Other than holding my breath on the status of Sam Deduno‘s groin injury, it’s been sort of a slow day in Twins Territory, and I’m thankfully tapped out of fantasy baseball talk for the time being. So while we wait for the season to start and the serious chatter to begin, I thought I’d share a few offbeat aspects to the Twins experience outside the play on the field.

“Minnesota’s Most Hated Man” Recipient – 2002. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Sorry for the rant on Selig, but I remember the fear I felt then, and that is why I cherish every opportunity to go to beautiful Target Field. And with that, we’ve had enough with the mushy stuff, and we’ll get back to a few of the reasons our stadium is so unique and why I’ll never stop coming back.

The Schwinns of Anarchy

Consider this an open enrollment announcement for the motor bicycle gang I’m forming. My chapter will roll hard out of St Louis Park, but I strongly encourage anyone within riding distance of our amazing trail system to go green and ditch game day traffic whenever possible. Personally, I plan to drive downtown zero times for a game this season. I’m going to log so many miles that I might have to put in an order with Lance Armstrong’s guy to keep me going through September. I’ve been to a lot of ballparks and many are not easy (nor cheap) to get to. I’m talking like 45 minutes to go 10 miles. Trust me, we are spoiled in this regard.

So if you are able-bodied and more coordinated than Hunger Games girl, then hop on your two-wheeler and pedal on down to the pavilion. It’s great exercise and good reason to treat yourself to some extra concessions. If you’re wondering how to spot us, the Schwinns’ patch and jackets are still works in progress. I don’t sew or wear leather so the crew might have to settle for t-shirts but we’ll see. In the meantime, check the tires, start the fires, and I’ll see you on the trails. Also, we are currently only about four members deep, so feel free to ride.

Extreme Makeover: Right Field Bleachers Edition

Things have changed down the right field line. Photo Courtesy: BTXJ

Detailed specifications of the new section have me excited, and it won’t be long before I take in a game in these new digs. It’s a shame they couldn’t have made it a free zone, but at least the 200 fans that will now occupy that real estate will be able to see the game from foul pole to foul pole. Something tells me these will be a hot ticket.

My Girl, Sue

Sue’s always rockin’ out with a smile. Photo Courtesy: BTXJ

Also the organist for the Wild, Sue Nelson will be tickling the ivory for her 15th season in 2013. Drafted out of the first round in…okay kidding, but seriously, if you haven’t paid her a visit at 2 Gingers Pubs (no, not a typo), it comes highly recommended from yours truly. Obviously, the seventh inning stretch is prime-time for Nelson, so you better get there early if you want to secure a good spot for the sacred song. I urge you to buy a cheap ticket and post up near Sue in the early innings. Don’t worry, she will provide plenty of good times and good tunes to get you through the night and is quite photogenic if you ask me.

Apr 9, 2012; Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE

My top games at Target Field #6-10 were posted in Part 1 of this series yesterday.  Here are my top 5 Target Field memories (so far).

Full disclosure:  This Top 10 List includes my favorite memories of games I attended at Target Field.  While my dream is to be a Championship Club season ticket holder, I generally make 10-12 games per year, most of them in the third deck (first base side, if possible).  The tickets are generally gifts, last minute “cheap seat” grabs, or group games I’ve organized.  Despite the fact that I am only able to attend around 12% of games played at Target Field each year, I have somehow attended some of the wackiest, most memorable, and most important games played at the new ballpark thus far.

5. Revere’s 2011 GIBBY catch:  August 22, 2011
If you read my recent post on Ben Revere‘s latest GIBBY nomination, you also caught part of my story about this game.  As I sit here and write about the game, I’m almost puzzled at myself for putting it in my Top 10, let alone my Top 5.  The game was a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, a team who finished only four games better in 2011 than the 99-loss Twins did.  J.J. Hardy made a triumphant return to Target Field hitting this blast, which fueled the frustration of fans who thought the Twins had made a terrible trade when they sent Hardy to the Orioles.  And, as I mentioned in my GIBBY article, my brother and I were in the one spot in the ballpark where we couldn’t see that fantastic catch.  But just being there for that catch is enough to put this game in my Top 10 so far – the crowd reaction, watching the replay as Revere ran off the field, and correctly predicting that would be the best catch of the year all make that a game I wouldn’t skip if I could do it over.  What pushed it over the edge and into the Top 5 was that it also contained one of the wackiest plays I’ve witnessed.  It was the first time I got to see Joe Mauer play at first base, and I was really intrigued…and then really mad.  You will be, too, when you watch what this fan did:

4. No. 10 is retired:  September 8, 2012
This game made it onto the list for the pre-game more than the game itself, although it was a fun game to watch.  My friend and I decided to turn our tickets into “Standing Room Only” tickets and watched the game from a bunch of different angles.  I’m usually glued to my seat, so exploring during the game was a novel idea.  I recommend it.  It was also fitting that the Twins put in a solid performance on a day they honored one of the most influential members of the organization, a man who was always known for his emphasis on the fundamentals of the game.  The 3-0 home victory was treasured as the rare event it was during 2012, and Hometown Hero Cole De Vries‘ strong outing was more-than-welcome in a year where the Twins’ starters largely struggled.  All of that was good, but what made the game great was being there to witness the retirement of two-time World Series winning manager Tom Kelly and to see so many of my childhood baseball heroes gathered in one place to honor someone that meant so much to Twins baseball.  That day, the Twins gave away an oar as a memory of Kelly’s legacy, a permanent reminder of the former manager’s famous words of wisdom to his players:

3. Willingham’s walk-off vs. A’s:  May 29, 2012
When my brother and his girlfriend told me on my birthday they’d be taking me to a game later that month, and that we’d sit in the first row behind home plate (that is, the first row behind the important people in the cushy seats), I didn’t think the birthday gift could get much better than that.  Turns out, I was wrong!  I’m definitely the type of sports fan who expects to see a game through to the end.  So, even though I understand why football teams kneel down to run the clock out at the end of a game, seeing a game “end” before the game really ends drives me a bit nuts.  And I definitely, DEFINITELY stay through the end of a game, even a game like this one, during which neither team scored until the seventh inning; and, no, that wasn’t because there was a tense pitchers’ duel happening.  I’m the type of fan crazy enough to stay for a game when my home team is down 2-0 in the bottom of the ninth with runners on the corners, and there appears to be only about 500 of us fans left in the stadium.  If for this game alone, I will forever stick to my guns on seeing a game through until the end.  Willingham stepped to the plate in that two out, two on, down-by-two in the bottom of the ninth, facing his former team and a former Twins reliever.  He didn’t have a hit that game; his previous plate appearances included two strikeouts, a walk, and another out I can’t recall.  Then, this happened, and the handful of faithful left in the crowd sounded like a packed ballpark.

2. Second regular season win at Target Field:  April 15, 2012
The Twins won their inaugural home opener at their new ballpark, lost game two, and were set to play the Boston Red Sox at 12:10 PM for the rubber match of the series.  My best friend was working at the Apple Valley Twins Pro Shop at the time, and at the last minute, she learned there were tickets newly available for the Thursday match-up with the Red Sox.  Six of us grabbed tickets and requested vacation days off of work.  The day opened with rainy skies and cold April temperatures. I dressed for the presumed weather and was giddy about my first trip to the new ballpark.  About 45 minutes before the game began, it was as if the heavens opened up and God smiled on Target Field.  The clouds dissipated, the sun shone, and the skyline was picturesque.  I came to the ballpark in a sweatshirt and poncho, and I left with a mid-April mild sunburn, which finally convinced me that saying good-bye to the climate-controlled Dome was a fantastic idea.  Most impressive was Francisco Liriano‘s seven shutout innings that came as part of a Twins’ 8-0 victory.  While I haven’t formally thought about this, my gut sense is that this is the last Twins game I attended where Liriano didn’t make me want to cry.

1. Thome’s 10th inning walk-off vs. Chi-Sox:  August 17, 2010
Hands-down, no question, absolute best moment at Target Field so far, not just my favorite moment.  At the time, the Minnesota Twins were up three games against division rival Chicago White Sox.  Knowing the division race would be tight and every game would count, the Twins desperately needed to increase the lead to four games.  The seesaw contest was nerve-wracking for all of us in the stands.  When Jim Thome came to bat in the bottom of the tenth with one on and the Twins down by one, the atmosphere was absolutely electric.  You might think that sounds cliché; watch the video of Thome’s walkoff, and then reassess your judgment.  The first walkoff homerun at the new ballpark was memorable, made an impact, and was hit by a legend who graced Target Field’s home dugout for a brief, but magical, time.

Have a favorite Target Field memory?  Tell us about it in the comments below!

Kenny Chesney is returning for another concert as his ‘No Shoes Nation’ Tour, including the Zac Brown Band comes to Target Field!

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) November 8, 2012

In 2012, Chesney and Tim McGraw stopped at Target Field for their Brothers of the Sun Tour 2012.  They played to a record crowd and got rave reviews.

Reaction was quick on Twitter, although not everyone is excited about the “No Shoes Nation Tour”:

@twinsprez country music alienates people. It’s great for intoxicated white folks, everyone else – not so much. Next time diversify a bit!

— Scott (@SecretSoloShow) November 8, 2012

However, if last year’s quick sellout of the inaugural concert is any indication, tickets will go quickly when they go on sale on December 7, 2012.  As the concert success continues, fans can hope to see other events at Target Field:

Agreed. Think ’15 Winter Classic. RT@randball: Chesney concerts at Target Field: 2. Outdoor hockey games: 0. Next goal is a big one.

— Dave St. Peter (@TwinsPrez) November 8, 2012

Well, that is, if the NHL lockout ever ends.