quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

Right now Jax isn't throwing quality strikes. His pitches either miss the zone or go over the heart of the plate.

quote:

ORIGINAL: MDK

The strength going into the season is a joke. The pen. A Rocco is clueless on pen Management.

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

Twins’ declining attendance has turned Target Field into the Land of 10,000 Fans
By Aaron Gleeman
April 17, 2025

MINNEAPOLIS — Attendance at Monday night’s game against the New York Mets laid bare just how far the collective morale of Minnesota Twins fans has fallen since the excitement of October 2023 at Target Field.

In the seventh inning of yet another frustrating loss, the team declared an announced attendance of 10,240. As always, that figure represents tickets sold rather than actual fans in seats, a much smaller number.

Not only was 10,240 the lowest official attendance in the 16-year history of Target Field, which opened in 2010 and has a capacity of nearly 40,000, but it also was the lowest attendance for any Twins home game since April 30, 2002, against the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays at the Metrodome. (This doesn’t include the COVID-19-affected 2020 and 2021 seasons with fan restrictions.)

How long ago was April 30, 2002? Well, it was one season before a 20-year-old center field prospect named Rocco Baldelli made his MLB debut for the same Rays. And it was just five months before a 19-year-old college student named Aaron Gleeman started blogging about the Twins.

But it hasn’t been very long since Twins fans, at this same sold-out park, were celebrating a division-winning team snapping a two-decade playoff losing streak. Less than 18 months later, the fans are watching — or, more accurately, not watching — a team that’s gone 89-92 (.492) since, including 7-12 (.368) this season and 19-39 (.328) in its last 58 games.

In timing so bad it could be studied in business school as a cautionary tale, the Pohlad family slashed payroll by $30 million coming off the first playoff success in 20 years, weakening the roster and halting momentum — as well as ticket sales — for a fan base that was just starting to believe again.

Then came last season’s collapse, when the Twins squandered 90 percent odds to make the postseason by finishing 12-27. And now here we are, with those late-2024 struggles bleeding into early 2025, and fans showing their dissatisfaction with the team’s owners and on-field performance by simply not showing up to the ballpark.

------------

It started last spring, with Pohlad’s now-infamous “right-size the payroll” comments during a radio interview, and continued in September with an end-of-the-season media session during which he attempted to justify the post-2023 payroll cuts as a “business decision.”

“We were headed down a great direction and I had to make a very difficult business decision,” Pohlad said. “That’s just the reality of my world. I have a business to run, and it comes with tough decisions. I wouldn’t make any other decision, because that’s the position we were in.”

But as Twins fans have learned the hard way throughout four decades of Pohlad family ownership, running the Twins as a business isn’t necessarily the same as running that business well. Every “business decision” made by the Pohlads has consequences for the team and for its fans.

Now the Pohlads are learning the hard way that when you make it obvious you view the team as a business, fans will follow suit by viewing the team as a product requiring motivation to buy, judged solely on its merits rather than on emotional attachment or a sense of obligation to support.

And, quite frankly, the product being offered by the Twins hasn’t been good enough to entice potential customers to spend money to watch a struggling roster built by an inactive front office hindered by lame-duck owners who set this whole downward spiral in motion with a “business decision.”

Don’t blame fans. They’re just making their own business decision now.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6281284/2025/04/17/minnesota-twins-target-field-attendance-drop/

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

Twins’ declining attendance has turned Target Field into the Land of 10,000 Fans
By Aaron Gleeman
April 17, 2025

MINNEAPOLIS — Attendance at Monday night’s game against the New York Mets laid bare just how far the collective morale of Minnesota Twins fans has fallen since the excitement of October 2023 at Target Field.

In the seventh inning of yet another frustrating loss, the team declared an announced attendance of 10,240. As always, that figure represents tickets sold rather than actual fans in seats, a much smaller number.

Not only was 10,240 the lowest official attendance in the 16-year history of Target Field, which opened in 2010 and has a capacity of nearly 40,000, but it also was the lowest attendance for any Twins home game since April 30, 2002, against the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays at the Metrodome. (This doesn’t include the COVID-19-affected 2020 and 2021 seasons with fan restrictions.)

How long ago was April 30, 2002? Well, it was one season before a 20-year-old center field prospect named Rocco Baldelli made his MLB debut for the same Rays. And it was just five months before a 19-year-old college student named Aaron Gleeman started blogging about the Twins.

