Steven Trefz

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

What stands out to me over the past two seasons is a seeming lack of awareness of the peak speed, declining speed, and situational running choices by the base coaches and players. Attempts to score from 1st to home, with runners who drag the plow after two bases of running, seems to disregard basic human anatomy and physics. Trying to stretch a single into a double is great, unless you are too slow to try! Even in the piranha years the Twins weren’t stealing bases above and beyond the average it looks like, but 100+ sure is more than 30’s! They also seemed to have a realistic understanding of what their players were actually capable of. Big boppers clog the bases. Hoping they will score on an errant throw or an act of God shouldn’t outweigh trusting the next man up to get a hit. Especially with less than two outs!! I actually left a game early last season against the White Sox, not because we were losing, but because of the base running. It’s the original rally killer…and morale killer. I think that is because while most of us can never hit a Major League ball, we can make smart decisions appropriate to our ability level on the bases (even if it’s beer league softball). Great discussion, now I will go schedule time with my counselor to figure out why this topic struck such a nerve… steve

Thank you for the advice! I just remembered that one of our local Mitchell guys runs the marathon pretty frequently. I need to check with him on this years plans, but that definitely adds to the potential connections.

You can tell that I’ve been spending too much time planning travel itineraries for this “all 81” away game trip. I drove by a nativity scene downtown and realized how thankful I was that I don’t have to worry about a “donkey” column on my navigational spreadsheet. I had never once thought about what Twins players encountered on their annual pilgrimage across the North American landscape in their efforts to entertain and infuriate me throughout a baseball season until I started trying to plan right along with them. One of my favorite statistics so far has been the “Distance from Mitchell, SD, to destination” column of the spreadsheet. “Distance” serves as a tangible metric for determining “cost” and “effort” necessary for seeing all 81 away games in 2023. So in this season of reflecting on journeys made and sacrifices given to make a season as bright as possible, I thought it would be fun to reflect on the journeys that our favorite squad has made to get to their new home – Target Field. Distance in miles from Birthplace to Target Field for Twins Current 40-Man Roster (12/21/22) Name Pos Birthplace Distance to Target Field Jorge Alcala RP Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic 2269 Jordan Balazovic SP Mississauga, ON 920 Matt Canterino SP Southlake, TX 941 Jhoan Duran RP Esperanza, Dominican Republic 2168 Blayne Enlow SP Sorrento, LA 1208 Sonny Gray SP Smyrna, TN 888 Ronny Henriquez RP Bonao, Dominican Republic 2226 Griffin Jax RP Phoenix, AZ 1637 Jorge Lopez RP Caguas, Puerto Rico 2421 Kenta Maeda SP Osaka, Japan 6159 Tyler Mahle SP Newport Beach, CA 1937 Trevor Megill RP Long Beach, CA 2003 Jovani Moran RP Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 2383 Bailey Ober SP Huntersville, NC 1153 Chris Paddack SP Austin, TX 1128 Emilio Pagan RP Simpsonville, SC 1134 Joe Ryan SP San Francisco, CA 1949 Cole Sands SP Tallahassee, FL 1358 Caleb Thielbar RP Northfield, MN 44 Louie Varland SP Saint Paul, MN 13 Josh Winder SP Richmond, VA 1208 Simeon Woods Richardson SP Sugar Land, TX 1196 Ryan Jeffers C Raleigh, NC 1220 Christian Vazquez C Bayamon, Puerto Rico 2408 Luis Arraez 1B San Felipe, Venezuela 2799 Kyle Farmer SS Atlanta, GA 1113 Edouard Julien 2B Quebec City, PQ 1059 Royce Lewis SS Aliso Viejo, CA 1861 Jose Miranda 1B Manati, Puerto Rico 2394 Jorge Polanco 2B San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic 2587 Byron Buxton CF Baxley, GA 1313 Gilberto Celestino CF Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 2268 Joey Gallo LF Henderson, NV 1602 Kyle Garlick LF La Habra, CA 1844 Nick Gordon LF Avon Park, FL 1611 Max Kepler RF Berlin, Germany 4423 Alex Kirilloff LF Pittsburgh, PA 870 Trevor Larnach LF Walnut Creek, CA 1932 Matt Wallner RF Forest Lake, MN 31 Rocco Baldelli M Woonsocket, RI 1372 I don't know about you, but I’ve spent a decent chunk of time lately getting frustrated with who isn’t on our roster. I’m growing increasingly tired of that narrative. While it has become apparent that not everyone is willing to join us up here in the cornfields and snow drifts, I think it’s due time to share some thanks to those who have decided to make Target Field their home. Because upon further review, most of them had to make quite a journey to join us up here. A few could have walked! But most are far from home. What do you notice about the distance between where our current roster started and where they are now? How does your origin journey compare to those on this list? Grace and peace Twins Territory, may hope, love, joy and peace find you in this season, regardless of how many mlbtraderumor reports have Grinched you lately… Steve

