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Rain or Chill, Twins
to Play in 2010
Three
years from this month the Minnesota Twins will be playing outdoors at
home for the first time since 1981. What the weather gods will choose
from their April bag of tricks is harder to predict than the next
Anna Nicole Smith headline. The weather worry warts are already in
anxiety mode about games in April of 2010 in the new downtown ballpark
but team president Dave St. Peter has a
calming message.
The
Twins anticipate playing almost all their games as scheduled,
April-October. St. Peter said rain will cancel only a handful of games
and the team will play in cold weather. “A state of the art” drainage
system will allow the grass field to accept “significant amounts of
rain” and still be suitable for play, according to St. Peter. The
field will be heated, too, making the grass not only green during cold
weather but safer for the players.
While
there is no possibility of adding a retractable roof to the stadium, St.
Peter said the Twins are planning to make fans comfortable during
inclement weather. There are plans for heating concourses and some
seating areas. It may also be possible to both heat and cool individual
seats, just like in cars. Four or five lounges with capacities of 150
to 200 people will provide indoor viewing and be open to the general
public. Sixty private suites will offer the ultimate in climate
controlled comfort but even fans paying on the cheap, sitting in the
bleachers, will have something going, too--the most exposure to the sun
in the ballpark.
The
Twins open the season this year at home during the first week of April
but prefer later home openers starting in 2010. St. Peter said major
league teams have some influence in determining schedules. “We hope for
the middle of April to open up (at home),” he said.
The
Twins also have input on whether games are played during the day or
night. While some April games such as the home opener will certainly be
played during the day, St. Peter said the Twins will play at night in
April. Weekday games, because of all the downtown workers, will provide
parking challenges for fans.
On
the Twins Web site St. Peter’s blog includes research on how Minneapolis
compares favorably in temperature and precipitation with other northern
major league cities. Minneapolis and Cleveland have an average April
temp of 57 but seven other cities are between 58 and 62 degrees. For
April-October precipitation, Minneapolis has the second smallest amount
among nine cities.
Small
crowds of less than 20,000 were the norm during April when the Twins
played in Met Stadium but the new ball park will have lots of
customers every month of the year. Season ticket projections are about
17,000, although the total could go to 20,000, exactly half of the
stadium’s capacity. Individual and group sales will be brisk, too, as
fans respond to the opportunity to see outdoor baseball for the first
time in more than a quarter century.
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It may be possible to both heat and cool
individual seats in the new stadium, just like in cars.
Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins
Dave St. Peter
On the Twins Web site Dave St. Peter’s blog
includes research on how Minneapolis compares favorably in temperature
and precipitation with other northern major league cities.
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Feed Them Fish & They Will Come
How
soon will the University award an honorary doctorate degree to
Tim Brewster for his public relations
skills? Since being named the Gophers football coach in January,
Brewster has made a series of PR moves endearing him to the public,
media and special interest groups such as the Minnesota High School
Football Coaches Association.
Last
Friday night Brewster and his staff hosted over 400 high school football
coaches for a fish fry and Gopher scrimmage. Brewster was at his best.
He announced he was becoming a member of the association, an
organization that promotes and serves the interests of football in the
state. His players impressed the crowd, too, when they lined up and
shook hands with the high school coaches.
Don Swanson, an association board member, said prep coaches want to
feel like they have a voice with Gopher football and to be recognized.
Speaking of former head coach Glen Mason, Swanson said many
coaches “never met him in 10 years.”
Swanson said he was “surprised by the large number of coaches” who came
to the Friday night event. He was expecting more like 100, rather than
400.
Swanson, association executive director Ron Stolski, and many coaches from various parts of the state have already met and
been impressed with Brewster. They love his messages including that the
Gophers aren’t just about the University or metro area, but they
represent the state. “He’s a good guy,” Swanson said. “He loves his
job. . ..”
Brewster is 24-7 in his efforts to reach people. Later this spring
he or a member of his staff will visit each football high school in the state. He wants
every Big Ten Conference quality player from the state to attend
Minnesota. Swanson said Brewster talked Friday night about how it
bothers him to see Minnesotans play at Wisconsin or Iowa. “There’s no
reason to leave the state of Minnesota and go represent anyone else,”
Brewster told Sports Headliners Sunday.
Starting at 6 p.m. on Friday at the Bierman Building on campus, Brewster
is hosting a free reunion for former Gopher football players. The
event will include a meal and program. He said football alumni can
attend without making a reservation, but those looking for more
information can call the football office, 612-624-6004.
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Tim Brewster
"There’s no reason to leave the
state of Minnesota and go represent anyone else.”
Tim Brewster
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Worth Noting
Johan Santana makes his second career start
tonight as the Twins opening game pitcher. Brad Radke has started
the most Twins opening games, eight.
It
was 20 years ago this month that the Twins opened the season on their
way to the franchise’s first World Series championship. This was the
opening day lineup: DH Dan Gladden, second base Steve
Lombardozzi, center field Kirby Puckett, third base
Gary Gaetti, first base Kent Hrbek, right
field Tom Brunansky, left field Mark Davidson,
shortstop Greg Gagne, catcher Tom Nieto and pitcher
Bert Blyleven.
Talk
at the Final Four in Atlanta included conversation that former Gopher
coach Dan Monson is a candidate for the Long Beach State job.
Filmmaker and actor Spike Lee, a legendary
New York Knicks fan, will speak from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday at
Target Center. Lee will talk about community, the arts and basketball
prior to the Timberwolves-Hornets game. Admission to hear Lee is
included with the purchase of a game ticket.
Detroit Lions owner William Ford is expected to be Charlie
Sanders’ presenter at his pro football hall of fame induction on
Saturday, August 4 in Canton, Ohio. Sanders, the former Lions and
Gophers tight end, will have a large group of friends in attendance
including former Minnesota teammates from the 1967 Big Ten championship
team.
The
guess here is Gopher defenseman Erik Johnson will return to
school for his sophomore season next fall. Johnson was the No. 1 draft
choice of the St. Louis Blues last year.
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Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins
Johan Santana
John M. Williams, DDS
Cosmetic & Family Dental Care
612-521-7611 |