But it hasn’t been very long since Twins fans, at this same sold-out park, were celebrating a division-winning team snapping a two-decade playoff losing streak. Less than 18 months later, the fans are watching — or, more accurately, not watching — a team that’s gone 89-92 (.492) since, including 7-12 (.368) this season and 19-39 (.328) in its last 58 games.

In timing so bad it could be studied in business school as a cautionary tale, the Pohlad family slashed payroll by $30 million coming off the first playoff success in 20 years, weakening the roster and halting momentum — as well as ticket sales — for a fan base that was just starting to believe again.

Then came last season’s collapse, when the Twins squandered 90 percent odds to make the postseason by finishing 12-27. And now here we are, with those late-2024 struggles bleeding into early 2025, and fans showing their dissatisfaction with the team’s owners and on-field performance by simply not showing up to the ballpark.

------------

It started last spring, with Pohlad’s now-infamous “right-size the payroll” comments during a radio interview, and continued in September with an end-of-the-season media session during which he attempted to justify the post-2023 payroll cuts as a “business decision.”

“We were headed down a great direction and I had to make a very difficult business decision,” Pohlad said. “That’s just the reality of my world. I have a business to run, and it comes with tough decisions. I wouldn’t make any other decision, because that’s the position we were in.”

But as Twins fans have learned the hard way throughout four decades of Pohlad family ownership, running the Twins as a business isn’t necessarily the same as running that business well. Every “business decision” made by the Pohlads has consequences for the team and for its fans.

Now the Pohlads are learning the hard way that when you make it obvious you view the team as a business, fans will follow suit by viewing the team as a product requiring motivation to buy, judged solely on its merits rather than on emotional attachment or a sense of obligation to support.

And, quite frankly, the product being offered by the Twins hasn’t been good enough to entice potential customers to spend money to watch a struggling roster built by an inactive front office hindered by lame-duck owners who set this whole downward spiral in motion with a “business decision.”

Don’t blame fans. They’re just making their own business decision now.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6281284/2025/04/17/minnesota-twins-target-field-attendance-drop/

One thing the Author of this article misses is Minnesota, Specifically Mpls/St Paul and the metro, have a LOT of competition for your entertainment dollar. Right now the Timberwolves and Wild are in the playoffs, Lynx will be starting soon, Soccer is popular, there's theaters everywhere, the music scene here, plus walking trails, lakes, food, comedy, etc etc etc etc there are a lot of better options. and the one rule the Pohlads don't understand about the sports franchise "business" is you've got to put a product on the field that wins or nobody will come... The Yankess (god I hate them) understand this. you have to compete for a title every year. They are committed to winning it all, their fans know it...so they know there is a good chance good things will happen if they go to a game. Twins can't say that. I can only hope a new owner understands the economics of pro sports and how it competes for entertainment dollars.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

Twins’ declining attendance has turned Target Field into the Land of 10,000 Fans
By Aaron Gleeman
April 17, 2025

MINNEAPOLIS — Attendance at Monday night’s game against the New York Mets laid bare just how far the collective morale of Minnesota Twins fans has fallen since the excitement of October 2023 at Target Field.

In the seventh inning of yet another frustrating loss, the team declared an announced attendance of 10,240. As always, that figure represents tickets sold rather than actual fans in seats, a much smaller number.

Not only was 10,240 the lowest official attendance in the 16-year history of Target Field, which opened in 2010 and has a capacity of nearly 40,000, but it also was the lowest attendance for any Twins home game since April 30, 2002, against the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays at the Metrodome. (This doesn’t include the COVID-19-affected 2020 and 2021 seasons with fan restrictions.)

How long ago was April 30, 2002? Well, it was one season before a 20-year-old center field prospect named Rocco Baldelli made his MLB debut for the same Rays. And it was just five months before a 19-year-old college student named Aaron Gleeman started blogging about the Twins.

But it hasn’t been very long since Twins fans, at this same sold-out park, were celebrating a division-winning team snapping a two-decade playoff losing streak. Less than 18 months later, the fans are watching — or, more accurately, not watching — a team that’s gone 89-92 (.492) since, including 7-12 (.368) this season and 19-39 (.328) in its last 58 games.

