Stadium we watched in 1991 made way for Turner Field (aka. Olympic Stadium) in 1997. The Braves' most recent move in 2017 took them to the suburbs, to mixed reviews. On the one hand, the Braves got a chance to build a baseball community center with neighborhood revenue-gathering machines. On the other hand, folks now need cars and cash to get to the games. Twins history with Atlanta? These were just the defining moments of any Twins fan alive in the early 90s. Eddie Rosario helped return the World Series to them in 2021. That stung a bit. In between? There was just a whole lot of losing by both squads. Restarting an annual series against the Braves seems like a great way to revive a rivalry! Truist Park resides in a mixed-use entertainment district called “The Battery.” Designed to curate the entire baseball consumer’s experience, it's arguably the wave of the future (see also Globe Life Field in Texas). As a tourist from the Midwest, this format suits me just fine! Yet, the energy of a downtown ballpark creates a different atmosphere. The park is clean and modern in stadium, with Hank Aaron tributes and historic moment monuments scattered throughout. “The Freeze” (@beatthefreeze) race between innings also looks intriguing. Atlanta boasts the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, MLK Jr. National Historical Park, and the Center for Puppetry Arts. I will not see puppets, but to each their own. I’m excited to see the region. After watching the past few election cycles, I’ve memorized Georgia county by county! It will be good to put some names and faces to the actual humans there. It’s 710 miles from Detroit to Atlanta. Lodging in “The Battery” is quite pricey, but the convenience factor is important to consider. Rest and quality nutrition begin to matter more on a ten-day road trip. Hopefully, the Twins are riding a winning streak as they turn back north to Baltimore. June 30-July 2 @ Baltimore Orioles (3 games) Oriole Park at Camden Yards - 2022 attendance was 1,368,367 (ranked 11th out of 15 AL teams, 23rd overall MLB) 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. 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 ’30s. 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! It was 676 miles from Atlanta to Baltimore and another 1338 miles home. This trip screams epic, but it also whispers impossible. An excellent trip for the Twins, and they head into the All-Star break in style. A poor showing over these ten days and the trade deadline might mean more than the playoff push. Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Comerica Park, Truist Park, or Oriole Park at Camden Yards, please post your list of "best seats" and "must-sees." Is anyone else planning on going to these series? Grace and peace, Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article

The sixth road trip of the 2023 Twins season covers over 4200 miles AND an extra country! It’s time to go from dome to dome against the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays. Tropicana Field. Rogers Center. Grab your passports, and let’s begin… Image courtesy of © Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports June 6-8 @ Tampa Bay Rays (3 games) Tropicana Field - 2022 attendance was 1,128,127 (ranked 14th out of 15 AL teams, 28th overall MLB) It made sense on paper. Home of Spring Training and epi-center of major league baseball for two months each year, so why not put an actual franchise in town? 1998 brought MLB and the Tampa/St. Pete metro area its own ballclub: The Tampa Bay Devil Rays. They celebrated by losing at least 90 games in each of their first 10 seasons! Then after a 2008 name change to the Rays (think “sunshine,” not “animal”), the tide turned in many respects. Their first World Series appearance and a constant stream of small market success stories defined the next decade. Attendance, however, hasn’t followed suit. Tropicana Field boasts the notorious label of being “unattractive” and “nondescript.” A concrete dome, with Astroturf (that even the Astros stopped using…), optical illusions from the seating arrangement, and catwalks that giveth (Jason Kubel in 2010) and taketh away (Miguel Sano in 2015). Tropicana Field defines “quirky.” But apparently, the game experience itself can be a lot of fun. Dancing grounds crews, a live ray tank in the outfield (think “animal,” not “sunshine”), a Ted Williams and Hitters Halls of Fame, and plenty of room to roam make the Tropicana experience a good buy. If you can time the series right, you can also catch a few minor league games in the area while you are there. I’m not sure that the Twins have a “history” at Tropicana Field. The Rays’ rise coincided with the Twins’ decline most recently. Rocco Baldelli grew up in the organization. Delmon Young and the Nelson Cruz/Joe Ryan trade stick out a bit. But whenever the rumor mill kicks up an idea to have the Rays play half of their season in Tampa and half in Montreal, or when a “new Nashville team” emerges as buyers, I’m forced to remember the days of contraction threats made against the Twins. We’ve been in a crappy dome before, one with World Series appearances, cherished memories of young teams on the rise, and a roof that messes up the actual play on the field. So my heart goes out to the fanbase there. I’m not ashamed to admit that this is actually the stadium I’m most excited to see this year, just so I can see for myself what all the fuss is about. I’m bummed that the Mighty Mussels are playing at the exact same times, so I can’t check them out. I’ll have to settle for the Salvador Dali Museum, the Sunken Gardens, or the Florida Aquarium. (I checked that out with my eldest son on our last trip here and loved it.) The Big Cat Rescue also is pretty sweet, except for that my grandma and grandpa-in-law used to live next to it, and the wake-up roars at 5 am weren’t so pleasant. At 1704 miles from Mitchell, I’m flying into Tampa, and definitely flying the 1357 miles into Toronto for the next series. The last time I was in Tampa for spring training, no rental cars existed in the town for about 36 hours. What could go wrong!!? June 9-11 @ Toronto Blue Jays (3 games) Rogers Centre - 2022 attendance was 2,653,830 (ranked 3rd out of 15 AL teams, 8th overall MLB) When Toronto got their MLB franchise in 1977, they started out in a retro-fitted football field called Exhibition Stadium. 