I haven't written too much lately, have I? Honestly, there hasn't really been much to write about, other than how great the Twins have been playing. That's hardly an excuse, though, is it?
Truth be told, I've been having trouble to find time to actually sit down and hammer out my thoughts. Free time is hard to come by with the school year winding down and final exams looming larger every day, along with a part-time gig at the local paper. While most days are now spent at the newsroom, most of my evenings and nights are spent studying. To be honest, I really don't see that changing until summer arrives.
For those (two) of you who enjoy my writing, feel free to check out the Green Valley News' sports page every Wednesday and Sunday for my baseball column. Tomorrow's column is already online, and it focuses on the Ryan Howard signing. The premise: Howard obviously won't be worth $25 million in 2016, but he may age more gracefully that some think.
So, while you may have to wait a few weeks until I am able to return to full-time posting duties, please check out this excellent review of Target Field over at Stadium Journey. It's well worth the read! Also, be sure to leave your own reviews and ratings on the page.
Providing fresh air, a beautiful skyline view, and seats that actually face the field, the Minnesota Twins have given their fans a much-anticipated treat that was a long time coming. Target Field lives up to its incredible hype, and is certainly one of the better ballparks in Major League Baseball.
I had the opportunity to attend two games in Target Field this past week, and came away speechless. I've never seen a Twins' game outside of the cavernous Metrodome, which was originally built for a football team. With recycled air, obstructed views, and seats that faced left field, the Metrodome was a stadium, not a ballpark.
Target Field was built for baseball. Surrounded by native Minnesota limestone, Target Field occupies one million square feet in downtown Minneapolis. Compared to the Metrodome, Target Field is the Taj Mahal of ballparks.
One of the first things noticed when walking into the ballpark is the wide concourse. Nearly twice as wide as the Metrodome’s, the concourse in Target Field stretches all the way around the stadium. Although there are fewer seats in Target Field, there are more aisles than in the Metrodome, which makes getting to your seat much easier.
The $517 million stadium also includes the 4th-largest video scoreboard in the league, and nine times bigger than the scoreboard in the Metrodome. It’s amazing how crisp and clear the Target Field video scoreboard is. Possessing 1,080 lines of resolution and 4.4 trillion shades of color, you can almost measure Joe Mauer’s sideburns with yardsticks.
Once you find your seat and settle in for the game, though, the beautiful Minneapolis skyline will take your breath away. From my seat in Section 219, I saw the IDS and Capella Towers, the 33 South Sixth, and even caught a glimpse of the old Foshay Tower. It truly was a magnificent sight, and was a constant, albeit welcome, distraction from the game.
The first game I attended was last Wednesday night, when the Twins were hosting Cleveland. Francisco Liriano shut out the Indians over eight innings, and Minnesota came away with a 6-0 win, which was very fun to see. The game-time temperature was 59 degrees, though, and a slight breeze made for a very chilly evening for anyone visiting from Arizona. Luckily, the Twins had their fans from the southern states covered with heat lamps located all around the main concourse.
There will certainly be a few rain and snow cancellations in Target Field’s future, but no more than Detroit’s Comercia Park or Boston’s Fenway Park. April and September in Minnesota will certainly be cold, but the summer months in Target Field will be absolutely perfect for baseball.
MLB is doing their part to help ease the chilly evenings by scheduling a ton of afternoon games in the first few months of Target Field’s existence. The Minnesota sun, however, was in full force on the Thursday afternoon game I attended. I hardly needed a sweater, and almost wished I had worn shorts. Weather should not be a major concern for the Twins.
Good ‘ol fashioned Midwest hospitality was certainly on display throughout the two games I attended. When purchasing the obligatory “Twins Big Dog,” the attendant had me take a few chugs of my beverage before topping me off again. It may just be a few free ounces of Pepsi to some, but it was a warm welcome to Target Field for me.
One of my main memories of the Metrodome was getting blown out of the doors after the game due to the pressure difference. This was also symbolic of the Metrodome’s after-game policy: Get out as soon as you can. After the Thursday afternoon game I attended in Target Field, my dad and I wondered around for at least an hour. We explored, among other things, the Metropolitan Club, which housed a few remnants of the old Metropolitan Stadium. We were never asked to exit the ballpark following the game, and got as much value as we could out of our $32 tickets.
Although I’m sure I uttered, “Nick Punto would’ve made that play,” no fewer than three times, I came away from my Target Field experience very satisfied and thoroughly impressed.
Outdoor baseball is certainly a sweet thing, and Target Field makes the experience even sweeter.
The Twins dropped the third game in their series against the Kansas City Royals this afternoon, and I've heard plenty of people complaining about the team's performance. So far this season the big, bases-clearing doubles in key situations just haven't happened. The team is hitting an OPS of just .695 with runners in scoring position, and plenty of fans are getting upset.