In timing so bad it could be studied in business school as a cautionary tale, the Pohlad family slashed payroll by $30 million coming off the first playoff success in 20 years, weakening the roster and halting momentum — as well as ticket sales — for a fan base that was just starting to believe again.

Then came last season’s collapse, when the Twins squandered 90 percent odds to make the postseason by finishing 12-27. And now here we are, with those late-2024 struggles bleeding into early 2025, and fans showing their dissatisfaction with the team’s owners and on-field performance by simply not showing up to the ballpark.

------------

It started last spring, with Pohlad’s now-infamous “right-size the payroll” comments during a radio interview, and continued in September with an end-of-the-season media session during which he attempted to justify the post-2023 payroll cuts as a “business decision.”

“We were headed down a great direction and I had to make a very difficult business decision,” Pohlad said. “That’s just the reality of my world. I have a business to run, and it comes with tough decisions. I wouldn’t make any other decision, because that’s the position we were in.”

But as Twins fans have learned the hard way throughout four decades of Pohlad family ownership, running the Twins as a business isn’t necessarily the same as running that business well. Every “business decision” made by the Pohlads has consequences for the team and for its fans.

Now the Pohlads are learning the hard way that when you make it obvious you view the team as a business, fans will follow suit by viewing the team as a product requiring motivation to buy, judged solely on its merits rather than on emotional attachment or a sense of obligation to support.

And, quite frankly, the product being offered by the Twins hasn’t been good enough to entice potential customers to spend money to watch a struggling roster built by an inactive front office hindered by lame-duck owners who set this whole downward spiral in motion with a “business decision.”

Don’t blame fans. They’re just making their own business decision now.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6281284/2025/04/17/minnesota-twins-target-field-attendance-drop/

One thing the Author of this article misses is Minnesota, Specifically Mpls/St Paul and the metro, have a LOT of competition for your entertainment dollar. Right now the Timberwolves and Wild are in the playoffs, Lynx will be starting soon, Soccer is popular, there's theaters everywhere, the music scene here, plus walking trails, lakes, food, comedy, etc etc etc etc there are a lot of better options. and the one rule the Pohlads don't understand about the sports franchise "business" is you've got to put a product on the field that wins or nobody will come... The Yankess (god I hate them) understand this. you have to compete for a title every year. They are committed to winning it all, their fans know it...so they know there is a good chance good things will happen if they go to a game. Twins can't say that. I can only hope a new owner understands the economics of pro sports and how it competes for entertainment dollars.

When they're losing the attendance war to their own AAA team, it's bad.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

It all started when Luis Arraez left. That move told me they were no longer serious about playing competitive baseball.

This team is batting .216. Even more amazing is that there are teams that are below them. The state of baseball has never been worse. It's an unwatchable product.

I remember the day when it was terrible if your team was batting below .250. I'm old enough to remember clearly how bad the 1982 team was. Finished 60-102. They still batted .257.

Baseball used to be a huge part of my life. I can't even remember the last time I sat down to watch an MLB game.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

It all started when Luis Arraez left. That move told me they were no longer serious about playing competitive baseball.

This team is batting .216. Even more amazing is that there are teams that are below them. The state of baseball has never been worse. It's an unwatchable product.

I remember the day when it was terrible if your team was batting below .250. I'm old enough to remember clearly how bad the 1982 team was. Finished 60-102. They still batted .257.

Baseball used to be a huge part of my life. I can't even remember the last time I sat down to watch an MLB game.

That was over two years ago. Get over it.

Losing a one trick pony like Arraez wasn't the end of it all. Lopez has been a good pitcher for us. You have to trade talent to get talent. and let's face it, Arraez only had ONE talent. slapping base hits. He doesn't draw walks. he doesn't play any position on the field even adequately. He doesn't steal bases, he doesn't hit with any semblance of power. He's a one trick pony. and one slappy can't carry a team on his own. They need more from the rest of the roster to succeed. The problem right now is an organizational standard for hitting that makes no sense. for the past few years they've been swinging for the fences depending on Home runs to carry them. Corkscrewing themselves into the ground trying to hit the ball 500 feet when they just need a doink, or a groundball with eyes, etc. What you get more often when trying to swing for the fences is strike outs, weak ground outs and pop outs that kill rallies etc. Strands runners...

