matt weighs in

The Minnesota Twins open their new ballpark, Target Field, today for an exhibition game versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Over the past month, I have probably read and looked at 40-50 stories, reviews, Flickr photo streams or videos of the building, and I am insanely excited to make my first visit with the family. I estimate that the stories I’ve read represent one-fifth of the total I’ve come across, especially coming through my Twitter feed. There is a nice buzz about the Twins, which is well-deserved right now.

Here are just a few facts I have learned about Target Field:

* First Twins home game outdoors since September 30, 1981
* Target Field has a capacity of 39,504
* The infield is made up of 93% sand, allowing for quick drainage when it rains (up to an inch per hour) and is heated at or near 58 degrees Fahrenheit. Translation: the Twins will play through a lot of rain
* Main scoreboard (as of today) is the fourth largest in Major League Baseball

Two other construction notes that I find interesting are that the wood-backed seats located in select sections are the first wood seats to be added in a new ballpark since before World War II. Also, the Budweiser Roof Deck in left field is the only deck inside a MLB stadium – think Chicago & Baltimore, where decks are on top of buildings across the street.

I just can not get enough of the new field. When I was having trouble getting tickets online to a couple games when single-game tickets went on sale March 13th, I was more than happy to drive to the box office. I didn’t look around as much as I wanted to, as we had plans, but I look forward to a couple afternoon games in May.

As great as the ballpark is, the 2010 Twins team should be nearly as impressive. The front office has built a lineup to win now, and the offense should have no problem scoring runs. If they were still playing in Metrodome, I don’t think the team signs free agents Orlando Hudson or Jim Thome, and they might not have given lengthy contracts to OF Denard Span (5 years) and SP Nick Blackburn (4 years). Joe Mauer was always going to get his money.

The estimated payroll of $96 million (50% higher than opening day 2009) is a direct result of the expected revenue the team hopes to pull in from the new Target Field. That, and the owners are some of the richest people in Minnesota, so, yeah, they can spend some money in the coming years.

One of the Twins items I came across on Twitter within the last week was a Twins fan and blogger looking for 2010 Minnesota Twins predictions. I thought, “Hey, I can do that!” Without further delay, here are my Twins predictions for 2010:

Twins-Specific Predictions
- Twins MVP: Joe Mauer (best in the A.L. has to be best on the team, right?)
- Twins Top Pitcher: Scott Baker (expect big things from Big Spot Scott)
- Twins Best Rookie: Danny Valencia (when he makes it to Minneapolis)
- Twins Most Improved Player: Francisco Liriano (could average 12+ Ks per 9 innings)
- Bold Predictions (think of several if you’d like): Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel, Jim Thome, Delmon Young and Michael Cuddyer finish with 15+ homeruns (I would say 20+, but not sure Thome gets enough at bats. Also, whoever becomes the closer will finish with 30+ saves.
- A.L. Central Prediction (Standings): Twins, White Sox, Tigers, Indians, Royals
- Three Keys to Success for the Twins: 1) someone emerging as primary closer 2) M & M boys’ health holds up through October 3) one starter getting 20 victories.

Rest of the League Predictions
- A.L. MVP: Mauer or Mark Teixeira
- N.L. MVP: Hanley Ramirez (the only one to supplant Pujols here)
- A.L. Cy Young: Felix Hernandez (his talent & team allow him to explode)
- N.L. Cy Young: Roy Halladay (move to NL will be very good
- A.L. Rookie of the Year: Michael Brantley
- N.L. Rookie of the Year: Jason Heyward (this guy will be good for a long time)
- A.L. Breakout Player of the Year: Denard Span (nice lineup behind him & he will produce)
- N.L. Breakout Player of the Year: Stephen Strasburg (awesome pitching prospect)
- A.L. Comeback Player of the Year: Francisco Liriano
- N.L. Comeback Player of the Year: Chris Carpenter
- A.L. Playoff Predictions: Twins, Yankees, Rays & Mariners
- N.L. Playoff Predictions: Phillies, Cardinals, Braves & Dodgers
- World Series Prediction: Yankees beat Phillies (these teams might meet in W.S. for next five years)

I really want to pick the Twins to win the World Series, but not having the number one starter like other teams and losing Joe Nathan as their closer costs them in the post-season once again. Nathan would have been better this October than last year. The Twins will score runs, challenging the Yankees for the MLB lead this year, but will just miss the World Series.

It will be a very successful year for the Minnesota Twins, and fans should enjoy the season. We have our Twins gear, thanks to a long trip to Target the other day, and we’re ready to watch outdoor baseball at Target Field for the first time in downtown Minneapolis.

Sports fans of Minnesota teams just finished one of the most exciting six-month stretches in recent memory. The two favorite teams in the state were relevant and played meaningful games late in their season. Between the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings, we were treated to some great action on and off the field by both teams. The Twins made a late-summer, early-fall run in the Central Division, the Vikings signed Brett Favre, the Twins played a first round playoff series against the New York Yankees, and the Vikings played like a Super Bowl contender for most of their season. Overall, there were great moments, and fans had every reason to be engaged and optimistic for their teams from mid-August 2009 to late-January 2010.

August 18, 2009, began with the Twins six games under .500, playing in Texas against the Rangers who were 17 games over .500. That night, Joe Mauer hit two homeruns in a 9-6 come-from-behind Twins win. Oh, and earlier in the day, the Vikings officially signed Brett Favre, turning them into an immediate Super Bowl contender and media obsession. August, September, and October put Minnesota in the middle of the sports world, as the MLB season came to a close and the NFL season started to heat up.

