Cody Christie

Yeah. Thanks. Not sure how that happened. I edited the article to fix it.

Well things have certainly gone crazy since my initial roster projection. Spring training has shut down, Opening Day is a question mark, and America’s pastime is trying to figure out what the future holds. MLB is planning on expanding rosters to start the 2020 campaign and that significantly alters Minnesota’s plan as the team prepares for the season’s start.Major League Baseball was already planning on expanding rosters for the 2020 season from 25 players to 26 players. Now, it sounds like MLB will add even more roster protections with rosters being expanded to 29 players, at least for the beginning of the season. So how does that impact the Twins. Let’s find out. Editor's Note: The originally posted article did not include a designated hitter spot. The author went back and added Nelson Cruz and took a pitcher out of the bullpen. Catchers (3): Mitch Garver, Alex Avila, Willians Astudillo With a likely scenario that includes multiple doubleheaders and possibly back-to-back doubleheader days, it will be critical for the Twins to carry a minimum of three catchers. My original plan included Astudillo heading to Rochester to start the year, but that won’t be possible now. Garver and Avila could rotate through a regularly scheduled season like Garver and Jason Castro did in 2019. Astudillo has an option remaining so he could be sent down later in the year if roster sizes change as the season moves on. Infielders (5): Ehire Adrianza, Luis Arraez, Josh Donaldson, Jorge Polanco, Miguel Sano Minnesota’s infield projection is pretty clear with four regulars and Ehire Adrianaza serving as a replacement for players when the need an off-day. Marwin Gonzalez is another middle infield option, but Adrianza is a far superior defender and Gonzalez can be used in the outfield as a replacement. Minnesota might have the best offensive infield in the American League, and it will be fun to see what these players can do in a shortened season. Outfielders (5): Byron Buxton, Jake Cave, Marwin Gonzalez, Max Kepler, Eddie Rosario Byron Buxton was a question mark for the original Opening Day, but a delayed start means he should be healthy and ready to go. Max Kepler is looking to build off a tremendous 2019 campaign and it’s hard to know if Eddie Rosario will be on the Twins beyond 2020. After Sano’s spring injury last year, Gonzalez found himself in a starting role. That likely won’t be the case this year and he will have to slide into a bench player role, especially in a shortened season. Designated Hitter (1): Nelson Cruz Cruz will be entering is coming off a year where he was named the team's MVP, but he is only under contract through the end of the year. Can he match last year's production, even if the season is shortened? Rotation (6): Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, Kenta Maeda, Homer Bailey, Rich Hill, Jhoulys Chacin Major League Baseball hasn’t clarified how the 29-man roster would be designated. It seems likely for there to be fewer off-days and more scheduled doubleheaders. This will make it important to carry more starting pitchers, especially with Michael Pineda still serving his suspension. This allows Rich Hill and Jhoulys Chacin to slide into Minnesota’s newly created six-man rotation. Hill won’t be ready until June, at best, but MLB baseball might not be ready until that time either. Other players in the bullpen could also fill in for a spot start if doubleheaders are expanded. Bullpen (9): Taylor Rogers, Trevor May, Tyler Duffey, Sergio Romo, Zack Littell, Tyler Clippard, Cody Stashak, Matt Wisler, Devin Smeltzer This bullpen is good; like really good. It’s too bad a shortened season is going to take away from the impact this bullpen could have over a 162-game season. That being said, this group could be lights out in the post-season. Taylor Rogers was one of the most reliable bullpen arms in 2019. The trio of Trevor May, Tyler Duffey, and Sergio Romo were dominant at season’s end. Adding the other arms listed above will make this bullpen fun to watch no matter how many games are played in 2020. How would this roster fare in the newly proposed division realignments? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Travis Blankenhorn was a third-round pick back in 2015 before the current front office regime took over. He’s been able to steadily move through the system over the last five seasons while spending the majority of last season at Double-A. Twins Daily caught up with him to ask him five questions as he prepares for the 2020 campaign.Blakenhorn has been younger than the average age of the competition at every stop in his professional career. Now entering his age-23 season, he has been added to the Twins 40-man roster and he is waiting for his chance to prove himself at the big-league level. His versatility and baseball instincts could make him a valuable piece of the Twins in the not-so-distant future. Twins Daily (TD): How is preparation for this season different from other years? Travis Blankenhorn (TB): I have some