1989 brought the SkyDome (renamed Rogers Centre in 2005), soon to gain classic replay status for Joe Carter ’s World Series winner and back-to-back championships. In the 2010’s, the Blue Jays even boasted the highest attendance in the American League! The SkyDome/Rogers Centre boasts about being the first stadium in the world with a fully retractable motorized roof, hosts a hotel with rooms that look out onto the field, and rests within the Old Downtown neighborhood of the 4th largest city in North America. The field itself? A bit cookie-cutter in form, with excellent food and tourist vibes throughout the concourses. The Twins’ history with Rogers Centre includes the American League Championship Series three road game victories that propelled them to the 1991 World Series, 50-50 success over the past 4 seasons, and a small dose of covid vaccine controversy. With travel restrictions lifted, and a Blue Jay squad with aspirational World Series goals, this should make for a fun mid-season match-up! The sounds, tastes, and sights of Toronto are pretty epic it sounds like. CN Tower observation deck, Lake Ontario beaches and waterfront, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and an actual “distillery district,” all exist within a few blocks of the ballpark. I have a passport. I’m ready to go. This one is an obviously “getaway day” flight from Tampa, with a less than 24-hour turnaround. Getting the 1153 miles back to South Dakota will be interesting. I’m wondering if this might be a good trip to catch a home game in Minneapolis before this series, with connecting flights being more direct and cheaper from there to both Tampa and Toronto. We have Cleveland @ Target Field on Sunday, June 4th at 1 pm as a potential “launching pad” for this road trip…or a potential flat tire…tbd. Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to Tropicana Field or Rogers Centre, please post your list of "best seats" and "must sees." Anyone else planning on going to these series? Grace and peace, Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article

The 1987 squad and the 2020 Covid team are the two outliers in Twins history where they made the playoffs with a less than .460 mark on the road. That 1987 team in particular looks more like a miracle the more I study it! The Twins have also had seasons where they finished above .460 on the road and didn’t make the playoffs: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2001, 2005. The expansion of number of playoff teams obviously tracks through these statistics. With the new full-interleague schedule starting this year, combined with the reduced central division scheduling, I think we will see this trend continue forward though as a modern reality.

The story of where it all went wrong last year begins and ends on the road… Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports If the Twins want playoffs in 2023 (let alone a World Series Championship), at the very least, one thing must occur. If you toss out whatever the empty stands 2020 season brought us, no team since 2015 has made the playoffs with a road record of less than .460. Not a single team. This statistical oddity stands out more clearly when comparing the 2022 Twins squad against the 2019 Bomba Squad. What would you say if I told you that the Twins' home records for those two seasons were exactly the same!? It's true. Once the shock wore off, I triple-checked it. In the 2019 and 2022 seasons, the Twins were a respectable and playoff-bound 46-35 at home. So what made the difference between the excitement and potential of the 2019 playoff run and last year’s disappointment? To put it bluntly: road trips. In 2019, the Twins were an astounding 55-28 on the road! In 2022, the Twins managed a below-MLB road record average 32-49 mark. (Click here for another, less recent, trip down the rabbit hole of why home teams win 54% of games in the MLB.) That’s a 23-win difference on the road between 2019 and 2022! How on earth does such a thing transpire? Well, for the 2022 Twins, it happened slowly and consistently over the entirety of the season. In fact, the only two road trips that the Twins secured a winning record were the second and third trips of the 2022 season. (They went 4-3 against Tampa Bay and Baltimore and 5-1 against Oakland and Kansas City.) They played around .500 ball on the road the rest of the way until the fateful ninth trip to Los Angeles in mid-August. After going 1-4 against the Dodgers and Angels, the Twins finished their last four road trips 5-19. 