I understand the catcher rejected a one year deal with New York.
The super-upper deck in TargetField looks like fun, especially walking down the stairs after 10 or 30 beers.

That upper deck looks even steeper than the one at the SkyDome, although it could just be the angle from the picture.

I'm sure we've discussed this before, but that State of Minnesota outlining the Twin Cities men thing is awesome.

Y'know what'd be awesome?

IF a HR hit the bullseye in the Target Field sign.

They really should think of having a promotion involving that.

I like the Christmas trees. WIll they be there year-round?

Unless they still have the baseball config available in the Metrodome in case of emergency.

I wonder if this is the case. I can just see the Twins making the World Series in the same year Minneapolis gets hit by a late October blizzard.

The super-upper deck in TargetField looks like fun, especially walking down the stairs after 10 or 30 beers.

Walk down? No way...just bring your sled.

I like the Christmas trees. WIll they be there year-round?


They're permanent. Right in the batters eye.

Odds that the Twins will play a “home” game in Milwaukee within the first 5 years at Target Field: 95% at the lowest.

Is the chance of snow in April really a lot higher in Minneapolis than it is in, say, Chicago, or Milwaukee, or Cleveland?

That sure is a lot of scaffolding behind the awesome sign of the two guys shaking hands.

I think the chance of, say, eight inches of snow on a given day is a lot higher in Minneapolis, even if the chance of one inch of snow isn't much higher.

Is the chance of snow in April really a lot higher in Minneapolis than it is in, say, Chicago, or Milwaukee, or Cleveland?

It isn't. There's probably a 3% chance of notable snow on a random April day. And a 1/3 chance the Twins will have a home game on those days. Occasionally a game will be delayed, but all games will get played eventually. Justin Morneau will sell tens of thousands of Sluggies to cold fans. But the games will get played. The Cleveland snow-out was a bizarrely rare situation....it would be just as rare here.

Every time the weather in MN topic comes up:

(1) Someone says, "oh hai, is the cold and snow an issue with an open stadium!?"
(2) Someone from MN says, "No, not cold here at all! It's a myth! Cleveland is just as cold! Ho ho ho!"
(3) And then I have to come by and fix things.

I have a masters in climatology, so I know how to research these things. And the odds of -spring- snow are significantly higher in Minneapolis than in any other big league city, including Chicago. In the fall its more complicated b/c of lake effect-- MN is more likely to have game-altering cold (below 40 degrees) but is not more likely to have snow than Cleveland or Detroit.

I'll put it this way. On 10/15, the average high in Chicago is 63 degrees (using data from O'Hare). The average high in Minneapolis is 59. The average high in Chicago doesn't reach 59 till 10/22, so MN is basically a week ahead of the next coldest MLB city. That may not seem like much, but when you're flirting with playing in early November it makes a big difference. Minneapolis periodically sees synoptic snow in late-October (indeed, the largest historical blizzard was on Halloween), unlike any other big league city outside of Denver.

Historically, Milwaukee has had 2 snow storms in April which totaled 12 inches or more. The one in 1973 was about 12 inches or more in some spots and accompanied by thunder and lightning and 50mph winds. We also had a 6 incher on May 10th, in 1990. Smaller snowfalls do happen from time to time in April, the Brewers have had snowouts before at Co. Stadium, not many though. More games postponed due to cold.

while MSP winters are more harsh and receive more snowfall on average than Milwaukee, they see earlier acceleration in temperature, i.e. a warmer spring and summer than Milwaukee. It happens pretty fast. Doesn't mean they are immune from April snow however.

The super-upper deck in TargetField looks like fun, especially walking down the stairs after 10 or 30 beers.

Having a significantly steeper upper deck would seem to raise tort liability issues these days. Maybe they'll add a net.

I have a masters in climatology, so I know how to research these things. And the odds of -spring- snow are significantly higher in Minneapolis than in any other big league city, including Chicago.

This is all well and good, but the question is "will the cold and snow be an issue"? And the answer is no. Will it snow in MN in April or October? Sure, some years it will. Will the snow stick and affect play? Highly unlikely. People always seem to forget MN has a 25 year history of outdoor baseball! Snow in those months are basically flurries. I mean, jeez, one freak Halloween blizzard, and people think it's like freakin' Alaska.

Unless they still have the baseball config available in the Metrodome in case of emergency.

I thought the Golden Gophers would host games there so that northern colleges could play in February and March.

Looks like the Metrodome is the Golden Gophers' home stadium. Schedule here.

There are going to be fans diving all over RF for Thome, Morneau, Kubel and Mauer HR balls this year. I hope nobody gets hurt.

Minnie and Paul shaking hands was the first Twins logo. It symbolizes the unification of baseball fans in Minnesota through major league baseball. Before the Twins arrived you were either a Millers fan or a Saints fan. The hands will actually "shake" after a home run. It is spectacularly Minnesotan to celebrate a home run by shaking hands. No fist-pumps, fireworks or other loud displays of emotion, instead you get Lutherans "passing the peace".

Baseball in snow, brings back memories of high school. Indoor spring training. Rainy, cold and muddy fields. Long-johns under your uniform. Hitting the ball and having your numb fingers buzz like you grabbed the electric fence.