weights in my basement and some nets to hit into, so I’ve been able to continue working out and training for baseball. TD: You’ve played five different defensive positions during your professional career. Which position are you most comfortable at and why? TB: I’m just trying to be the most versatile player to get in the lineup. TD: The Twins added you to the 40-man roster this off-season. What did it feel like when you got that news? TB: Getting that news was great. It was fun to enjoy the night with my family. TD: If you were writing a scouting report on yourself, what would it say? TB: Hard working, with the ability to play anywhere. TD: If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why? TB: I’ll take teleportation so I can go wherever I want whenever I want. I think I could get around the bases pretty fast that way too. Haha Here are the other posts in the "Five Questions" series: - Lewis Thorpe - Brent Rooker - Randy Dobnak - Dave St. Peter MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The USA Today’s Bob Nightengale is reporting that Major League Baseball is considering dropping the National League and American League for the 2020 season. This would allow clubs to play in their spring training sites and have completely new divisions based on geography. Minnesota’s new division would be much tougher than the American League Central, so how could that impact their 2020 season?Welcome to the Grapefruit League South! Under MLB’s new proposal, the Twins would play in a division that includes the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, and Baltimore Orioles. With most of the original AL East and a strong Braves team, Minnesota’s path to the postseason will be tougher, but could it make the team stronger over the course of the season? The Cellar Baltimore is not going anywhere this season, especially coming off a season where the club lost 108 games. The Orioles are likely happy to be getting out of playing the Yankees 19-times this season. Other than that, they would see most of the AL East on a regular basis under this plan. Most teams in the Grapefruit League South should take full advantage of a rebuilding Baltimore squad. There are few up-and-coming stars on Baltimore’s roster and their farm system isn’t exactly overflowing with MLB talent. It seems like the Orioles are destined for the cellar no matter what division they are placed in for 2020. Predicted Division Finish: 5th The Mighty Have Fallen Boston entered this off-season with one goal, cut payroll and get under the luxury tax threshold. After messing up a three-team trade including the Twins, the Red Sox were still able to make a deal to dump Mookie Betts and David Price while acquiring some decent prospects (one of which has been injured since the team made the trade). Minnesota versus Boston seems like such an intriguing storyline for the 2020 season. The Twins can use the cancelled Brusdar Graterol trade as motivation and run over one of the top organizations in recent years. The Red Sox aren’t exactly in win-now mode, so they may have less to play for in a season where the divisions are realigned. Predicted Division Finish: 4th The Contenders Tampa Bay and Atlanta are certainly more difficult than Cleveland and Chicago in the AL Central. That being said, the Twins were already expected to finish higher than these two teams in the regular season. MLB.com had the Twins, Rays and Braves ranked as the fourth, fifth and sixth team in their early-season Power Rankings. Tampa seems to always find a way to compete in a tough division and Atlanta is on the rise. Realistically, anything could happen in an altered season with the possibility of an electronic strike zone, new ballparks and a shortened schedule. Atlanta would also likely need to adjust to using a full-time designated hitter after having little to no time to prepare for the transition. The Braves still have Ronald Acuna, who might be the MLB’s second-best player behind Mike Trout. Predicted Division Finish: 2nd (Atlanta) and 3rd (Tampa) The Favorite? The Twins were supposed to be good, like really good. A historically good offense, a dominate bullpen and depth at starting pitching made it hard not to conjure up memories of the 1987 and 1991 season. Minnesota also saw plenty of line-up pieces deal with injuries last season. A completely healthy line-up would offer little rest for a pitching staff from one through nine in the line-up. Rich Hill could also be healthy for the majority of the season. Realistically, the Braves, Rays and Twins would likely beat-up on each other throughout a shortened season and teams would need to take advantage of games against the Orioles and Red Sox. This is a significantly tougher division for the Twins, but it could make them more playoff ready and that could be a concern for other team’s across baseball. Predicted Division Finish: 1st How do you feel like the division would turn out? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