5…and…19…. So what went wrong on the road? A couple of abnormal instances pop up when you dig a little deeper. The Twins were 6-23 in road games determined by 2 runs or less. In fact, the “pitchers taking the L on the road” list runs like a who’s who of the Twins bullpen. No one leaves unscathed. Also, during the end of the season road collapse, the Twins were without Byron Buxton. Yet, they managed to go 15-10 at home during this same stretch of games. So what about Byron’s absence made the road woes so magnified? In fact, the Twins went 6-23 overall on the road in 2022 when Byron was out with an injury. I’m enough of a statistician to know that a few instances do not make a correlation, and they definitely don’t make causation. However, where there is smoke, there usually is fire. Do the Twins’ 2023 playoff hopes actually hinge on this obscure and recent part of baseball’s seasonal grind, and Byron's health/our bullpen's strength? Or does Carlos Correa officially being a Twin “for life” now, as opposed to the “soon to be free agent”, bring enough leadership to buoy the Twins through the inevitable injuries this time? I would argue that the soft-science of clubhouse "unity" gets magnified on the road. With the signing and security of locking down Correa and his assistant GM leadership, do the Twins now have a formula for righting this wrong in 2023? We shall see. 31,759 miles and 14 road trips await the Twins this season. The Twins will start their 2023 campaign on the road in Kansas City and Miami, winnable games to be sure. But the next three journeys take the Twins through the Bronx, Fenway, Cleveland, and Dodgers Stadium, to name a few. Reaching their ultimate goal will depend on holding their own in the face of these early tests. Root, root, root for the home team, indeed! But if the Twins' road trips don’t bring them at least 38 wins, you can kiss the playoff dreams goodbye. View full article

The fifth road trip of the 2023 Twins season looks a whole lot spicier than it did a few days ago! The biggest free agent signing in Twins history makes his second return to Houston, but this time definitely feels different as he is now fully signed, sealed and delivered as “our” Carlos Correa! Image courtesy of © Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports At the end of May, Carlos leads us deep into the heart of his old home, the World Series Champions’ stompin’ grounds: Houston, Texas. It’s time to put the squeeze on the Astros! Minute Maid Park. Let’s begin… Minute Maid Park - 2022 attendance was 2,688,998 (ranked 2nd out of 15 AL teams, 7th overall MLB) In the season’s first one-city road trip of the 2023 season, we head to the ballpark that has hosted four of the last six World Series. Yes…you heard that right…four of six. Minute Maid Park carries history, scandal, success, and futility all in one amazingly crafted and retro-fitted setting. I think what’s probably most important for Twins fans to appreciate about baseball in Houston can be traced back to the O.G. stadium: the Astrodome. The sporting world’s first fully enclosed and air-conditioned stadium, the Astrodome changed the game and almost all other games around the world. The Astrodome gave us the first synthetic turf playing surface (hence why we call all the new stuff Astroturf even if it isn’t!), the ability to play ball in any type of weather or geography, and the introduction of year-round civic and sports arenas within a city. The current ballpark was constructed around a former Union Station railway concourse, and harkens to the culture and community that it serves. Oil, agriculture, trains, Bar-B-Q, Mexican food, boom/bust economics, and espionage/waste disposal (couldn’t resist). The retractable roof might come into play in May, with an opportunity for outdoor baseball early and late in the season. This element allows for a natural grass playing surface. Originally named Enron Field in 2000, my kids’ third favorite orange juice stepped up to the plate for naming rights once Enron imploded. Hopefully the Minute Maid Train will fail to leave the station due to a lack of Astros homers, but recent history would argue to bet the “over.” The Twins are a mere 4-16 at Houston since 2015 after being swept there in 2022. While our recent Twins connections with the Astros have more to do with Carlos Correa (who went 1-11 w/ 1 RBI in 2022 in his first return trip to Houston) than any real rivalry, there is a personal connection for me. My first game at Target Field was a Sunday afternoon, August 4, 2013…against a ratty Astros team that boasted such young players as Jose Altuve, Jason Castro, Chris Carter, and Robbie Grossman. The Astros were clearly tanking. The Twins were unclearly tanking. While the Twins won the battle that day 3-2, they’ve lost the war quite decisively over the past decade. If this year’s squad has any hope of reaching postseason success, it might hinge on a three-day road trip in May where they are going to be tested by the best in the business. I didn’t get to Minute Maid Park in time to see the legendary and questionable "Tal’s Hill” in centerfield. The berm & flagpole served for quite a few highlights and lowlights for fielders, and it stretched the dimensions out to 436ft. The hill left the building after the 2016 season, replaced by a restaurant, standing room seating, and a lower medical liability deductible. The dimensions also came in with it to a reasonable 406ft. Interestingly, berms or mounds in the field of play used to be a way to give a better view to standing room overflow fans ON THE FIELD!!! Can you imagine? Showing up to a game, discovering that it was sold out, but being told to “Worry not! Centerfield has some room for you!” It sounds like an alternate reality. I look forward to many things on the Houston trip. Connecting with co-workers at one of our partner schools there, checking out the Space Center, and enjoying some beach and fishing time out at the Gulf of Mexico are potential highlights. Mainly I’m just excited to watch high quality baseball, in a crazy cool stadium, alongside a fan-base that has doubled-down on their team. I’m sure there will be many stops on my tour-de-baseball this year where the hometown fans could care less. Houston ain’t one of those stops. With no connecting series, and Houston’s hub and wheel road layout, making the drive might be the best option. At 1058 miles and 16 hrs from Mitchell,SD, it’s a trek. The next road trip is a solo, globe-trotting mess of airports and logistics, so on a day when the FAA system crashes for several hours, the comfort of having my own wheels and family along for this ride ranks high on my planning priority list. Now it's your turn to plan! And yes...if this is the first time you’ve seen one of my road trip pieces, I’m going to all of these away games. Please join me in person or with some insider info! If you have been to Minute Maid Park, please post your list of "best seats" and "must sees." Anyone else planning on going to this series? Grace and peace Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! Previous Road Trip stories: Road Trip #1 (Kansas City and Miami) Road Trip #2 (New York and Boston) Road Trip #3 (Chicago and Cleveland) Road Trip #4 (Los Angeles and Los Angeles) View full article

