Six Reasons To Head To Target Field This Season
Mar 10, 2015; Dunedin, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Kennys Vargas (19) is congratulated by teammates after he hit a home run during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at a spring training game at Florida Auto Exchange Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
As I sit wondering if I should buy Luke Bryan tickets and/or Shania Twain tickets, I think about the team that will be in town when those events roll through: the Minnesota Twins. I’ve loved the Twins since I was a wee-little child and I still love them to some extent, they like to give me a lot of heartbreak recently. I needed to remind myself why I should go to Target Field and I figured I’d share with you.
The following will list will feature some obvious reasons, but reasons that we take for granted. I’ll mention right now that unnamed is the promotions. The promotions are awesome this season. The Twins will be giving away four different bobbleheads in 2015, so there’s four games right there that you’ll want to be at. The promotions stay strong throughout the year with a snazzy sweathshirt on the home opener (April 13 vs. Kansas City) all the way to the closing weekend with a stocking cap to match.
If the promotions don’t have your interest, read on and find another wonderful reason to head over to Target Field in 2015. And, of course, cheer on your Minnesota Twins.
Next: The future is coming!
Mar 10, 2015; Dunedin, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (70) works out prior to the spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Florida Auto Exchange Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The Young Guns
Are you sick of hearing about the coming of Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano? Good, you should be, but they should be here… soon. Neither prospect will break camp with the Minnesota Twins, but they will be both playing ball in the big leagues in 2015 sometime, at least they should be.
I simply can’t make any guarantees, but if they are not up here by the end of the year, something has gone terribly, terribly wrong. We should be excited about these guys those. Miguel Sano can hit the ball a mile and then be absolutely totally amazingly freaking cute about the whole situation. Byron Buxton is going to be a best of an all-around best baseball player. Someone once said Buxton has the floor of Torii Hunter and the ceiling of Willie Mays… Yes, that’s correct.
His major league floor is Torii Hunter. We all realize how much we loved welcoming Torii Hunter back with open arms. Buxton will be at least that good, but probably better. Not to hype him up too much.
These guys are the offensive future of the team. If everything pans out it will be a great future which will start sometime this season at Target Field.
Next: Stepping Up On The Mound
Sep 24, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Phil Hughes (45) pitches in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Improved Pitching
In the NFL, you need a quarterback. That’s why the Minnesota Vikings barely did anything with Christian Ponder at the helm and why they look exciting with Teddy Bridgewater running the show now. The guys that throw the ball in baseball are equally as important to their sport. In baseball if you have no pitching, you have no shot at winning any ballgames. It’s the cold hard truth.
Last season, we were all welcomingly surprised by the Cy Young-caliber year that Phil Hughes supplied the Twins. We shouldn’t expect that exact season to happen again, but another solid season from the former New York Yankee is definitely in the works and should be attainable.
Ervin Santana was added to the crew and should be a solid member of the pitching staff. Santana didn’t have a great season last season with the Atlanta Braves, but he is familiar with the AL Central after spending years with the Kansas City Royals.
Plus, Ricky Nolasco is set for a comeback season. Nolasco was really, really bad in 2014. He just simply can’t be that bad again in 2015.
The Twins look to go from one solid starting pitcher to three. That’s enough incentive right there, because that means the Twins will finally be in some ballgames.
Next: The party center itself!
Jul 15, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A baseball fan of the Minnesota Twins take pictures of warm ups before the 2014 MLB All Star Game at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Target Field
I harp and harp on this fact, but I don’t think it is sinking in for a lot of Twins fans. Looking at the seats at the end of the season the last couple years, it shows that we no longer appreciate what we have when it comes to Target Field as a whole. Target Field is a jewel. Think about what the Metrodome was for a moment, I’ll give you a moment to shutter, and now think about Target Field. It’s absolutely beautiful.