And in the winter they can hold soccer games when it's 1 degree outside! (-17 Celsius)

Metrodome is the Golden Gophers' home stadium

The U of M is rebuilding Siebert Field. They've always played early games at Metrodome but until the new ballpark is finished they'll play the whole season there.

The average high in Chicago doesn't reach 59 till 10/22, so MN is basically a week ahead of the next coldest MLB city. That may not seem like much, but when you're flirting with playing in early November it makes a big difference. Minneapolis periodically sees synoptic snow in late-October (indeed, the largest historical blizzard was on Halloween), unlike any other big league city outside of Denver.

I can't wait for the day the Twins are snowed out in November. It means A) the Twins will be in the World Series, and 2) maybe MLB will be forced to realize that they shouldn't push the playoffs into November.

Although it probably takes me longer to log in and write this question than it would do just look it up myself, I'm doing it this way:

Is the stadium actually in Minneapolis or St. Paul (or neither)? And where were the previous Twins parks?

I can't wait for the day the Twins are snowed out in November. It means A) the Twins will be in the World Series, and 2) maybe MLB will be forced to realize that they shouldn't push the playoffs into November.

Agreed, I'll sacrifice one year of rooting for my favorite teams to get a Twins-Rockies World Series if it'll fix the playoff schedule.

Target Field is in Minneapolis, next to Target Center which is bridged by Target Plaza.

And where were the previous Twins parks?

The Metrodome is in downtown Minneapolis. Previous to that, Metropolitan Stadium was in Bloomington, a suburb south of Minneapolis, though fairly close St Paul. It is now the sight of the Mall of America.

I can't wait for the day the Twins are snowed out in November. It means A) the Twins will be in the World Series, and 2) maybe MLB will be forced to realize that they shouldn't push the playoffs into November.

Snow in the fall isn't that much an issue. Lake effect is way more likely in late October/early November anyways, and ground zero for that is in Cleveland (though IIRC, the south side of Chicago including nee-Comiskey saw 6" from a freak lake-effect squall in late October a few years back.)

The real risk in Minneapolis is you get a early season cold snap that would (a) last a few days and (b) either make baseball impossible to play or just really shitty. B/c MN cools down quicker in the fall than the cities further south/closer to the lakes, its more likely to see a late October stretch of multiple days with gametime temps in the mid 30's. That would totally screw up the playoffs/world series, if the 1997 WS was any indication.

MN weather can't screw up the World Series soon enough for me!

The Metrodome is in downtown Minneapolis. Previous to that, Metropolitan Stadium was in Bloomington, a suburb south of Minneapolis, though fairly close St Paul. It is now the sight of the Mall of America.

In a nice bit of "what comes around goes around", the Metrodome is now actually known as Mall of America Field at the Metrodome. Where the Twins leave, MoA takes its place.

The second picture reminds me of high school baseball practice starting at the end of January in Chicago. Those early practices were the reason I played basketball my junior and senior years.

The second picture reminds me of high school baseball practice starting at the end of January in Chicago.

I see this and raise you high-school football practice in August in south Mississippi.

It shouldn't surprise anyone that a drop in consumer spending has impacted the MN economy.

Who cares about April snow, the games only matter after the ASB.

And the odds of -spring- snow are significantly higher in Minneapolis than in any other big league city, including Chicago.

Even higher than Denver? Minneapolis is much colder than Denver, but we pretty much expect to have snowfall here in April.

The field is slightly heated. The purpose is to thaw the ground a bit early so grass growing can commence in time for Opening Day, but I think it would also help in resisting minor snow-outs.

And I've mentioned this in the past, but brutal cold plays into the hands of the Twins. Hardy northerners like Mauer (MN), Morneau (CAN), Perkins (MN), um, Butera (?), Mijares (?), Liriano (VEN)... OK, forget it.

Maybe I just don't remember, but does somebody track 'game delays' or postponed games?
Who leads the league? Florida?


As a northerner, I see no difference in being a fan at a game where it is 38 degrees and windy and 95 degrees and humid. Both are miserable. Rangers/Braves/Marlins fans don't have to experience the former, so I don't really care about what conditions are actually worse, they both suck. Without question, I suspect a large majority of players would prefer to play in the heat.

Mijares may be from Venezuela, but his vast bulk insulates him from the cold. That's why the Twins kept Eddie Guardado around for so long too.

The real risk in Minneapolis is you get a early season cold snap

I keep thinking that most of the postponements will come not from cold/snow early and late in the season, but from severe weather between May and August. Seems like there were at least 3 games/year at the Metrodome that I attended in the middle of a thunderstorm. The weather gets nasty in the summer here, too.

Target Field has had a nice run, but isn't it time for the taxpayers of Minnesota to seriously consider building a domed stadium for the Twins?

Does the weather in Minnesota know to blow out while the Twins are up and in when they are defending?

I suspect a large majority of players would prefer to play in the heat.

Absolutely. For heat, you bring water and towels, and though it's uncomfortable, your ability to play isn't impaired beyond the quicker fatigue. Cold brings numbness and stiff muscles.