The fourth road trip of the 2023 Twins season aims to bring suntans and celebrities into the mix, with a week in Los Angeles! It’s time to go to Hollywood against the Dodgers and Angels! Will it be a horror show, comedy, drama, or feel-good classic? Dodgers Stadium. Angel Stadium. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports May 15-17 @ LA Dodgers (3 games) Dodgers Stadium - 2022 attendance was 3,861,408 (ranked 1st out of 15 NL teams, and 1st overall MLB) Like the Twins, the Dodgers got their start in the Northeast and moved westward. First settling in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Dodgers found their forever home in 1962 at Chavez Ravine. Beautiful, breathtaking, “an aesthetic ideal” mirroring Hollywood itself, Dodgers Stadium tops many ballpark bucket lists. The construction crew literally moved 8,000,000 cubic yards of rock and material amidst the natural landscape, slicing a piece of baseball heaven into place. Jackie Robinson’s presence exists inside and outside of the ballpark, with statues and stories in full display. With the Dodgers being a juggernaut on the field, finding affordable seats will prove equally daunting. The Kirk Gibson Home Run Seat (section 302, right field pavilion, Row D, seat 88) stands (sits?) immortal. If you haven’t re-enacted that iconic scene from the 1988 World Series while playing baseball, or softball, or whiffle ball/ping pong/ice fishing for that matter…then you need to turn in your baseball fan card. Just turn it in. I look forward to seeing where it all took place. There is also the infamous Dodger Dog, made even more infamous by the 2023 Winter Meltdown’s guest of honor Glen Perkins last season. Needless to say, I will have to measure and weigh the consequences of my food reporting accordingly when on-site. The Twins have some World Series history with the Dodgers (sad face emoticon), but our recent efforts to beat them have been even worse. The Dodgers have won 10 in a row against the Twins, dating back to 2011. Yes. We haven’t beaten the Dodgers in over a decade. So hint of a rivalry here, unless you can remember when Koufax was dealing and the Dodgers took all three at home in that ill-fated ’65 World Series. I don’t have much personal history in LA, though I drove around the area for a few days in a rental car with small children once. Let’s just say that it becomes vital to plan bathroom and food stops BEFORE setting out upon the LA freeway system. The Hollywood sign, Disneyland, Rodeo Drive, the Walk of Fame, Universal Studios, the ocean…all worth the trip in and of themselves. Some of them free. Some of them the opposite of free. At 1585 miles from Mitchell, driving to Los Angeles will require a full 24 hours behind the wheel. Renting a car for 7 days doesn’t make my wallet feel great, and it's not a mass transit kind of town. Everything I read about getting around in LA involves a car and a lot of traffic patience. I’m exploring a Vegas “pre-series research weekend” flight leading to a rental car for the week. The good news for this weary traveler is that the next series also involves the shortest “connection” travel between series for this season. 31 miles! Just down the freeway to… May 19-21 @ LA Angels (3 games) Angel Stadium - 2022 attendance was 2,457,461 (ranked 5th out of 15 AL teams, 13th overall MLB) To say that Angel Stadium exists because Disney exists isn’t an overstatement. The birth of Disneyland in 1955 led to the pursuit of community development in the Anaheim area. In 1966, that pursuit involved building a baseball stadium, then known as Anaheim Stadium. The 1980’s brought a change in architecture, as the NFL Rams filled in the outfield seating area to increase capacity. 1998 brought a return to the open-concept outfield, as the Disney corporation placed its imprint upon the setting and installed the “Outfield Extravaganza” rock pile in left-center field. Mike Trout hits baseballs there for a living. Shohei Ohtani embodies a modern version of Babe Ruth there daily as well. Attendance remains high, despite the losing ways of the club in general. Angel Stadium seats 45,050, (approx. 11,000 less than Dodger Stadium), but I wonder what might happen if the Angels could get on a roll again. That being said, a rough April might lead to whispers of trades for Ohtani in his last contract year…which could add some excitement to the mix. Chilly LA nights in the early and late parts of the season mean layering up for this road trip. While the days are cookie-cutter beautiful and mid-70s, the nights will remind me of home. Angel Stadium contains some connection to Twins lore, as it was the ballpark that stole Torii Hunter from us, and the site of the beginning of our playoff futility in 2002 (technically the futility started in Game 2 at the Metrodome, but I’m gonna go ahead and blame Angel Stadium since the Dome is no longer around to defend itself). In 2019, the Bomba Squad unleashed 8 homers during a game at Anaheim en route to their record-breaking season. The Twins did a modified version of this same road trip in August 