Pizza is a yes....Boston Seminary at the U. for comment 2, and Dayne, the only real question is will you be making the trip too :) I think the main question now is "do I try to be there for Patriot Day" or just ride into town after the dust settles on Tuesday.

The second road trip of the 2023 Twins season contains perhaps the biggest potential for “issues,” both natural and Twins-made. It also represents the most exciting and most difficult stretch of games in the first few months. Yankee Stadium. Fenway Park. Let’s begin… 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 apparently is the place to be before first pitch. The tiered outfield seats provide a few too many flashbacks for me 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 on its own. This stretch of games carries the biggest 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 rain out 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 doesn’t happen ?. With at least 4 days in the area, I shouldn’t have to rush through the tourist situation either. Apparently the Statue of Liberty takes most of a day to visit properly. 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 just sleep in my car and eat some ham sandwiches for 4 days. Budget tbd! Mitchell, SD to Yankee Stadium gates is 1436 miles. To drive or not to drive, that 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 wider and more complicated. April 18-20 - @ Boston Red Sox (3 games) Fenway Park – capacity 37,755 (4th smallest, actually listed at 37,305 for day games because they tarp the batters 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 wiffleball 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 to actually watch the ball and not the scenery. Boston uniquely ties into my family tree as well. My father-in-law attended seminary at Boston, so my wife started kindergarten in the midst of 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 3rd Monday of April, with an 11am 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 Patriots Day 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 Tues-Thurs 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 own vehicle is engrained in my midwestern heart quite deeply. Again, amount of travelers and distance to accommodations 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." Anyone else planning on going to these series? Grace and peace Twins Territory! Thanks for the help! Steve