Today, I'll give you just one image that should clear things up. The blue squares represent each of the last 50 years, the green square is where the Twins currently sit. If the past half century is any indication, Minnesota will be fine. Should the hits keep coming, the team's performance with runners in scoring position will dramatically improve. If it doesn't -- if the team continues to strike out with the bases loaded -- this will be a truly historic team.
Back for a second week is Sam Tastad. You can read more of Sam Tastad's work here.
This past week, the Minnesota Twins opened Target Field going 2-1 against the Red Sox. The Twins won their first series in Target Field, and looked like a real contender in the new park. At Target Field this past week, Carl Pavano got the parks' first win, Jon Raunch the first save, and Jason Kubel the first home run in the regular season at Target Field. Target Field has looked like a great place for baseball, and the Twins are showing that they love the place, and really feel at home in the new ballpark.
At this point in the season, the Twins are currently 7-3, and off to a great start. The pitching is what has really been impressive to me. Carl Pavano, an MLB veteran, has completely lit up teams with his magic pitching so far. Francisco Liriano got banged up his first start, but looked flawless in his second start. Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, and Kevin Slowey have showed signs of a competitive nature, and have looked good in each of their two starts. The bullpen has been really good, especially Jon Rauch. He is a perfect 5-for-5 in save opportunities, and is working his closer magic. The rest of the bullpen has shown that they can hold leads, too, and can help lead this team to victory, as well.
The offense has worked magically, too. Joe Mauer, the hometown boy in Minnesota, has looked like the reigning MVP, and is hitting the ball well with a .353 batting average. Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel, and Michael Cuddyer are showing great signs of hitting and are leading this team to victories. They all have great swings, and bursts of power. JJ Hardy, a new acquisition for the Twins, has most impressed me. He has played great defense, and has hit the ball extremely well. Nick Punto, Ron Gardenhire's favorite player, has actually shown his value to the team. He has shown the team with hustle, defense, and even hitting, that he can be counted on this year.
As you can see, I have been really impressed with the Twins this season, and their ability to win games. They have shown great teamwork, and have been fun to watch. I hope they keep this up the rest of the season.
The season is still young, but these players are doing their best to draw attention. Here are a few minor-leaguers in the Twins’ system that have already turned in some very impressive performances.
Chris Parmelee, 1B/RF/DH, New Britain Rock Cats (#8)
Without a defensive position, Parmelee is attempting to advance through the minor leagues the only way he knows how: By raking opposing pitches. In his first four games in Double-A, Parmelee has two home runs and a triple-slash line of .250/.294/.688.
Historically, Parmelee is a Mark Reynolds-type: Tons of home runs, and tons of strikeouts. Parmelee has improved his strikeout rate, and has increased his walk total after two years spent in Beloit. Last season was spent with the Fort Myers Miracle, where Parmelee hit .258/.359/.441 with 16 home runs and 1.68 strikeouts for every walk.
Ideally, Parmelee would be a designated hitter in the big leagues. His value is much lower without a defensive position, though, and he will work very hard this year on improving his play in the field. Parmelee has certainly displayed his mighty bat in the first few games this season, but it will be interesting to see his defense progress, as well.
Stuifbergen made his first appearance on April 8, and threw just one inning, giving up one hit and striking out three.
The 6’3’’ Dutch 21-year-old made his first start for the Beloit Snappers on Monday night, where he went a total of six innings, giving up four hits and striking out five. He has yet to walk a batter this season, and has a perfect ERA through seven innings.
He is a great ground-ball pitcher, and has a 2.25 ground-out/air-out ratio in the early-goings. Stuifbergen missed the 2008 season due to shoulder surgery, and his velocity has never been high, but his control is very good. His fastball is clocked in the low 90’s, but over the course of his career, Stuifbergen has an incredible 8.9/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He is certainly one to keep your eyes on this season.
Lanigan started the season on an excellent note last Saturday by pitching six shutout innings while giving up just two hits and no walks. He struck out four, while posting a 1.8 ground-out/air-out ratio.
He has an excellent slider (Baseball America ranked it as the best in the Twins’ system a few years ago), and is also very good at limiting his walks. Over his short career, Lanigan has a 4.4 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while averaging 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
Lanigan is in the middle of a Miracle rotation that consists of some very talented pitchers. From Kyle Gibson to Michael Tarsi to Brad Tippett, Lanigan has an uphill battle ahead of him if he wants to draw attention. So far, though, he’s off to a great start.
With the second game in Target Field set for 12 p.m. central time, quite a few people will be stuck at work. If you're able, be sure to drop by here sometime this afternoon and enjoy the Twins game with us!
Going into the season, many felt that the Twins would need to balance an excellent offense with a porous rotation. Plenty of runs would be scored, most fans reasoned, but games would be won or lost based on how many runs were allowed to cross the plate.
Through the first eight games of the regular season, the Twins’ starting rotation has looked fantastic. The starting five have made eight starts thus far this season, and have a collective ERA of 3.41, which is the 6th lowest mark in the league. (When relievers are factored into the equation, the team’s ERA drops to 2.88, which is 3rd in the league.)