2022, fresh off the trade deadline and with the season on the line, and came away 1-4. Here’s to hoping for a dramatic reversal in the land of movie immortality. Again, having a car is the name of the game when traveling around Angel Stadium. There is a bus option from downtown LA, but that doesn’t scream “relaxing road trip” to me. Also, with Disneyland right around the corner, there is no shortage of hotel options in Anaheim. At only 2.5 miles slightly SE of Disneyland, a guy has to go, right? Perhaps I can convince a few of the players to join me for some roller coasters??? If that’s a hard pass, maybe I can convince the Rally Monkey to take a stroll with me to the La Brea tar pits to fulfill a promise I made back in 2002… Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to either Dodger Stadium or Angel Stadium, please post your list of "best seats" and "must sees." Anyone else planning on going to this series? Grace and peace Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article

The third road trip of the 2023 Twins season takes us through the home ballparks of division foes Chicago and Cleveland. It’s time to make some hay in the American League Central with our second series against the White Sox and our first against the Guardians! Guaranteed Rate Field. Progressive Field. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports & © Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports May 2-4 @ Chicago White Sox (3 games) Guaranteed Rate Field - capacity 40,615 - 2022 attendance was 1,976,344 (ranked 8th out of 15 AL teams, 19th overall MLB) The artist formerly known as New Comiskey Park & The “Cell” has been around since 1991, but South Side Chicago baseball has been cooking since 1910. While the new stadium resides in a residential area, it carries a “big” stadium vibe compared to its North Side counterpart. Sharing an owner allows you to also buy Bulls gear at the ballpark, which works for me. The upper deck leans into the “upper” definition, while the bleachers get hot…but probably not in May. In the 2000s, a person could shower on the outfield walkway. I’m not sure who thought that was a great idea, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t try it out one blistering August afternoon. The pinwheels will be lightless and pinwheel-less for this series. I like a good Minnie & Paul handshake with fireworks for a Target Field Twins home run, but those pinwheels #@$@%@&... I’ve been to this away ballpark the most, with four games watched. I’ve only sat in the right field corner, near the visiting bullpen, so I’m looking forward to branching out into new territory. See my earlier “first timer” blog for the details of these trips, but know that it doesn’t contain everything. I caught a throw from Big Papi when he was still wearing the correct uniform. I was in the right field foul seating with my trusty glove (no shame), and Ortiz had just tossed a ball to a kid, only to have a White Sox jersey-wearing adult rip it away from him. The look of disgust on Papi’s face was priceless. So I did what any overaged fanboy would do; I waived my glove at the future HOF and mouthed that I would get the ball to the kid if he threw it up a few rows to me. Papi nodded and threw a strike; I caught it and ran for the exits! JK…I nodded thanks and handed it to the kid—baseball memory-making 101. I’m also ready to hang out at my old stomping grounds, Garrett Seminary & Evanston area. Specific memories and tastes call out to me: Giordano's pizza, the NU library (nerd out zone), Lake Michigan, Soldier Field and the Museum campus, Sears tower, and the Magnificent Mile. The smell of the L-Train platforms wandering in the Lake Shore breeze. The early-season angst of White Sox fans. With this being a Tuesday-Thursday series in May, I’m guessing there should be quite a few good seats available. Getting to Guaranteed Rate Field involves most likely car and parking for me, and sneaking to the South Side before rush hour is a “mandatory” event. I have plenty of folks to visit throughout the 2.5 days, so coming in from the western suburbs won’t be an issue. I’ve contemplated re-enacting my 2 hr. L-Train ride for old-time’s sake, but I will save that for the next trip to town since I’ll most likely be carless for that one. Mitchell, SD, to Guaranteed Rate Field gates is 645 miles. This is a driving road trip, for sure! The distance between the series of destinations determines the options available to me for travel, and this trip presents one of the shortest get-away-day trips. May 5-7 - @ Cleveland Guardians (3 games) Progressive Field – 35,401 - 2022 attendance was 1,295,869 (ranked 12th out of 15 AL parks, 25th overall MLB) Baseball in Cleveland began in 1894. This trip takes me to the most current iteration of Cleveland baseball, Progressive Field. I grew up memorizing Major League and even parts of Major League 2 (no shame). This stadium isn’t Municipal Stadium, but it’s been around a while nonetheless. 