The summer of 2002 found me on the verge of a major move. I had accepted the invitation to seminary training at Garrett-Evangelical in Evanston, Illinois. And as nice as “Evanston” sounds, any look at a map worth its weight would tell you that I was moving to Chicago. In mid-August I packed the Buick LeSabre with a Laz-y-Boy, a Trinitron TV, all of my clothes, and embarked on my first solo road trip. I hadn’t driven in Chicago before, so I thought that packing the car to the point where I could only see out of the driver’s side window would help me conquer my fears. If you can’t see the crazy driving around you, it doesn’t exist right? I learned not to do that again. But I also learned that humans are humans, no matter where you go. It was what we call an immersion experience. I was going to be there, surrounded by other humans who were going to be there, in numbers and diversity previously only seen on movies by this farm kid. In my mind, however, there was a lifeline in the storm. Something that I could hold onto as I prepared for the move, for the commitment to my next three years of existence being "away," carried out in this foreign land of White Sox fans. You see, the Minnesota Twins were moving to Chicago the same day I was! When the schedule for 2002 came out, I had no idea how much I would depend on the winds of fate, and the flight schedules of my favorite squad. At that point in the winter I hadn’t even decided to go to more schooling, let alone which city would be my new “home.” Needless to say I hadn't given the schedule much thought, outside of the day to day Aberdeen American News weekly MLB schedule. So as I began to finalize my move-in date with the campus, I remember Dan Gladden casually mentioning that the Twins would be heading out on the road to Chicago in the week ahead. Before smartphones and Twins apps, Dan Gladden broke news like this. Like a fortune telling saint. I began to ask questions that had no immediate answers. Do they allow Twins fans into the White Sox ballpark? Can a human who has never driven in Chicago before actually navigate to the game? Is Wrigley Field different than Comiskey Park? How does a person buy a ticket without internet in his apartment yet utilizing only a bag phone from some tech startup called Verizon? Wow...those questions make 2002 seem like a different planet. Upon arrival in Evanston on August 20th, I began plotting my course. I listened to the Twins reign victorious that night on Chicago sports radio via an actual radio. I celebrated and imagined what it would be like to cheer such a victory in person on enemy soil. I called the ticket office, was assured that sell-outs don't happen, and I planned my route. Those who I encountered around the campus said, "Dear Lord don't try driving there." My apartment literally was touching a stop on el train system's purple line. So for 2 bucks, I could be driven right to the stadium's front gates on Sox & 35th Red Line stop! 90 minutes later, dressed in my bright white with navy blue pinstripe replica Twins jersey and favorite black Twins ballcap, I arrived at Comiskey. It didn't take too many stops on the el train to determine that most people in this new "home" of mine were NOT Twins fans... So with some trepidation I approached the ticket offices at the front of the stadium. And to what should my wondering eyes appear, but a vision of "home" and hope...Dick Bremer! There he was! Television star, and voice for the majority of my summer evening experiences, out on the sidewalk, surrounded by a huddle of 8-10 Twins fans all decked out in Twins gear...all absolutely second-guessing whether or not attending this game was a wise decision. I am so glad that we made the community decision to enter Comiskey that day. The crowd was awesome. The staff was so helpful. And the game...well, that's another story. We took an early lead thanks to the heroics of the man, the myth, the legend: Bobby Kielty. His single staked us out to a 1-0 lead. The world was our oyster! The sweep was on! Then, Jose Valentin tried to kill me. Emotionally and physically. There is actual video evidence of this near-death experience thanks to the miracle of ESPN highlights on youtube. At the 11:40 mark in this classic film you can see me, in my shiny white Twins jersey and black cap, standing next to the poor soul who took Valentin's homerun off his stomach! This is why wearing a glove in the outfield is a thing no matter your age, and why taking a Pepsi and nachos break almost cost me big time. What you can't see in the highlight is what makes being in the ballpark so amazing. When Valentin hit that ball, he crushed it...foul. It was foul. From my choice location in the right field corner, I watched it travel over the 1st base line foul territory and into the crowd. And then, all of a sudden, it bent like Valentin and was headed for my nachos. On the radio, its sounds like a homerun and a deflated announcer. On TV, it looks straight as an arrow and depressing as heck. In person, it was exhilerating and potentially life-ending :) The Twins lost 10-1. 17,225 people (40% capacity) witnessed it live, and I was one of them. I was in love with a team that was en route to the playoffs, and had welcomed me into a foreign land and a new chapter in my life with a rousing, flaming, bag of poo of a game. But they were there. My home had met me away. And I was grateful. The Twins would return to my new “home” exactly a month later, and a few of my closest friends (Alex, Derek, and Tim) would make the journey from Rapid City, SD as well to take in the sights and sounds of the big city with me. Friday night, Saturday afternoon…two more absolute jokes of competitive baseball ?. My first ever live rain delay ruined Rick Reed's roll in Friday's game and we fell 10-2. Saturday brought sunnier skies, a few more runs, and my second near-death experience at Comiskey Park in 2002. We were right behind the Twins bullpen, and the players were so friendly and welcoming. Then I hocked a loogie on JC Romero by accident. He chose not to end my life, and I will forever be a fan of JC because of it. I can’t even imagine how he must have felt, losing like that, rough stadium, rough trip, away from home…and the idiot in the Twins jersey forgets that he is leaning on a rail that drops straight into the bullpen. The look on his face when he leaped up from his seat went from anger to confusion to plain disappointment in a matter of seconds. But he accepted my apology. The box score will not record the save that JC gave me that day, but I always will. I’m not condoning ever spitting onto the ground in a public place, most people would argue that it is absolutely disgusting. But this farm kid had seasonal allergies, experienced the green pollinating grass and lake effect wind, and forgot his immediate surroundings. The score was 14-4, but I could care less. My friends reminded me I wasn't forgotten now matter how far away I was, the Twins reminded me that I can still be me in this new place, and JC Romero reminded me that somehow, someway, it was all going to be ok. So how about you? What was your first "away" game experience? Can you track down the highlights? Does the box score summarize your experience? When I'm asked "Why would you go to all of the away games in 2023?" my answer necessarily needs to start here, at Comiskey Park in 2002, where it all began for me. Bonus shout out an amazing 2002 Twins cast of characters, and their arch-nemesis White Sox for providing me the three whoopings that started me on my path towards "All 81." I look forward to hearing about your first "away" experiences! How did you get to the game? What was the atmosphere like? Attendance? Food? Near-death experiences? :) Grace and peace, Steve