There have only been four presidents in the history of the Twins and Dave St. Peter has served in the role since 2002. He has been part of the Twins organization since 1990 and he has worked his way up from intern all the way to the club’s highest position. Minnesota has won seven American League Central Division championships.With one of the strongest rosters in baseball, the Twins were on the cusp of what looked to be a magical 2020 season. Now there are plenty of questions and not many answers about when and where baseball will return. Here are five questions with Twins President Dave St. Peter. Twins Daily (TD): What did you miss most about the Home Opener not happening last week? Dave St. Peter (DSP): There is so much to miss about baseball and our Home Opener. There is nothing like baseball’s Opening Day. It’s so rich with tradition and serves as a pseudo-holiday in most major league markets. In markets like Minnesota, it also serves as the unofficial start of spring. But what I miss the most are the people. Each and every year the Opener provides a platform for a reunion of our players and staff with the hundreds of ballpark employees, our fans, our partners, etc. Re-engaging with these folks is always a huge highlight of the season. I miss these folks and all they do to make Twins baseball what it is. TD: Expectations were high for the club this season. Should expectations change with a potentially shortened season? DSP: Assuming we are able to play baseball, I see no reason why expectations should change. We have a talented group of players with a singular focus. That reality shouldn’t be impacted by the current crisis. While we ultimately need to step up and accept the many challenges even a shortened season will present, at the end of the day we like our chances. We believe in our group. TD: What can fans expect as Major League Baseball develops a plan for a shortened season? DSP: I wish I could answer this question in a definitive way. Unfortunately, there are currently more questions than answers. It’s safe to say the current crisis will force all sports leagues – not just baseball – to ensure fan and player safety while also being nimble and creative in relation to what constitutes our season. TD: What has changed with the day-to-day operations of the club due to a delayed start to the season? DSP: The change is drastic considering there are no games (majors, minors, college, high school) being played. That reality and its impact on our players, coaches, staff, scouts and fans consumes each and every day. Our remote work environment has proven to be successful in allowing our people to remain connected both internally and externally. Beyond looking out for our people, our leadership is focused on ensuring the team is prepared for multiple scenarios related to a return to play plan, the amateur draft, etc. TD: What’s the best part about being a graduate of the University of North Dakota? DSP: I’m quite proud to be a UND grad. It’s a great school with wonderful traditions and high-character people. Any success I’ve had can be directly attributed to my time at UND. Go Sioux!!!! Here are the other posts in the "Five Questions" series: - Lewis Thorpe - Brent Rooker - Randy Dobnak MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Randy Dobnak started a playoff game for the Twins last season at Yankee Stadium. With an improved pitching staff, Dobnak entered spring training knowing he’d be fighting for a spot in the rotation. Spring training got cut short, routines change, and Dobnak is still preparing to impact the 2020 Twins. Here are five questions with the Twins pitcher as he prepares for the upcoming season.Dobnak pitched at four different levels in 2019, but his most important stop might have been in 2018 with Cedar Rapids. At that level, he was able to make some adjustments that have impacted his career to this day. He’s coming off his best professional season, so what can he do for an encore? Twins Daily (TD): How has your baseball routine changed since players were sent home from spring training? Randy Dobnak (RD): Having access to a gym has been a little tougher. I’ve been doing more body-weight and band-resisted lifts to stay in shape. I have been able to throw off the mound to a catcher which is nice. I’ve been throwing a pen each week and then kind of simulating a live game where I throw 60 pitches or so in 3 different stints. TD: Last season was a memorable one for the Twins. What memory sticks with you the most? RD: Just being given the opportunity to play with a team like last year's is something special. Winning the division, breaking the home run record, and pitching in the post -season is something I’ll always remember! TD: Expectations are high for the Twins entering 2020. How will a shortened season impact the team? RD: I don’t think the shortened season will affect us much. We are all still going to go out and give it our best effort each day in and day out, and we will control what we can control. TD: What coach has been the biggest influence on your career up to this point? RD: I’ve had a lot of coaches that have helped me along the way but most notable would have to be Justin Willard. He was my pitching