1994 saw the building of the current iteration of the ballpark, and 2019 brought an extensive concourse renovation at the 200 level with entertainment and open walkways. I’m curious to see the home crowd and to analyze the success of the Guardians rebrand. I’m guessing not everyone has bought a new jersey yet, but then again, they had success last year, so that might have boosted the speed of the transition. I don’t think I’ve ever been to Cleveland, but a significant branch of my kids’ family tree has its roots in the area. My wife was born in Canton, OH, due to a death in the family and a trip back for her grandpa’s funeral. Besides being a great way to trick people in a workplace “something you didn’t know about me” game, the ties to Canton and family have played a role in some of our best early family trips with the boys. The football Hall of Fame carries memories and annual gifts from our Aunt Susie and Uncle Dick (who will be hosting me whether they like it or not). Uncle Dick texted me throughout the “debacle” series in Cleveland last year as we witnessed it live in the Progressive stands. He texted me that it would be ok. He wasn’t right. But I can’t wait to build new memories with them again this summer. This is one family connection that got untethered due to Covid. I also have some partner churches and current/former students in the area that I’m looking forward to meeting in person over the weekend series. Built downtown, with plenty of surrounding neighborhood options for food and drink and a consistently winning team, Progressive Field strikes me as a ballpark that should have more fans in attendance. Will 2023 be the year for a resurgence in fan support? One unique attribute that I’m curious to see is John Adam’s Drum. This dedicated fan brought the “thump” to every game since 1973 but hasn’t been in attendance since Covid started. So does somebody still drum? Are they just waiting for his return? Sights include the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, East 4th St., and the House of Blues. Need a unique place to stay? How about the actual “A Christmas Story House.” Seriously. Leg lamp and all. Mitchell, SD, to Progressive Field gates is 980 miles. Guaranteed Rate Field gates to Progressive Field gates is 340 miles. I was driving all the way! More fun “on the way” than “on the way back” for sure because I’m hoping to catch a Cedar Rapids vs. South Bend minor league game Thursday night (5/4) between towns! Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to either Guaranteed Rate Field or Progressive Field, please post your list of "best seats" and "must-sees." Is anyone else planning on going to this series? Grace and peace, Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! Previous Road Trip stories: Road Trip #1 (Kansas City and Miami) Road Trip #2 (New York and Boston) View full article

Excellent Lance!!! I’ll reach out as we get closer to the date. It can’t be easy…keep the faith. tarheel I like the idea….thought about a poll before each series where the TD readers get to pick my exotic food choice at each park?

The second road trip of the 2023 Twins season contains perhaps the biggest potential for “natural and Twins-made " issues. It also represents the most exciting and challenging stretch of games in the first few months and where my goal of attending all 81 Twins away games gets "real." Yankee Stadium. Fenway Park. Let’s begin… Image courtesy of Twins Daily April 13-16 - @ New York Yankees (4 games) Yankee Stadium: capacity 47,309 - 2022 attendance was 3,136,207 (ranked 1st out of 15 AL teams) Yankee Stadium screams “we own you” to Twins fans. Last year was the first Twins victory there since May of 2019, and the Twins have gone 3-24 at Yankee Stadium since 2015. So yes, four games in a row seems a bit _______ (I’ll let you fill in the blank here). But what Yankee Stadium lacks in hospitality to our chances for success, it makes up for in baseball history and charisma. Monument Park shares the rich tradition of the pinstripes and is the place to be before the first pitch. The tiered outfield seats provide a few too many flashbacks to Twins crushing defeats of the past, but being present for the “roll call” tradition of the Yankees' outfield bleacher bums and knowing that millions of humans are within blocks of you offers a lot of excitement. Then there’s the rain. Assuming Josh Donaldson is still around the Yankees by then, he won’t be the only bringer of rain, as April in New York often does the same. This stretch of games carries the most significant weather risk of the season, and financially I’m not sure how I could handle it if I have to come back to this zone for a rainout make-up later in the season. Luckily, MLB appears to have also thought this through and scheduled a mutual off-day for the Monday after the series. Multi-layered and thick-skinned, I’ll make my way to the enemy’s lair with confidence. At least for the first game… Yankee Stadium resides in the heart of the Bronx, so parking and any “quick” travel to destinations don’t happen. With at least four days in the area, I shouldn’t have to rush through the tourist situation either. The Statue of Liberty takes most of a day to visit appropriately. I would love to see Ellis Island, where rumor has it my last name became something new (not every letter makes it to the next generation when immigration workers and penmanship get involved). Broadway, TV show scenery, and Central Park are must-sees. Or I might sleep in my car and eat ham sandwiches for four days. Budget TBD! Mitchell, SD, to Yankee Stadium gates is 1436 miles. Whether to drive or not to drive is the question. Its 21 hours to get there by car, and flying and utilizing mass transit while in the region is a no-brainer if I’m going by myself. However, if it becomes a family trip of sorts, the options grow broader and more complicated. April 18-20 - @ Boston Red Sox (3 games) Fenway Park: capacity 37,755 (actually listed at 37,305 for day games because they tarp the batter's eye) - 2022 attendance was 2,625,089 (ranked 4th out of 15 AL parks) One of two remaining “jewel box” ballparks (Wrigley being the other), Fenway Park serves as a must-see for any baseball road-tripper. Across the Charles River from the likes of MIT and Harvard, the Red Sox’s home field carries a history of curses and triumphs. From the house that Babe Wrecked to Big Papi’s stomping grounds (ouch), Fenway speaks to the iconic and cultural power of baseball in Americana. Even my backyard wiffle ball set-up had a “Green Monster” set of evergreen trees…temptingly close but impossible to clear. I didn’t make that up; Fenway did. At 37 feet