#10/30: Target Field, Minneapolis
Everything's bigger in... Minnesota?
Saturday, May 26, 2024
500 miles from Champaign to Minneapolis. Big road trip.
Going by train would’ve been inefficient because of a long stop off in Chicago. Going by plane would’ve been inefficient and expensive, because this trip also included a stop in Milwaukee for #11/30.
I don't mind. Road tripping fits the spirit of this whole journey. It allows for more flexibility. More exploring.
But first… baseball.
Target Field. Feels a lot like a big Target.
That was my first impression, and it's not a criticism. The branding around the stadium was heavy but not over the top. Besides, most Targets are nice, aren’t they? Targets feel modern and clean. So did Target Field.
The weather was a bit ominous, but not in the way I had feared. Minnesota in May is a gamble. It literally could have been near freezing. Instead it was nice and warm with some overcast. My weather app said chances of precipitation were very low, and ultimately it all worked out. No delays, and no rain at all.
There wasn’t much in terms of batting practice and pregame warmups. I hung out by the bullpens for a little while but there were no opportunities to get a toss up ball. I ended up buying an authenticated ball, as has been the case for about half the ballparks I’ve visited so far.
I did get to watch the simple routine of the grounds crew sweeping the bullpen pitching mounds. It was very satisfying, almost ritualistic. Like tending to a Zen garden.
Every game I go to has thousands of kids in the stands. They all dream that they’ll grow up to be one of the players on the field. At my age, I idolize the people that mow the field (among other groundskeeping duties). Wouldn’t that be the coolest summer job?
There was plenty of time to prep my scorecard and grab a beer before heading to my bleacher seat in left field.
The visiting Texas Rangers got on the board first with a two-run homer from Corey Seager in the third inning. Being in the outfield, I would have loved the chance to catch a home run ball. But Seager’s shot was to right center field, about 200 feet from my glove. Bummer.
The Twins responded and there was some back-and-forth scoring through the middle innings. Seager homered again in his next bat, but this time it was to right field - about 300 feet from me. Big bummer.
The Rangers ultimately capped off three straight innings with two runs scored. Through the same stretch the Twins put up only two, and down by four. From that point on there was little action. The home team Twins couldn’t manage a single hit in the final four innings. The Rangers only got one more themselves, but it was more than they needed. Final score - Rangers 6, Twins 2.
That missing strip of scorecard in the lower left corner was given to the guy sitting next to me. On it I wrote down this blog’s address. It's always a pleasure to meet new people on these trips, talk baseball and other light conversation to fill the gaps between pitches and innings. Then, of course, it's equally a pleasure to share the experience with you! And it made me think… I should have made up business cards. Ones that send people here as I meet them and they’ve taken interest in my story. Big miss?
Extra Innings
What does one do when they have an open evening in Minneapolis? They go to Mall of America, of course!
That’s a big mall. Biggest in the United States.
First I thought I’d buy myself a pair of sunglasses. I tend to lose them easily so I never spend too much. Fittingly enough, the affordably-priced online brand Shady Rays has a brick-and-mortar store in Mall of America. I found myself a nice pair there.
But as I looked at my face while trying on the various Shady Rays options, I realized I was long overdue for a haircut. So I wondered - does this great big mall have any barbershops?
Turns out they do. I took advantage, and thought of my dad. He has a tradition of getting his hair cut while traveling whenever the timing works out. I think I can commit to getting mine done exclusively on the road for the rest of this baseball season. It’s only a few more months, and to be honest, that translates to probably just one more barbershop visit for me. I have a habit of letting my hair get way too long in between cuts. So… where’s the best barbershop east of the Mississippi?
I had entered Mall of America tired from travel, shaggy, and sans ocular UV protection. I exited looking sharp and feeling great!
Big difference.
I capped off the night with pizza. Ahead of this trip I did some research in the archives of Triple D.
Pizzeria Lola. Guy Fieri has his take, but there are plenty of other accounts of this place on YouTube. Dave Portnoy, with his strict no-toppings, cheese-only policy, gave it a 6.9. Whichever way you look at it, Chef Ann Kim’s place is serious about pizza. She won a James Beard Award in 2019. Big deal.
That’s how a seemingly simple 12” pizza in Minnesota earns a price tag of 30 dollars.
Now don't get me wrong - this was pretty damn good pizza, and I'm a big pizza guy (err, a big guy who loves pizza). But was it 30 dollars good? I dunno. I suppose I'll chalk it up to the cost of adventure. I'm in that YOLO, once-in-a-lifetime spirit on these trips. Whether it's $30 for pizza, $75 for a stadium tour or whatever else, a standard rule can apply:
Go big.
Next stop: May 27, Milwaukee