MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have a lot of work — and winning — to do to begin to win back their fan base.
This unusual home opener, culminating in a comeback victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, was a good start.
With the tarp covering the infield during a drizzle-altered batting practice session on Friday, the ballpark suddenly went quiet when Target Field and the surrounding downtown area lost power. The outage resulted in a delayed start by
nearly an hour.
But the crowd, later announced at about 94% capacity at 36,042, didn't seem to mind even despite the 38-degree afternoon temperature. The pregame happy-hour special — $2 beers, $2 hot dogs, $2 selected snacks — that was supposed to end at first pitch was extended through the second inning after the lack of power prevented concession sales. The fans roared after each bank of lights came back on during the ramp-up period.
“We can sell all the $2 beers we want. We can have all the concerts we want. But people want to see a winner. The product we put on the field is ultimately what is going to drive hope within our fan base,” executive chair Tom Pohlad said in an interview session with reporters in the home dugout before the power outage.
Pohlad, who assumed control of the club about four months ago from his younger brother in one of many significant leadership changes the organization has recently undergone, has aggressively begun an attempt to repair the relationship between the Twins and their fans.
From winter phone calls to fans who hadn't renewed season tickets to in-person meetings with current star players and minor league prospects, Pohlad has immersed himself in both the business and baseball operations. He never before had a formal role with the franchise while running the other family companies.
“I am living and dying on every single inning and out. I did not expect how seriously I was going to take every single game,” Pohlad said.
After winning a playoff series in 2023 for the first time in 21 years, the Twins cut payroll and have not recovered on the field or in the public eye. The dynamics around Major League Baseball, the media landscape, the Pohlad family and the Twin Cities area are far more complex, but that's the basic problem.
“I know there’s skepticism outside these walls. But I can tell you the feeling in this stadium is very positive and hopeful about where we’re going,” Pohlad said. “It’s nearly impossible to sell patience given where we’re at, which is why what happens on the field is the only thing that’s going to matter at the end of the day.”
Which is why beating the Rays 10-4 on the strength of a seven-run seventh inning behind a grand slam by Tristan Gray was so important, especially in such inclement weather after the hour delay. The game finished in hard rain, with some lightning and thunder in the ninth inning.
The outage was caused by equipment failure along the main line serving the ballpark, Xcel Energy announced in a news release that included an apology to the two teams and the fans for the impact on the game.
“To stick with us through opening day, it means a lot,” center fielder Byron Buxton said. “There is a lot more that goes into it than just them being in the stands. I just wanted to let them know it did not go unnoticed. Having them cheer us all nine innings, that definitely carried us.”
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