tall, the Monster serves as the biggest batter distraction in baseball. Pesky’s pole in right field sits a mere 295 feet away from home plate if you believe independent measuring services (“officially” 302, according to the Sox). The pull-happy Twins should do great there, as long as they can remember actually to watch the ball and not the scenery. Boston uniquely ties into my family tree as well. My father-in-law attended seminary in Boston, so my wife started kindergarten amid this baseball lore. My trip to Fenway will necessarily explore some of these connections. Being the birthplace of our nation also provides numerous places for investigation. Boston Harbor, Paul Revere’s home, and the replica of “Cheers,” the bar! In 2022 the Twins were in Boston for Patriot Day, the third Monday of April, with an 11 o'clock game time so that fans could catch the end of the Boston Marathon. The whole town shuts down and remembers who they are. This year, the Twins come into town on an off day, and the Angels will be in town for that event. This should save me some serious cash and traffic issues! I get Boston’s hangover with a post-Patriot Day Tuesday-Thursday series. Is it worth it to try to make it into town for the marathon? Should a guy try and catch a dose of Ohtani and Trout while in the area? Mitchell, SD, to Fenway Park gates is 1,616 miles. Yankee Stadium to Fenway Park gates is 204 miles. Rental car or train from Yankee Stadium? Again the type of transportation that I bring will determine where lodging occurs. These larger cities are set up so well for mass transit that it seems ridiculous to try to drive everywhere. And yet, the freedom of having your vehicle is engrained in my midwestern heart quite profoundly. Again, amount of travelers and distance to accommodation will impact this decision. Hotels aren't as plentiful around Fenway as there are in the Bronx. Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to either Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park, please post your list of "best seats" and "must-sees." Is anyone else planning on going to this series? Grace and peace, Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article

I had forgotten how many years the leagues went with having a different number of teams in them (both overall and divisions). I’m running “away” record stats for a future front page article, and the whole Houston and Milwaukee changing leagues situation messes with my numbers ?

I agree…the overbalanced division games still proves the best team will win each division, with a little more room to stay interested and prove yourself as a team in different settings. If we actually end up having the best team, I want credit for devising the strategy….

2023 marks a distinct revolution in MLB scheduling. For the first time, the Minnesota Twins will play every MLB team during the regular season. In the ever evolving nature of sport, some changes can fly under the radar. This scheduling change will impact the entire league in both extreme and subtle ways, and I'm not sure the Twins will be on the winning end of any of them. Here are a few of the main changes that I'm noticing as I plan the All 81 trip. 1. In-Division games are reduced from 19 to 12 per team. For the Twins, this means that feasting on KC or Detroit gets portion-controlled. One might also argue that since our Guardians head-to-head record was so ratty, this will help the Twins stay in the running within the division. Pundits are arguing that for teams in "weak" divisions, the new balance of schedule does not help. Time will tell. 2. At the very least, it amplifies the 12 games that we do have within the division. A 3-game series in April gets magnified in the new revised standard schedule system. Series tended to get lost in the shuffle when conceptually there were 5 others waiting down the road. Now, a 3 day rough patch in KC could make or break division hopes. 3. There are the same amount of road series, but little replication. Why does this matter? In baseball, routine matters. In the next few years, finding a way to adapt to new travel and surroundings on a week to week basis will replace almost a month of traveling to the same AL Central destinations. Keeping rhythms now that interleague travel and new ballpark navigation becomes the norm rather than the exception will be vital to success. 4. Now, you could argue that every team has to deal with these same issues, so nobody will really benefit from the switch in scheduling. Yet, because of their unique and isolated geography, the Twins gain no benefits from an expanded list of destinations each season. Everywhere they go is definitely "away." Think Cleveland as a counter-example. Adding stops in Pittsburgh or Cincinnati or Washington mean less in terms of travel and time than it does for Minnesota. Again you could argue that taking one trip to Chicago or Cleveland or Detroit out of the Twins' annual travel schedule provides room for this change. But because of how the geography and divisional alignment work, those new interleague journeys will always be further away for the Twins. 5. If you think the Twins have it rough...try being Seattle, or Miami. Losing those 4 in-division trips up and down the coast inevitably ends up with more 3 series road trips, thousands of more miles of travel, and the inevitable time-travel through time zones that can mess with a player's focus. 6. What is gained with the new scheduling? Potentially more parity. In most recent history, a team could convince its fanbase that playing to the ability of your division resulted in "success." Now, every team will be increasingly exposed for how they stack up across the entire MLB. Good teams will rise to the top regardless of division. Teams will have live-action experience with every MLB roster every season for scouting and analysis purposes. Trades to teams in the other league now have the chance of biting you each year, not just every three. 