While just 5 percent of the season has been played, and it isn’t known whether or not the Twins’ starting staff can maintain this success, the results through the first eight games have been very good.
The fact that Carl Pavano is the starting pitcher with the best results this far is an unexpected surprise.
After a very nice series victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem, the Twins are just a few days away from their Target Field Home Opener. While we root for the home team against the rival Chicago White Sox for the next three days in an attempt to gather some more momentum, why not celebrate this historic occasion by treating yourself to a limited edition memorabilia package?
Included in the deal is a Target Field commemorative baseball and plaque. Here is a picture of each:
Baseball Description: One panel on the Inaugural Season Target Field baseball will feature a colorful panoramic shot of the new facility that captures the essence of the outdoor playing field. The official Inaugural Season stadium logo is positioned on another panel. A third panel lists the championship history of the franchise, including the three World Series titles won in 1991, 1987 and 1924 when the team was in Washington. It also lists the six American League pennants (1991, 1987, 1965, 1933, 1925 and 1924) along with Central Division/Western Division crowns. A separate panel contains information on the new ballpark, including capacity, (39,504), the date of groundbreaking (2007), the April 12 first game date against Boston, and the field dimensions to left, center and right.
Plaque Description: The framed and double matted photo plaque measures 15 x 17 inches and will feature a colorful stadium shot in the center. Along the bottom left of the presentation is an action shot of Joe Mauer and to the right is an engraved nameplate and a small capsule of dirt that is authenticated and taken from the Target Field infield under MLB supervision.
$4 of each baseball sold will be donated to the local Make-A-Wish Foundation
The baseball is a Limited Edition of 5,000
The plaque is a Limited Edition of 2,010
The final pieces may vary slightly from artwork shown.6 – 8 Weeks for Delivery
This product is listed at $124.94, but if you use the special promo code "TwinsTarget" or "BleacherReport," you will receive a 10% discount off the final price. Be sure to order your Twins' Inaugural Stadium Baseball, Case & Plaque today!
In what should hopefully become a regular Thursday feature on the site, Sam Tastad joins us for his take on the Twins. You can read more of Sam Tastad here.
Opening Day didn’t go as well as the Twins would have liked, but games two and three did. The offense got going, but more importantly our pitchers got off to a good start.
Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, and Carl Pavano got going in the right direction, and all but Baker got a win. Pavano impressed me the most. He went seven innings, allowed no walks, struck out six, and allowed just one run. Pavano got the help he needed from good defense from the infield and outfield. J.J. Hardy impressed me with his arm, and Joe Mauer played great from behind the plate as he through out runner caught stealing. Pavano sure showed the Twins the reason why they re-signed him during the offseason. Pavano brings a veteran mentality to the rotation, and that is just what the Twins need to go far this season.
While Pavano showed that he can is capable of pitching well, Nick Blackburn shut down the Angels on Tuesday night. He had quality stuff, went six and two-thirds innings, and struck out four. He gave up three earned runs. However, this is what we need from starters, go six or seven innings, and then give it to the bullpen.
Scott Baker struggled in his first start giving up four runs, and four walks. He only went four and two-thirds innings in that game. Baker is still the Twins ace, and just needs to put that game behind him.
In the bullpen, Jon Rauch, the newly appointed closer by Ron Gardenhire showed his stuff, and it looked good. In game two of the series, he gave up his first run of the season, but still managed to pick up his second save of the season. Rauch looks like a giant on the mound, and he certainly is. He has to pitch down after he releases the ball, and is successful in throwing strikes.
The rest of bullpen is pitching well, except Jose Mijares. He has had biggest downfall after allowing two runs in relief of Scott Baker. Mijares just needs to find the right groove, and get his pitching to a on the right track in order to set up Jon Rauch in for saving up games as closer. The rest of the bullpen has been nearly flawless, and needs to keep that up to give the Twins opportunities to win games.
Today is Prediction Day in the Twins' Blogosphere. Hosted by Josh Johnson, many Twins bloggers will dedicate this day to bringing you their thoughts on the upcoming 2010 season.
I wrapped up my journey across the league a few days ago, so I thought it apt to conclude with a hub for all of the predictions I made along the way. Below you can find six tables with my predicted order of finish. The link to the lengthy write-ups on each division can be accessed by clicking on the division name. Below the divisional previews, I will predict some Twins-related stuff, along with some bold predictions for the rest of the league. Enjoy!
Twins-Specific Predictions Twins MVP: Denard Span Twins Top Pitcher: Scott Baker Twins Best Rookie: Danny Valencia Twins Most Improved Player: JJ Hardy
Three Bold Predictions for MLB in 2010 Legitimate Cy Young candidate: Brett Anderson Deals with injuries most of season: Jake Peavy Most Impressive Rookie: Scott Sizemore
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Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics. 
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. We're specifically looking for blogs in the sports, entertainment, and video games field, but are open to adding any type of quality site. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account! 