The Twins win against the Rangers was the beginning of a great stretch of baseball to end the season, where they won 31 of their last 45 games. They survived losing Justin Morneau and being three games out of first place with four games left to finish tied with the Detroit Tigers atop the Central Division. This set up a one-game playoff at Metrodome, which would close to professional baseball when the Twins season ended. Game 163, on a Tuesday night, achieved instant classic status, as it lasted 12 epic innings. The Twins won on a single by Alexi Casilla in the bottom of the 12th that scored Carlos Gomez, who slid head-first at home plate and leapt high into the air, expressing the joy 55,000 screaming fans shared.

The noise from the Twins-Tigers game was just a carryover for what had happened the previous night in the same building. Brett Favre led an undefeated Vikings team on Monday Night Football against his former team, the Green Bay Packers. Favre had joined the Vikings and immediately made them his team, leading them to two road victories against inferior teams and two hard-fought home victories, including the dramatic game-winning touchdown with :02 left against the San Francisco 49ers. Minnesota fans collectively settled in for the fall, believing in the team and Favre, all building up to his first appearance against the Packers.

The build-up was huge, but even more so since it was Monday Night Football on ESPN (as though they needed an extra reason to pump up Favre wearing purple). The Twin Cities were electric, since the football game was the first of two huge games in consecutive nights in Metrodome. As you know, Favre performed well, leading the Vikings to a 30-23 victory. In the two games against the Packers, he finished with seven touchdown passes, zero interceptions, and two victories, which proved to be huge in leading the Vikings to the NFC North Division title and earning the first round bye in the playoffs. There was a lot of optimism for a nice Super Bowl run for the Vikings, which was not matched when the Twins met the Yankees in the fall.

The Twins did not fare that well against the Yankees, getting swept out of the playoffs. At least they gave us some exciting moments. They scored first in the series opener, only to see the Yankees score the final seven runs, losing 2-7. Game 2 was the one that really hurt, as the Twins had a 3-1 lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Joe Nathan, Minnesota’s great closer, gave up a leadoff single to Mark Texiera, before facing Alex Rodriguez. On cue, in new Yankee Stadium, Rodriguez tied the game with a two-run blast to right center. The Twins had a chance to take the lead in extra innings, but could not score with the based loaded and nobody out in the top of the 11th. The Yankees then won it in the bottom of the inning. Down two games to zero in the series, the Twins returned to Metrodome for one last game, but fell 1-4, ending their season much later than anyone thought on that day in mid-August when the beat the Rangers. They played great baseball down the stretch and now move to their new home at Target Field. MLB returns to the outdoors in Minneapolis. But not before the Vikings had the whole state buzzing.

The Vikings went 10-1 in their first 11 games before stumbling late in the season. They lost three of their final five games, all on the road. Their last lost was against the Bears in Chicago, when they still had homefield advantage in the playoffs on their radar. They got down 0-16 at halftime, but beginning with the second half of that game, the Vikings played perhaps their best stretch of football of the season. They scored 30 points in the second half, before falling in overtime, ending their bid at homefield.

The final week of the season, they rolled over a New York Giants team who had mailed in their season, since they had nothing for which to play. However, the Vikings still put 44 points on the board, giving them some confidence heading into the playoffs, where they had a first round bye. Fans were excited and looked at the long shot possibility of hosting the Packers in the game to go to the Super Bowl. We watched as the Packers lost a thriller in Arizone, and we moved on. The Vikings second round opponent was the Dallas Cowboys, whom many had jumped on as possible NFC favorites, since they had played pretty consistent football down the stretch.

The Vikings thoroughly outplayed the Cowboys in all phases of the game, winning 34-3, putting them in the NFC Championship game in New Orleans. We were very confident the Vikings could go to the Big Easy and win the game, and you could see purple on Bourbon Street for days in advance of the game.

The Vikings and Saints played a great game, another instant classic involving a Minnesota team. The Vikings could not close it out, losing in overtime after having a great chance to win the game with a field goal in regulation. They proved they were a really nice team, moving the ball against the Saints all game, stopping the Saints’ potent offense, and put themselves in position to advance to the Super Bowl. In the end, turnovers by Favre, Peterson, and the receivers were too much to overcome. After a great season, the Vikings ended their playoff run with a “Stomach Punch” loss – and the fans might still be feeling it.

The last six months have been very exciting for Minnesota sports. I put it on par with a stretch in 1991-1992, when the Twins won the World Series, Minneapolis hosted the Super Bowl and the Final Four, and the Minnesota North Stars made it to the Stanley Cup (they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins). I was only 13-14 years old at the time, but I remember it as an unbelievable time to live here. The Twins and Vikings provided memories for fans young and old with timely plays, clutch performances, exciting finishes, and playoff baseball and football. For those two days in early October 2009, Minneapolis was the center of the sporting world, and those of us cheering for Minnesota wins were rewarded with great performances.

The teams couldn’t “get the money” in the end, but no one will say it wasn’t worth the ride. With an impending contract extension for Joe Mauer, Francisco Liriano throwing darts in Winter League, and pitchers and catchers reporting for the Twins in a few weeks, we’re about to start all over again. Many Vikings’ fans are hoping Brett Favre will announce he will return for one more season, as the pieces are mostly still in place for another run to the Super Bowl next year.

As great as this time has been, we’re ready to look forward. I think there are good things to come in 2010 for Minnesota sports fans. The Twins and Vikings will be the teams that provide the excitement.