coach in Cedar Rapids in 2018 when he introduced me to the sinker that has helped me form into the pitcher I am now. TD: What is your favorite baseball movie of all-time and why? RD: I’m a big fan of Moneyball. I like the true story type of movies, and it’s interesting to see the behind the scenes of how things go. Other than that, the original Sandlot, just because it’s the OG! Here are the other posts in the "Five Questions" series: - Lewis Thorpe - Brent Rooker - Travis Blankenhorn MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Over the last couple of weeks, I was missing baseball and March Madness, so I decided to create a bracket for fans to select their all-time favorite player from the Minnesota Twins. There ended up being four regions, 32 players and some potential controversy along the way. Who was named the fans' all-time favorite Twins player?World Series Region After a Hall of Fame career and multiple heroic World Series moments, Kirby Puckett was named the tournament’s number one overall seed. Kent Hrbek was the number two seed in the region and these two seemed destined for an Elite Eight match-up. Both would advance before Puckett took out Hrbek to make the Final Four. Jack Morris might have been the one surprise in this region as he was able to defeat Tom Brunansky in the first round. Morris was the higher seed, but he only played one season in Minnesota. Still, his one season was a magical one and he pitched one of the greatest games in baseball history. It also helps that he has continued to have a media presence in the Twin Cities since retiring. Download attachment: World Series Region.jpg Current Twins Region The Tournament Committee might have underestimated some of the players in the Current Twins Region. The biggest upset of the tournament happened in this region and it was the only region where a non-number one seed was able to make the Final Four. Nelson Cruz was given the number one seed in the region after being named the team’s MVP. Cruz made it all the way to the region final, but he was upset by Max Kepler, the region’s three seed. Kepler took out Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton along the way. The bracket’s biggest first round upset might have been Jose Berrios, the region’s number two seed, being taken out by Byron Buxton, a seven seed. Buxton’s Cinderella story ended in the next round, but he was able to handily beat the team’s two-time All-Star and scheduled Opening Day starter. Download attachment: Current Twins Region.jpg Metrodome Region Of all the regions, this one might have included some of the biggest tournament snubs. Jacque Jones, Nick Punto, Doug Mientkiewicz and others were left out of the tournament with names like Lew Ford and Francisco Liriano beating them out. Joe Mauer was the easy selection as the number one and he had enough to beat out Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter to make the Final Four. The closest match-up in the entire tournament was between Johan Santana, the three seed, and Torii Hunter, the two seed. Heading into the final hour of voting it was deadlocked at 50-50. Hunter used a last-minute run to overtake Santana and head to the Elite Eight before eventually losing to Mauer. Download attachment: Metrodome Region.jpg Early Twins Region Many fans on social media are far removed from the early Twins and their impact on this franchise. Harmon Killebrew earned the number one seed in the region and the number two overall seed and he seemed like the front-runner for the championship. He fell short of this goal, but it might have been connected to recency bias instead of his overall greatness. Minnesota has seven retired players eligible for this bracket and four of them made it through the first round. Realistically, the Mount Rushmore of Twins players includes multiple players from this region that wouldn’t be represented in the Final Four. Bert Blyleven and Tony Oliva weren’t able to upset the higher seeds and it set up a Killebrew vs. Carew final for the ages. Download attachment: Early Twins Region.jpg Final Four Both semifinal matchups turned out to be no contests as the most recent legend in Twins history, Joe Mauer, beat out an all-time legend in Harmon Killebrew. Max Kepler, out of the Current Twins region, hasn’t made any big catches or hit any big home runs in the World Series, so it made sense for him to be demolished by Kirby Puckett. Puckett versus Mauer would be the final and it looked close at the beginning of the voting. After about eight hours of voting, both players were nearly tied for the top spot. Some on Twitter thought it would be atrocious for Mauer to beat-out Puckett, the World Series hero. Stronger heads prevailed and the top seed in the tournament, Puckett, cut down the nets. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Brent Rooker was gearing up for the 2020 season thinking he had an opportunity to make his big-league debut and be part of one of the strongest teams in baseball. Now he is left wondering when the season will begin and how that will impact his eventual call-up. Rooker was kind enough to answer five (well almost five) questions for Twins Daily.The Twins actually drafted Rooker in two different drafts. He was the team’s 38th round pick in 2016 and then the club took him with their supplemental first round pick, 35th overall, the very next year. Rooker worked his way to Triple-A last season where he was almost three years younger than the average age of the competition. Now entering his age-25 season, Rooker is on a path to make his big-league debut. Twins Daily (TD): How do you feel like the season’s delayed start will impact your 2020 season? Brent Rooker (BR): I’ll try to not let it impact me at all. We’re all at home preparing just like it’s the off season so theoretically we should all be ready to go when the time comes just like normal. TD: What are your goals for the 2020 season? BR: The goal for me for 2020 is obviously to get to the big leagues, but beyond just getting there is to make it up and perform well enough to contribute to major league wins. TD: Did you notice a difference in the baseball at Triple-A last season? BR: I think most guys could tell a difference with the way ball came off in AAA last year vs. in AA the year before. TD: If you could envision your perfect MLB career, what would people say about you when all is said and done? BR: I obviously wanna be a guy who has a lot of on field success, both individual and team; but I also want to be able to impact the people around me in a positive manner in more ways than just baseball. TD: You can have dinner with three people (living or dead), who are they and why did you pick them? Rooker decided to forego the final question because he thought it would be tough to pick just three people and he wouldn’t like his choices no matter how he answered it. Here are the other posts in the "Five Questions" series: - Lewis Thorpe MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Lewis Thorpe was supposed to be entering a critical season in his young big-league career. Minnesota’s front office has high hopes for him entering 2020 and there was some thought he could earn the fifth starter job out of spring training. Some personal matters took him away from two weeks of spring training and the club sent him back to the minors with their first round of cuts. With spring training on hiatus, I caught up with Thorpe to ask him five questions.Thorpe was coming off a 2019 season where he appeared in 12 big-league games and posted a 6.18 ERA with a 1.74 WHIP. While those numbers, don’t exactly jump off the page, he posted a promising 10.1 K/9 at the MLB level and a 11.1 K/9 at the Triple-A level. The Twins are hoping to see his strikeouts continue as he figures out how to pitch at baseball’s highest level. With uncertainty surrounding the 2020 season, Thorpe continue to train in Fort Myers. Patrick took a stab at what could be next for Thorpe. He has also been increasingly active on social media including helping get pizzas delivered to the Yankees minor league players in quarantine. Twins Daily (TD): How are you preparing with the delayed start to the season? Lewis Thorpe (LT): Keeping on my routine and staying relaxed. TD: How will a delayed start impact other players? LT: Hopefully, it doesn’t affect them, and they can stay positive. TD: What is the biggest change you will make for a shortened season? LT: No changes. Just go out there and do my job to support the team and win. TD: If doubleheaders become a regular part of the schedule, how ill that impact you getting ready for games? LT: Doubleheaders are gonna be tough, but the fellas are strong, and we will take the right measures to get them W. TD: What actor would play you in the movie about your career? LT: I wanna be the guy in the movie. LOL. It would be cool to try that. Make sure to give Thorpe a follow on Twitter as he has been running some fun giveaways for fans. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

If and when the baseball season resumes, Minnesota will be sending out Miguel Sano as their everyday first baseman. There have been plenty of legendary players to man first base during their Twins tenure. In fact, four of the team’s players whose numbers have been retired spent multiple seasons manning first base. So how have these legends fared on the defensive side of the ball?Harmon Killebrew Killebrew moved all over the field during his big-league career as the Twins shuffled him between the left field and both corner infield spots. He spent more time at first base than any other position. His fielding percentage at first was the best of any position (.992). His total zone rating in runs above average was -6, but at third he was a -51 and he was a -19 in left field. Like Killebrew, Sano is in the Twins line-up because he can put baseballs into orbit with his powerful swing. Unlike Killebrew, the designated hitter role could impact Sano as his career progresses. Killebrew was forced to play a defensive position because the DH didn’t exist until the tail-end of his career. If Sano struggles with the transition to first, he could move to DH after Nelson Cruz