theBOMisthebomb

What a fun player to cheer for. I remember yelling and making a ruckus when Dozier hit a HR during his September 2016 hot streak. My wife was wondering why I was getting so excited when the Twins were so terrible. I told her how great this Dozier guy was and how much fun to see him have so much unexpected success. She quickly became a big Dozier fan.

It's going to be a long winter. Only 97 days, 22 hours until spring training begins per https://www.springtrainingcountdown.com/ "Countdown is currently based on pitchers and catchers reporting on February 12, 2025. The countdown will be adjusted as opening dates are announced".

Are there plans to replace Thad Levine?

Jake Cave for Luis Gil hurts. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20. I'm not remembering the logic of that trade,it seems silly now. The Dodgers are my NL team as I was born in LA. I'm envisioning Ohtani with a walk off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth in game 7.

The Cole Irvin and Kody Funderburk situations and related moves are indefensible. I'm fishing for some pats on the back... I witnessed the brutal Tuesday and Friday night debacles this past week at Target Field.

I don't think I should respond, I will anyway. It seems being on the side of defending the "city" is a no win position. As for traffic, I can't help much. Welcome to reality. "In Google Maps we trust" is one of my favorite sayings. It seems like very basic advice, although my 80 year old dad doesn't believe in listening to Google Maps and we paid dearly in August with an unnecessary one hour delay through Chicago. I was with a coworker once who was from way up north and we were traveling together to a work appointment. We hit a bit of traffic and she lost it with remarks such as how can people live here and this is so terrible, etc. I stayed silent at first and she continued with her insults. I finally told her that the traffic jam she was losing it over was three minutes (as I had been looking at the time closely). She seemed surprised and stopped her rant. By attending a Saturday or Sunday day game, you should most likely avoid any major traffic delays. There are parking apps like Spot Hero where you can book your spot ahead of time. $20 at most for Ramps ABC. The 910 LaSalle Ramp is $10. It's located by the Orpheum and two blocks from Ramp A (you can see Ramp A when you exit 910 LaSalle Ramp), so if you don't mind a little walk you can save $10. If you are afraid of Minneapolis, then don't go. The Montana thing is more a negative reflection back on Montana. I believe it's low class to denigrate and insult where other people live to try to brag about where you live to make yourself feel better about your own situation. Go ahead and promote how great your location and how great it is. I don't understand insulting the city and other folks and their way of life. And, it always seems it's the small town/rural side slinging the mud first. You can bring your own food into Target Field along with water bottles that you can refill. One life hack I learned a few seasons ago was to bring packet water flavors, they gave always let me bring them into the stadium. Essentially, you can eat the same food for the same cost if you didn't attend the ballpark. If you want ballpark food and alcohol, you may have to pay ballpark prices. Some cost savers at Target Field that you might take advantage of are $1 hot dogs on Tuesdays, the 612 deals on Saturdays, and the value stand concessions for all games by sections 120, 133, and 311 with family friendly prices: Hot Dog $3.99 Soft Pretzel $3.99 Popcorn $2.99 Peanuts $2.99 Fountain Soda $1.99 Bud/Bud Light Can $4.99 Bottle Aquafina $3.99 Ice Cream Novelty $3.49 For tickets, the field view seems a nice compromise between affordability and decent viewing. Tickets for today's game in section 305 are $21 each. Purchase at the ticket window when you arrive to avoid the high cost online fees. Parking $10 Tickets $84 Food $0 Total $94 If you want a premium seating and eating experience, you will most likely pay premium prices. I believe the options I've listed are reasonable and easy to achieve with some planning and would still prove a quality game day experience.

It's a low bar for success that should not be celebrated. Possibly acknowledged, not celebrated.

I've thought of posting these thoughts twice earlier and deleted... I've been to nine MLB stadiums the past four years and Target Field ranks somewhere between 7th and 9th as far as fan engagement and passion. They might be ahead of 2022 Angels fans and 2023 Royals fans. Might. Heck, Tigers fans at the 2024 trade deadline when they were in sell mode crushed the passion of Twins fans. It is painful to acknowledge. Maybe Twins and Angels fans are so disinterested because they know in their heart of hearts their club has zero chance at a championship. The 2023 postseason success for the Twins was supposed to erase those 30 year old feelings, it seems that chance slipped away unless they win these last 5 games and sneak into the playoffs. Twins fans (and Minnesota sports fans of men's major professional teams) are front runner bandwagon fans. It is difficult to admit, yet reality.