I won’t blow smoke, I’ve only been in four MLB stadiums and two of them are the Dome and Target Field, so it doesn’t take a lot for Target Field to top my list. It is way above Wrigley Field, if you ignore the whole history behind the ballpark thing. It’s better than Busch Stadium in St. Louis and that’s a damn nice ballpark.
I’m not trying to sell season tickets and try you to consume 81 games a season, but I am gently reminding you that we have one of the best ballparks in America right in our backyard so enjoy it. Sit in every section, try every food item (there’s new stuff)… bring someone who doesn’t even like baseball. They will enjoy their outing to the park.
Next: Baby Jesus!
Sep 27, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins first baseman Joe Mauer (7) receives congratulations from short stop Danny Santana (39) after scoring in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Mauer Power
This topic usually gets me in trouble. Not trouble exactly, but there are a lot, and I mean a lot, of Joe Mauer haters out there. Like Taylor Swift says the haters gonna hate, hate, hate and the players gonna play, play, play and that’s what Joe Mauer is going to do: he is going to play.
His first year over at first base was an odd one. For Joe Mauer standards it was really off par. Incredibly off par. Much like my theory on Ricky Nolasco, my theory on Mauer is that he can’t be that bad again. My stance is stronger on Mauer because Mauer is a Hall of Famer and Nolasco is a guy who might park cars at the Hall of Fame someday. I kid, but Ricky does like nice cars.
Mauer is not the typical power first baseman, but he’s a great baseball still. He’ll hit for magnificent average, move the runner over, hit some guys in, play some solid defense at first and will look good doing it. Sometimes I feel like the public expects Mauer to play all nine positions, ala Will Ferrell, but he simply can’t. He doesn’t have a helicopter and he doesn’t have to.
Appreciate the presence of Joe Mauer. We don’t get to see Hall of Famers on our fields all of the time.
Next: Spiderman!
Oct 5, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter (48) prior to game three of the 2014 ALDS baseball playoff game against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
The Return
You’re excited. Admit it. It’s kind of cool to have Torii Hunter back in town. I’m even saying that now and I was so (read that so with about a million o’s on it) against bringing him in, but now I’m in too. Hunter brings leadership and is a good presence in the clubhouse, but he’s also expected to actually produce for the Twins.
Hell, he might even play in some games unlike some Kevin guy that plays across the street at Target Center. I’d prepare for Torii Hunter to be in the lineup most every day, even in games that are on the road. I will take shots at KG and I even liked that move. Work with me, Timberwolves, work with me.
While I strongly believe that Torii and KG were both brought in to sell tickets, Hunter will also have to produce. It’s no guarantee that he will. He’s not as young as he once was and he is, frankly, not as good defensively as he once was either. Either if he’s good, bad, otherwise or we just can’t tell, it will be fun to go to Target Field and see him try to play that darn overhang in right field.
Next: Get comfy on the bandwagon!
May 3, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A fan cheers a play by the Minnesota Twins against the Baltimore Orioles at Target Field. The Twins win 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Early Seat on the Bandwagon
Believe it or not, folks, the Minnesota Twins are going to be really good really soon. It might not be 2015, it’s probably not going to be 2015, but the good times are a-coming. Get on the bandwagon early. Be a fan that can say they were at the park the day that Byron Buxton made his major league debut. Be a fan that can say they were there the day that Phil Hughes pitched a complete game shutout. Be the fan that loses count of how many games they have been to in a season. Be the fan we all want to be.
There’s a cheesy quote saying thing that the women in my generation like to post on Instagram and Twitter and it goes something like ‘you have to go through the bad times to better appreciate the good times’. That’s the Minnesota Twins right now. It’s been rough, but it is getting a whole lot better.
Don’t come in and just enjoy the celebration, enjoy the whole damn ride. If you jump into Ghostbusters just to watch them cross the streams and defeat the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, you missed a lot of great moments. You won’t want to miss these moments. You never know when Sigourney Weaver will be sleeping above her covers.
Next: Pitching Predictions Sure To Be Wrong
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