The "All 81" away game journey begins in 109 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... Here's my plan of attack for keeping everyone in the loop during planning season: 1. Monday blogs will focus on the 16 trips involved in the 2023 Twins season. I'm going to be focusing on stadium highlights, attributes, Twins history, and community amenities. Potential pitfalls and road blocks 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. 2. Friday blogs will focus on the "Why the heck are you doing this?" aspects of the trip. Stories and connection to Twins baseball, and the journey from growing up in the middle of South Dakota on a small farm to navigating a cross-country road trip for the ages. Also, the nature of the trip, the partnerships that get established in order to make it happen, and the last-minute excitements of the planning phase will be shared. 3. Starting March 30th, 2023 - Game-day blogs. Lots of them. I'll read the room and see if anyone cares about my thoughts on being back in Mitchell for watching "home" games. I'm guessing a "While I was home" summary blog before I head out on each trip will suffice. The only way to begin such a journey is by starting, so here we go... 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) It's 1st 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! Open bowl format, southeast of Kansas City in a complex with the 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 geometric alignment of 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 LA in May will require less 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 2020 Covid season) It's 1st season of use was 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 snow for years. I said, "Why don't they start in Florida or 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. Retractable roof (start your Target Field regret comments below), night club (closed 2020?), beautiful outside and inside. The best part? I could get 30 dollar prime dugout seats today via their website. I mean its 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! Bobblehead museum contains 400 of the old owner Loria's collection, but something tells me that might be a little creepy. Me and doll museum vibes don't go together well. Moon's 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 its the first week of the season. Hope probably will still exist in Marlin land there. 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 cancelled 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! Steve