When the Twins were winning titles they had guys that could hit for some power, but they scored more runs because they gapped a lot of balls. They didn't wait around for walks but could draw them, they punished bad pitches, and drove them to the gaps. Kirby Puckett, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Chuck Knoblauch were all good at gapping the ball and THAT'S what this team needs more of.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

It all started when Luis Arraez left. That move told me they were no longer serious about playing competitive baseball.

This team is batting .216. Even more amazing is that there are teams that are below them. The state of baseball has never been worse. It's an unwatchable product.

I remember the day when it was terrible if your team was batting below .250. I'm old enough to remember clearly how bad the 1982 team was. Finished 60-102. They still batted .257.

Baseball used to be a huge part of my life. I can't even remember the last time I sat down to watch an MLB game.

That was over two years ago. Get over it.

Losing a one trick pony like Arraez wasn't the end of it all. Lopez has been a good pitcher for us. You have to trade talent to get talent. and let's face it, Arraez only had ONE talent. slapping base hits. He doesn't draw walks. he doesn't play any position on the field even adequately. He doesn't steal bases, he doesn't hit with any semblance of power. He's a one trick pony. and one slappy can't carry a team on his own. They need more from the rest of the roster to succeed. The problem right now is an organizational standard for hitting that makes no sense. for the past few years they've been swinging for the fences depending on Home runs to carry them. Corkscrewing themselves into the ground trying to hit the ball 500 feet when they just need a doink, or a groundball with eyes, etc. What you get more often when trying to swing for the fences is strike outs, weak ground outs and pop outs that kill rallies etc. Strands runners...

When the Twins were winning titles they had guys that could hit for some power, but they scored more runs because they gapped a lot of balls. They didn't wait around for walks but could draw them, they punished bad pitches, and drove them to the gaps. Kirby Puckett, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Chuck Knoblauch were all good at gapping the ball and THAT'S what this team needs more of.

If you need a few hits, I know a guy that could get a few for ya. He's got a .322 lifetime batting average with a lifetime .370 on-base percentage (.419 slugging % lifetime). For about three years he was the toughest out in baseball and consistently ran up pitch counts for opposing pitchers.

BTW, the Twins are #26 in fielding percentage this season, so don't discount Arraez too much as a defensive player. He looked like Ozzie Smith compared to some of these clowns.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

It all started when Luis Arraez left. That move told me they were no longer serious about playing competitive baseball.

This team is batting .216. Even more amazing is that there are teams that are below them. The state of baseball has never been worse. It's an unwatchable product.

I remember the day when it was terrible if your team was batting below .250. I'm old enough to remember clearly how bad the 1982 team was. Finished 60-102. They still batted .257.

Baseball used to be a huge part of my life. I can't even remember the last time I sat down to watch an MLB game.

That was over two years ago. Get over it.

Losing a one trick pony like Arraez wasn't the end of it all. Lopez has been a good pitcher for us. You have to trade talent to get talent. and let's face it, Arraez only had ONE talent. slapping base hits. He doesn't draw walks. he doesn't play any position on the field even adequately. He doesn't steal bases, he doesn't hit with any semblance of power. He's a one trick pony. and one slappy can't carry a team on his own. They need more from the rest of the roster to succeed. The problem right now is an organizational standard for hitting that makes no sense. for the past few years they've been swinging for the fences depending on Home runs to carry them. Corkscrewing themselves into the ground trying to hit the ball 500 feet when they just need a doink, or a groundball with eyes, etc. What you get more often when trying to swing for the fences is strike outs, weak ground outs and pop outs that kill rallies etc. Strands runners...

When the Twins were winning titles they had guys that could hit for some power, but they scored more runs because they gapped a lot of balls. They didn't wait around for walks but could draw them, they punished bad pitches, and drove them to the gaps. Kirby Puckett, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Chuck Knoblauch were all good at gapping the ball and THAT'S what this team needs more of.

If you need a few hits, I know a guy that could get a few for ya. He's got a .322 lifetime batting average with a lifetime .370 on-base percentage (.419 slugging % lifetime). For about three years he was the toughest out in baseball and consistently ran up pitch counts for opposing pitchers.

BTW, the Twins are #26 in fielding percentage this season, so don't discount Arraez too much as a defensive player. He looked like Ozzie Smith compared to some of these clowns.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

Keschall has been fun to watch. He gives the lineup some energy.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

It all started when Luis Arraez left. That move told me they were no longer serious about playing competitive baseball.

