Thoughts on Target Field
April 4, 2010
I have watched the opening of Target Field from afar… which means from the comfort of my couch in 1080 HD. Even though I have yet to see the ballpark in person, I can safely say that I am in awe of what I have seen. Everything from the grass, the sky, the huge scoreboard is great to see in our own back yard.
I left work early on Friday just so I had time to make it home in time for the opening pitch of the Cardinals/Twins exhibition game. I know the weather wasn’t the greatest in Minneapolis on Friday, but you couldn’t tell by watching the game. A lot of thought went into putting the ballpark together to fit with the weather conditions in Minnesota and you could tell as the game went on without any problems even though it rained during the day.
If playing a game after a downpour wasn’t enough, the clear blue skies during Saturday’s afternoon game were quite the sight to see. This almost reminded me of the artist renderings of the field as it looked that beautiful outside. This is precisely the reason why the Twins do not need a roof over their heads, retractable or not. Sure, weather will cause some issues down the road, but that’s something that almost all teams have to deal with.
I have been to Miller Park in Milwaukee, I’m glad the Twins didn’t go with a retractable roof as it seems you are indoors, even with the roof open. Think of it as a car with a sunroof. It’s great to have it open, but you are still in a closed space. I’d hate to have the view of the downtown Minneapolis skyline be ruined by the structure of a retractable roof. Minnesotans have thick skins and, as I have heard elsewhere, it won’t matter what the weather is like in October if the Twins are still playing.
It doesn’t take a genius to know that the Twins lost what was the greatest home field advantage in baseball and that it will take some time to get used to the park, but judging by the two exhibition games, Target Field is looking like a hitters ballpark. Denard Span was the first player to go long with a home run on Friday night with a blast to right field. On Saturday, Joe Mauer sent one into the black spruce trees in center, a sight that I could get used to seeing, while Michael Cuddyer sent one into the left field home run porch. Three Cardinals (amazingly none named Albert Pujols) hit homers as well.
As for my personal viewing, I will be attending the first “official” home opener of Target Field when the Twins host the Boston Red Sox on April 12. After seeing their new home in high definition, I cannot wait to see it in person.
Outdoor baseball has finally returned to Minnesota.
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