All crazy ideas start out with smaller, somewhat less crazy ideas. In Twins Territory, staring out at a foot of sanded/graying snow usually factors in as well. Going to every Twins away game in 2023 started out similarly. It began to sprout one February evening, while I celebrated an annual bro event with some of my closest friends JP and Steve Hain. JP and I had been picking Oscar winners and then competing against one another "live" on Oscar night since we were in Jr. High. I think we figured out that February 2022 marked our 28th Oscar-versary. From rotary phone, to cordless, to cell phone, to skype, to zoom...we haven't missed a year. I've won twice. Hain joined the competition in college and quickly became a natural. He's won once. This past Oscar night I made a casual observation while trying to figure out my Target Field journeys for the season. The Twins were finally headed to Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks. As Hain has been residing in the "warm state" for several years, the opportunities to see his native MN Twins live and up close have been few and far between. I jokingly toss out the notion that he should clean out his guest room for June 17-19. We are going to all 3 games. He laughs and says: "Its on." Here's something you will discover about me over the course of this blog. Impulse control isn't high on my list of acquired skills. By the time the dust had settled on another JP Oscars victory, I had purchased a plane ticket for June 17 to Phoenix. Fast forward past the "You did what now?," "That doesn't actually work!," and "Arizona is where now?" moments through March and April...May turns into June, and the Twins are flying high. Not as high as they were in May...but good enough for this guy. I land in Phoenix: temperature on the ground is 108. On the tarmac: 120. My airport Snickers bar melts between the gift shop and Hain's car out front. Chase Field, we are gonna test that AC today. Hain and a fellow transplanted Twins fan Will Roche pick me up at the airport, and we get a move on towards downtown. Lesson #1 regarding going to away games...the airport is not next to the stadium, no matter how close they look on a map on your phone. What do I notice? With only the Metrodome to guide my indoor baseball expectations, Chase Field in and of itself worth the trip. Even with the sidewalk cooking at 120, by the time I'd gotten my first Pepsi and found our Covid-season loyalty reward seats behind home plate, I was cool, comfortable, and ready to watch a 3-game sweep. Apparently we also attended during two amazing moments in Diamondbacks history: a 20th Anniversary Museum display that pointed out how this young franchise had won a world series against the Yankees during my lifetime, and Father's Day Hawaiian shirt day (as modeled by Hain here). Lesson #2 regarding going to away games...the road team usually doesn't win, but no-one told Byron that in the first at-bat. Buck led off Game 1 with a cannon blast HR. My baby blue Correa jersey was flapping on me like a flag as I bounced around the aisles with other scattered Twins fans. Lesson #3 regarding going to away games...wearing a Correa jersey in opposing ballparks allows the home fans to have a target for those other 2.75 hours that Carlos himself isn't up at the plate. Each game. All game long. I don't know how he does it. But I sure as heck hope I get to watch him try for another 7-9 seasons (Carlos, if you are reading this, sign already!). We lost the first game 7-1, we drove to Tucson, we drove back the next day to the same parking spot (now chilled to 105 degrees thanks to a rare rain shower, which was good because I overate at a Rosa's local Mexican eatery), we won the second game 11-1, we drove back to Tucson, we drove back the next day to the same parking spot (holding steady at 103), we lost the final game of the series 7-2. Lesson #4 regarding going to a full series of away games...it is possible to go 3 straight days to a MLB ballpark, witness 29 runs and experience absolutely no competitive baseball excitement. More to come on that regard in future blogs... Ok fellow travelers, this entry could easily stretch on for another 80 paragraphs or so. I'm still workshopping how much to share as I envision weekly bursts of daily "away" games, followed by weekly breaks of "home" life. That's what the Hot Stove "planning season" is for I guess, therefore I will cut to the Chase (Dad pun intended). The Twins vs. Diamondbacks trip to Arizona was one of the best trips of my life. That feeling of having an idea, seeing it through to completion, investing in a key friendship that Covid and distance had disrupted over time, seeing other Twins fans trying to operate outside of their normal habitat...priceless. I want more of that. I believe we all could use more of that. I'm betting that 26 series and 38,000 miles should about do it :) I know already that Hain, founder of "Twinsmas," will be there with me at Coors Field (the closest stadium to Tucson) October 1, 2023, ready to close out this crazy ride. Merry Twinsmas indeed, and to all a few more free agents! Grace and peace, Steve "All 81" Trefz

Preaching to the choir here! Appreciate the links and conversation. As a guy who does qualitative research for a living, having ways to describe how we “know” a group isn’t working well together in a world that defaults to quantitative worldview is definitely an emerging field still. At the end of the day, I’ve never heard someone say that the player didn’t help the team because they were “too much of a clubhouse guy.” I’m currently leaning into a project on some of these factors and how they impact life on the road (aka wins and losses outside of Target Field). Keep the good info coming!

Both....my dad did similar with the dairy side, and my brother (pictured with Twins-rific grin in the tractor) rans/runs the beef operation. I avoided most of both until I got "away" from the farm...now I can't get enough of it :)