This team is batting .216. Even more amazing is that there are teams that are below them. The state of baseball has never been worse. It's an unwatchable product.

I remember the day when it was terrible if your team was batting below .250. I'm old enough to remember clearly how bad the 1982 team was. Finished 60-102. They still batted .257.

Baseball used to be a huge part of my life. I can't even remember the last time I sat down to watch an MLB game.

That was over two years ago. Get over it.

Losing a one trick pony like Arraez wasn't the end of it all. Lopez has been a good pitcher for us. You have to trade talent to get talent. and let's face it, Arraez only had ONE talent. slapping base hits. He doesn't draw walks. he doesn't play any position on the field even adequately. He doesn't steal bases, he doesn't hit with any semblance of power. He's a one trick pony. and one slappy can't carry a team on his own. They need more from the rest of the roster to succeed. The problem right now is an organizational standard for hitting that makes no sense. for the past few years they've been swinging for the fences depending on Home runs to carry them. Corkscrewing themselves into the ground trying to hit the ball 500 feet when they just need a doink, or a groundball with eyes, etc. What you get more often when trying to swing for the fences is strike outs, weak ground outs and pop outs that kill rallies etc. Strands runners...

When the Twins were winning titles they had guys that could hit for some power, but they scored more runs because they gapped a lot of balls. They didn't wait around for walks but could draw them, they punished bad pitches, and drove them to the gaps. Kirby Puckett, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Chuck Knoblauch were all good at gapping the ball and THAT'S what this team needs more of.

If you need a few hits, I know a guy that could get a few for ya. He's got a .322 lifetime batting average with a lifetime .370 on-base percentage (.419 slugging % lifetime). For about three years he was the toughest out in baseball and consistently ran up pitch counts for opposing pitchers.

BTW, the Twins are #26 in fielding percentage this season, so don't discount Arraez too much as a defensive player. He looked like Ozzie Smith compared to some of these clowns.

Arraez defense is horrible. He is not like Ozzie Smith. More like Ozzie Schwartzmann. (A guy I just made up that played little league so well they wouldn't even let him play right field.)

Ozzie Smith at 70, could come out of retirement and play better defense than Arraez.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

It all started when Luis Arraez left. That move told me they were no longer serious about playing competitive baseball.

This team is batting .216. Even more amazing is that there are teams that are below them. The state of baseball has never been worse. It's an unwatchable product.

I remember the day when it was terrible if your team was batting below .250. I'm old enough to remember clearly how bad the 1982 team was. Finished 60-102. They still batted .257.

Baseball used to be a huge part of my life. I can't even remember the last time I sat down to watch an MLB game.

That was over two years ago. Get over it.

Losing a one trick pony like Arraez wasn't the end of it all. Lopez has been a good pitcher for us. You have to trade talent to get talent. and let's face it, Arraez only had ONE talent. slapping base hits. He doesn't draw walks. he doesn't play any position on the field even adequately. He doesn't steal bases, he doesn't hit with any semblance of power. He's a one trick pony. and one slappy can't carry a team on his own. They need more from the rest of the roster to succeed. The problem right now is an organizational standard for hitting that makes no sense. for the past few years they've been swinging for the fences depending on Home runs to carry them. Corkscrewing themselves into the ground trying to hit the ball 500 feet when they just need a doink, or a groundball with eyes, etc. What you get more often when trying to swing for the fences is strike outs, weak ground outs and pop outs that kill rallies etc. Strands runners...

When the Twins were winning titles they had guys that could hit for some power, but they scored more runs because they gapped a lot of balls. They didn't wait around for walks but could draw them, they punished bad pitches, and drove them to the gaps. Kirby Puckett, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Chuck Knoblauch were all good at gapping the ball and THAT'S what this team needs more of.

If you need a few hits, I know a guy that could get a few for ya. He's got a .322 lifetime batting average with a lifetime .370 on-base percentage (.419 slugging % lifetime). For about three years he was the toughest out in baseball and consistently ran up pitch counts for opposing pitchers.

BTW, the Twins are #26 in fielding percentage this season, so don't discount Arraez too much as a defensive player. He looked like Ozzie Smith compared to some of these clowns.

Arraez defense is horrible. He is not like Ozzie Smith. More like Ozzie Schwartzmann. (A guy I just made up that played little league so well they wouldn't even let him play right field.)