7. On the positive, to the members of Twins Territory scattered across this country (and Toronto!) the new schedule opens up far more opportunities to experience your favorite squad live and in person. Transplanted Twins fans in San Diego know that they get 3 games every other year in their backyard. South Beach influencers who cut their teeth on Kirby Puckett's heroics will get a guaranteed chance every two years to wave their homer hankies in Miami. If attending a Twins game live is the practice that strengthens the relationship, then Twins Territory is prime for expansion and growth. In summary, I'm pretty sure that the new schedule will not help the Twins reach their playoff goals this season, or any season. But if the schedule benefits the ability of Twins fans to engage with their club and their passion for MLB baseball, then its a move worth making. And if there is even the slightest chance for bringing some element of parity into the MLB conversation, then such a change is long overdue. What are you most interested in seeing with regards to how the new MLB interleague scheduling shakes out? Grace and peace, Steve

The "All 81" away game journey begins in 93 days. That seems like a long time away. Until you enter it into a spreadsheet and realize that its only one mouse scroll from tomorrow. The only way to begin such a journey is by starting, so here we go... Image courtesy of © Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports 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. March 30, April 1 & 2 - @ Kansas City Royals (3 games) Kauffman Stadium - capacity 37,903 - 2022 attendance was 1,277,686 (ranked 13th out of 15 AL teams) Kauffman's first Season of use was 1973 (Royals Stadium) with artificial turf, renamed Kauffman Stadium in 1994 after the team's first owner. Kentucky bluegrass replaced the turf in 1995. Folks hoping to check this one off your bucket list better hurry up, as they are proposing a Target Field-style move to downtown! It has an open bowl format, and is southeast of Kansas City in a complex with the Kansas City Chiefs stadium. I've been to one game there, and the Twins did well! We sat way up in the top of the left field foul bowl, but batting practice was sparse, and we got some good interactions with the players. This was the 2018 Fernando Rodney era, and he was hilarious and generous with batting practice balls for my kids. Beautiful outfield, reminded me of Fort Myers actually with its lack of seating and open boardwalk vibe. Folks told me it reminded them of Dodger Stadium as far as the geometric alignment of the field and seating. I can't wait to compare them both in the first few months of the year! For some reason, I suspect that Los Angeles in May will require fewer jackets and scarves than KC in March. Kauffman resides outside of the pace of Kansas City, so tour guides send a journeyer into town for BBQ and night life. My go-to hotel (Drury Inn across the interstate) no longer exists, and it looks like it took its free dinner buffet with it...so that's going to impact potential costs for the trip. I'm hoping to get my family with me to this one. Mitchell, SD to Kauffman Stadium gates is 441 miles. The season will start in a car. Which car? TBD. None of the current rigs will last this adventure, so I'm seeking options :) April 3-5 - @ Miami Marlins (3 games) LoanDepot Park - capacity 37,442 - 2022 attendance was 907,487 (ranked 15th out of 15 NL parks every year since 2013, excluding the 2020 Covid season) Its first season of use was in 2012 (Marlins Park), renamed LoanDepot Park in 2021 after a company. ? I've been belly-aching about the Twins starting the season at Target Field in the snow for years. I said, "Why don't they start in Florida, Texas, or California?" MLB heard my cries and then, for some reason, decided that Kansas City was on the way to Miami and gave me less than 24 hours to get there. It has a retractable roof (start your Target Field regret comments below), nightclub (closed 2020?), and is beautiful outside and inside. The best part? I could get 30-dollar prime dugout seats today via their website. I mean, it's all for sale...and no one's buying. ? This "communidad 305" thing looks interesting. BYOInstruments? Soccer atmosphere? Count me in if the Twins are winning! Their bobblehead museum contains 400 of the old owner Jeffrey Loria's collection, but something tells me that might be a little creepy. Me and doll museum vibes don't go together well. Moon lists it as the "most underrated ballpark there is." LoanDepot Park sits in the southern part of the city, just west of Biscayne Bay. If the roof is open, sightlines from the back of the first-base line is the place to be. If closed...go party and play instruments? Part of me hopes for low crowd numbers and another chance to experience "Metrodome echo cheering," but it's the first week of the season. Hope probably will still exist in Marlinland. 70 degrees and sunny, the beach will feel great to me and hopefully too chilly for the locals. Mitchell, SD to LoanDepot Park gates is 1,893 miles. Kauffman Stadium to LoanDepot Park gates is 1,455 miles. 21 hours by car...literally can't make it from game to game like that. Omaha, NE looks like the airport of choice with more direct options. The first "inter-series travel moment" logistically poses my best chance for having a canceled flight wreck the whole trip. Now it's your turn to plan! If you have been to either Kauffman Stadium or LoanDepot Park, please post your list of "best seats" and "must sees." Anyone else planning on going to these series? Grace and peace Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! View full article