vacates that position for the Twins. Rod Carew While Killebrew and Sano share similarities, Rod Carew and Sano might be the furthest thing apart when it comes to body type and approach at the plate. Carew did not move full time to first base until his age-30 season and his lone MVP award came in his second full season at first base. He played three full seasons there before leaving for the Angels and he amassed an 18 total zone rating. His best season at first base actually came in 1982 when he posted an 18 total zone rating, a career high. With a .991 fielding percentage, he and Killebrew posted nearly identical marks for their careers. Like Carew, Sano started his professional career at another defensive position where he wasn’t exactly strong defensively. Carew provided a -3 total zone rating in nearly 9,500 innings at second base. This included a bad season (1971: -11 TZ) and a couple of good seasons (1969, 1975: 6 TZ). Sano had multiple seasons with a -10 TZ rating at third including last season. His best season (4 TZ) was in 2016 when he was limited to 42 games at third. Kent Hrbek Both players above made the Hall of Fame, but Kent Hrbek was Minnesota born and he was part of some of the most famous plays at first base in team history (See: Final out 1987, Ron Gant). Hrbek posted a .994 fielding percentage at first with a 16 TZ rating. He had multiple seasons with a TZ rating higher than five, but he also had two of his final five seasons with a -7 TZ. Arguably, his best defensive season was 1984 when he finished second for the AL MVP. Like Hrbek, the Twins hope Sano can provide a big target for infielders especially Minnesota’s current middle infield duo. Jorge Polanco and Luis Arraez are both below average on the defensive side of the ball. Last season, Polanco was saved multiple times by CJ Cron after throwing the ball in the dirt. With a big target at first, the team’s advice for this season is to throw it high because those types of throws will be easier for a less experienced first baseman. Joe Mauer Joe Mauer won multiple Gold Gloves in his career, but all of them came as a catcher which is considerably harder defensive position than first base. Most people thought his transition from catcher to first base would be smooth because of his athleticism, but it was a skill he had to improve. In his first three seasons at first, he combined for a -6 TZ ranking, but over his final two seasons he posted positive totals to end his career with an overall 0 TZ at first. He also combined to have a .996 fielding percentage, a higher total than any player mentioned above. Like Mauer, Sano has played his entire career in an advanced analytical age and this means more defensive data to gauge player effectiveness. SABR’s Defensive Index has been used to help pick the Gold and Platinum Glove winners in each league since 2013. Back in 2014, Mauer finished tied with Albert Pujols (3.8 SDI) for the top SDI ranking at first. He tied that SDI total in 2017, but it was only good enough to finish third overall at first base. Last season, only two players ranked worse than Sano (-6.8 SDI) at third base according to SDI. What do you remember about these different defenders? How good can Sano be at first? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Baseball is a sport where tradition is engrained in the fabric of the game. As far as baseball traditions go, the Twins Cities have a long history, but the MLB history in the city is relatively young. Last spring, Paul Goldberger released a book called Ballpark: Baseball in the American City and he chronicled baseball’s different ballpark eras and what they have meant to the cities in which they reside. Here’s how the Twins ballpark history follows closely with trends seen through baseball’s different eras. The Suburban Era: Metropolitan Stadium Metropolitan Stadium was one of the first stadiums to be part of a trend that moved from city centers to the suburbs. One of the biggest reasons for this trend was the lack of space and rising cost of land. Bloomington allowed the Twins to build a large complex with plenty of parking, especially since the team’s fans would be coming from multiple states and cars would be the main form of transportation. Paul Golberger, the author, said, “Metropolitan, in the midst of a huge parking lot, exemplifies the notion of the suburban stadium (and how logical that it would become the site of the Mall of America, the ultimate suburban mall).” Some fans were sad to see the Met’s eventual demise. Goldberger said, “Fans do get attached to places because they have intense emotional experiences there, and understandably they become the source of deep-seated, meaningful memories.” The Met helped convince a franchise to move to Minnesota and it served the team well for multiple decades including the team’s first World Series appearance, but baseball continued to evolve, and the Twins made the move from the suburbs into the city. The Domed Era: The Metrodome Houston’s AstroDome ushered in a new ballpark experience for fans and Minnesota would follow, although it would be 