Here is my 2024 experience as a season ticket holder and a person who buys tickets to an additional 5 games or so each season. I am just a low level 20 voucher season ticket holder. I get that it's low bucks to the Twins ($600 per year). Still, my assigned ticket rep comes across as uninterested and standoffish. I actually set a time to discuss the new "premium" option they are offering for 2025 and the rep ghosted me. I had to hunt him down and ask for another time to discuss (with no apology from the rep for the previous appointment that he skipped out on with no explanation). Basically, they wanted me to decide to switch plans without comparing the numbers, which doesn't compute to me. I am guessing they have bigger accounts they are interested in managing. Still, if they are down on attendance why can't they find time for the smaller accounts. I've been a season ticket holder since 2018. I understand this might be isolated to just my rep or "one of those things". This is my second or third season with this rep and my third assigned rep since 2018.

That's an integrity question. I guess I'd rather follow the rules and pay the proper amount.

That is the conversation I have had with my season ticket rep for the last few years with little to no response - the value isn't there to commit to a season ticket package. You avoid the fees, which aren't insignificant (although one trip to the ticket window at Target Field could accomplish the same thing). Then, they sell the ballpark pass and let those folks essentially sit wherever they want to for a fraction of the cost. It's so frustrating. Now, the Twins have offered me the premium option after raising the cost of my flex plan by 3.4%. Which is a decent gesture except I can't compare costs because the pricing for the premium option isn't revealed yet.

Amen. Gladden is the worst of the worst. I cannot listen. I was grateful to get out from under the Dick Bremer television broadcast era. I had high hopes for Provus, that he would provide a fresh, modern voice. Unfortunately, Provus sounds restricted and nervous the times I've heard him, like he's afraid to be himself and worried about ts and hear some really impressive announcers.

The only fans I like less and that deserve more mocking and belittling than White Sox fans are Packers fans.

The classic and oft repeated Minnesota Twins nosedive just in time for the playoffs.

Tommy Herr is my least favorite Twins player of all time.

I mean, that's great insight and your opinion. It might be true about Joe Ryan needing to pitch deeper into games. All that being said, based on the 2024 performance of all three, how are you ranking Ober and Lopez above Ryan so far for 2024 performance?

The Nelson Cruz 2019 highlights raised up the emotions of ... that 2019 Bomba Squad was so much fun and should have won the World Series. 5 years, time marches on. Also, I can't believe the Silva game was 20 years ago.

We wanted two #1’s! We got them My guy He Ain't No Ordinary Joe Ryan has them both beat in bWAR, ERA+, innings pitched, and strikeouts.

It was a quality start and deserving. Vierling's leadoff "single" in the first was an error and the run should have been unearned. The triple by Keith in the 6th was bad luck on the bounce and wouldn't have scored if it would have been the expected double. Joe Ryan earned a quality start.

What are the chances of Randy Dobnak resurfacing with the Twins? It would be a fun story for him to make it back to the MLB and he appears deserving. Also, I'm more concerned with the Twins maintaining their wildcard position versus catching Cleveland.

This Twins Almanac sure brought back some fond memories. I went to all three of those 3,000th hit games and Dozier was one of my favorite all-time Twins. Dozier was just a joy to watch for a few years there.

"...your 2024 Minnesota Twins are not good. As of the time of this writing, they are 17-2 vs CHW, COL, LAA, OAK. These are 4 of the 5 worst teams in baseball. They are 25-33 against everyone else." This seems to be the inverse argument of "take away this starting pitcher's 3 worst starts and his numbers look like a #3 starter" statements. Here's the path as I see it for the Twins: Beat up on the teams you should defeat and then compete against the other teams, get into the playoffs, go on a hot streak (which our 2024 Twins are capable of), and anything can happen. The World Series has been filled with 5 and 6 seeds the last handful of years. Enjoy the games and enjoy the ride.

It's all great, except he has to stay on the field. Hopefully he stays healthy long term and the injury filled career start becomes a distant memory.

This is good stuff, thanks for bringing me a smile on a Friday morning.

Oh wow, I remember being at that May 25, 1997 game. Thanks for stirring up the memory.