17 years after the AstroDome opened. The Metrodome certainly had its quirks and as a multipurpose stadium it didn’t exactly ever feel like a ballpark. Everything about the stadium was fake from the grass to the pumped in air, but it certainly fit in with some of the stadiums at the time. “The Metrodome was one of the most egregious of the domed stadiums with no connection to anything around it and no natural connection to baseball,” said Goldberger. Some of the Twins’ most memorable moments came under a Teflon roof on artificial grass, but all the Dome’s flaws made the move back outdoors even more impressive. The Return to Downtown Era: Target Field Target Field opened in 2010 and it followed in the footsteps of plenty of ballparks that returned to downtowns across the United States and became part of the city again. Camden Yards in Baltimore, Coors Field in Denver, and PNC Park in Pittsburgh are just a few examples of what a city can do to make a ballpark integrated into a downtown footprint. “Target is a really fine example of the later generation, where baseball not only came back into the city but was of the city, integrated with it,” said Goldberger. Later he said, “The home stadium for any team you care about will become a place you feel emotionally connected to, even if it’s a lousy piece of architecture and doesn’t do its job very well. But in a place like Target you can have the same emotional intensity and the same long-lasting memories and have a much happier environment besides.” The Future Target Field celebrated its 10th anniversary last season and the Twins front office and the Pohlad family continue to make upgrades on a yearly basis. Some teams like Atlanta and Texas abandoned relatively new ballparks in hopes of creating a different type of baseball experience. “There’s no reason a ballpark can’t last for 50, 75 or even 100 years with proper care,” said Goldberger. “There is absolutely no reason that the Texas Rangers had to tear down Globe Life Park, which was only 25.” The Twins have also embraced another budding ballpark trend by creating specific spaces at Target Field. Areas like Bat & Barrel, Minnie & Paul’s and Barrio are open to all fans and combine a social atmosphere that is far from the traditional way of watching a game. Goldberger said, “We’re seeing much more in the way of social spaces in ballparks now, including standing room areas where people can get drinks and wander, treating the experience of the game more like a cocktail party than something you need to observe from a fixed seat.” Moving forward there could be another possibility for growth without leaving Target Field. Some organizations have started to create spaces around the ballpark that make for a full-day experience. “Team owners, wanting to have more sources of revenue, are buying and controlling adjacent properties outside the gate,” said Goldberger. “We see that at Wrigley Field, and also at Busch Stadium, where the Cardinals have developed the adjacent site as Ballpark Village.” Target Field has certainly been a revelation when compared to previous Minnesota ballparks, but fans were very passionate about some of the quirks with Metropolitan Stadium and the Metrodome. Baseball is meant to be outside under the sun and it will be exciting to see what Target Field could be in the future. What are your memories with all of Minnesota’s ballparks? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email View full article

No team is certain what the future will hold for the 2020 season, but baseball has dealt with multiple delays and work stoppages throughout its long history. Since the Twins moved to Minnesota, there have been three major shortened seasons, so let’s look back at the Twins in baseball’s previously shortened seasons.1972 Record: 77-77 (3rd in the AL West) The first player strike in baseball history took out the first two weeks of the 1972 season. Players wanted an increase in their pension fund payments and salary arbitration added to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. A total of 86 games were lost over 13-days with most teams losing six to eight games. With teams playing a different number of games, the Detroit Tigers won the AL East by half a game because they played one more game than the Boston Red Sox. Rod Carew and Bert Blyleven were the Twins team leaders in WAR. Carew hit .318/.369/.379 (.749) with 27 extra-base hits in 142 games. Blyleven pitched nearly 290 innings and posted a 2.73 ERA with 228 strikeouts and 69 walks. Harmon Killebrew led the team with 26 home runs, but Bobby Darwin was close behind with 22. Dick Woodson nearly matched Blyleven with 251 2/3 innings and a 2.72 ERA. 1981 Record: 41-68 (7th in the AL West) Every team played roughly 107 games in 1981 after the players walked out on June 11 and didn’t return until August 10. Owners were pushing for draft pick compensation when losing a free agent player and they also wanted to be able to take a player off the roster of the team where the free agent signed. Because the stoppage was in the middle of the year, MLB had division winners from the season’s first and second halves face off in a division series before moving on to a championship series. Unfortunately for baseball, the teams with the top two records (Cincinnati and St. Louis) missed the playoffs because of this format. Minnesota’s final season in Metropolitan Stadium was certainly one to forget as the team struggled out of the gate in the first half and finished with a 17-39 record. The second half went a little better as the team ended up fourth in the AL West with a 24-29 record. There were few notable names among the team’s top WAR contributors. Doug Corbett, Albert Williams, John Castino and Pete Redfern are not exactly a top-tier list of former Twins greats. 1995 Record: 56-88 (5th in the AL Central) In what might be baseball’s most famous work stoppage, the 1994 season had ended early and baseball’s strike wouldn’t end until the beginning of April 1995. Players were given three weeks to get themselves in playing shape at a shortened spring training before heading into a 144-game season. It would be the first year where the playoffs would use a three-division format with a wild card team. For Twins fans, a moment occurred in 1995 that no one saw coming, Kirby Puckett’s final game. On September 28, Puckett stepped in against Dennis Martinez and took a pitch to the head. He would play during spring 1996 before waking up with blurred vision in his right eye. Beside Puckett, Chuck Knoblauch and Marty Cordova were the team’s WAR leaders. Cordova beat out the likes of Garret Anderson and Andy Pettitte to win the AL Rookie of the Year. Baseball messed up the playoffs in 1972 and 1981, so it will be interesting to see how the season will unfold when and if the teams return to action. Minnesota hasn’t fared well in any of baseball’s previously shortened seasons, but on paper, the 2020 version of the Twins are certainly set up to do well. How will this season’s delay compare to the previously shortened seasons? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Spring training is getting closer to coming to a close, which means Opening Day is right around the corner. Luckily for the Twins, almost all their regular players [knock on wood] seem to be on track to be on the field in Oakland. Byron Buxton might be the lone exception to players expected to be everyday contributors. So, is Byron Buxton behind schedule for Opening Day?Initial Reports Byron Buxton is recovering from season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left-shoulder. He started swinging in late January, hitting off a tee in February and taking live batting practice this week. Slow and steady seems to be the name of the game and it’s certainly makes sense with Buxton’s injury history. Near the beginning of spring training, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the club anticipated Buxton being ready for game action by mid-March. This deadline is quickly approaching, and Buxton has yet to appear in a game. Even if he does appear in games in the next week, will that be enough time put him on the Opening Day roster by March 26. "There's no rushing this process," Buxton told MLB.com. "I know what I've got to do to be able to get back to being myself, and rushing is not one of them." Manager Rocco Baldelli echoed this sentiment on Monday. "I don't have a schedule for Byron Buxton," Baldelli said. "Our training staff does not have a schedule for Byron. He's going to show us what his schedule will be by how well everything goes as it is laid out." Buxton was off to a strong start last season before getting injured as he seemed to have found himself offensively. In 87 games, he hit .262/.314/.513 (.827) with 44 extra-base hits. His 30 doubles were near the top of the league before he missed time. Matthew Trueblood wrote there could be one seemingly small adjustment that would yield a big payoff. Roster Impact If Buxton isn’t ready for Opening Day, there will be a few moving pieces that impact the overall 26-man roster. Firstly, Max Kepler would move from right field to center field where he played for parts of last season after Buxton’s injury. Secondly, Marwin Gonzalez would likely take over as an everyday player to start the year, but he has been coming back from an offseason knee surgery of his own, so the Twins would need other outfield depth. Jake Cave and LaMonte Wade Jr. would likely be vying to serve in the back-up outfielder role. Cave hit .258/.351/.455 (.805) with 21 extra-base hits in 72 games last season. Wade Jr. dislocated his thumb in his second big-league game and was forced to sit out from early July until the middle of August. He returned to the big-leagues as a September call-up and hit .196/.348/.375 (.723) with five extra-base hits in 26 games last year. Cave is already in a battle for the final roster spot with Willians Astudillo, so it seems more likely for both players to make the Opening Day roster if Buxton is unable to go. Should fans be worried about Buxton? Is it better to take it slow with him because of his injury history? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article