Ozzie Smith at 70, could come out of retirement and play better defense than Arraez.

At 70, he'd also be a tougher out than most of the lineup.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: Brad H

It all started when Luis Arraez left. That move told me they were no longer serious about playing competitive baseball.

This team is batting .216. Even more amazing is that there are teams that are below them. The state of baseball has never been worse. It's an unwatchable product.

I remember the day when it was terrible if your team was batting below .250. I'm old enough to remember clearly how bad the 1982 team was. Finished 60-102. They still batted .257.

Baseball used to be a huge part of my life. I can't even remember the last time I sat down to watch an MLB game.

That was over two years ago. Get over it.

Losing a one trick pony like Arraez wasn't the end of it all. Lopez has been a good pitcher for us. You have to trade talent to get talent. and let's face it, Arraez only had ONE talent. slapping base hits. He doesn't draw walks. he doesn't play any position on the field even adequately. He doesn't steal bases, he doesn't hit with any semblance of power. He's a one trick pony. and one slappy can't carry a team on his own. They need more from the rest of the roster to succeed. The problem right now is an organizational standard for hitting that makes no sense. for the past few years they've been swinging for the fences depending on Home runs to carry them. Corkscrewing themselves into the ground trying to hit the ball 500 feet when they just need a doink, or a groundball with eyes, etc. What you get more often when trying to swing for the fences is strike outs, weak ground outs and pop outs that kill rallies etc. Strands runners...

When the Twins were winning titles they had guys that could hit for some power, but they scored more runs because they gapped a lot of balls. They didn't wait around for walks but could draw them, they punished bad pitches, and drove them to the gaps. Kirby Puckett, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Chuck Knoblauch were all good at gapping the ball and THAT'S what this team needs more of.

If you need a few hits, I know a guy that could get a few for ya. He's got a .322 lifetime batting average with a lifetime .370 on-base percentage (.419 slugging % lifetime). For about three years he was the toughest out in baseball and consistently ran up pitch counts for opposing pitchers.

BTW, the Twins are #26 in fielding percentage this season, so don't discount Arraez too much as a defensive player. He looked like Ozzie Smith compared to some of these clowns.

Arraez defense is horrible. He is not like Ozzie Smith. More like Ozzie Schwartzmann. (A guy I just made up that played little league so well they wouldn't even let him play right field.)

Ozzie Smith at 70, could come out of retirement and play better defense than Arraez.

At 70, he'd also be a tougher out than most of the lineup.

The problem with hitters here is that the organizational philosophy for the past several years was to try to hit everything 500 feet and when you are trying to do that there are four possibilities
1. Strike out
2 soft ground out
3. pop up
4. home run

And the least likely of those four is the home run. It's just unfathomable to me that they are waiting on the HR to score runs. That and Rocco's inability to see a guy's locked in and pinch hitting for them because analytics say so.

I think they should bring Tom Kelly in to start harping on these guys to hit the ball the other way. Stop trying to kill every pitch, just put good wood on it, the Home runs will come naturally and fewer runners will be stranded.

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

Twins’ declining attendance has turned Target Field into the Land of 10,000 Fans
By Aaron Gleeman
April 17, 2025

MINNEAPOLIS — Attendance at Monday night’s game against the New York Mets laid bare just how far the collective morale of Minnesota Twins fans has fallen since the excitement of October 2023 at Target Field.

In the seventh inning of yet another frustrating loss, the team declared an announced attendance of 10,240. As always, that figure represents tickets sold rather than actual fans in seats, a much smaller number.

Not only was 10,240 the lowest official attendance in the 16-year history of Target Field, which opened in 2010 and has a capacity of nearly 40,000, but it also was the lowest attendance for any Twins home game since April 30, 2002, against the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays at the Metrodome. (This doesn’t include the COVID-19-affected 2020 and 2021 seasons with fan restrictions.)

How long ago was April 30, 2002? Well, it was one season before a 20-year-old center field prospect named Rocco Baldelli made his MLB debut for the same Rays. And it was just five months before a 19-year-old college student named Aaron Gleeman started blogging about the Twins.

But it hasn’t been very long since Twins fans, at this same sold-out park, were celebrating a division-winning team snapping a two-decade playoff losing streak. Less than 18 months later, the fans are watching — or, more accurately, not watching — a team that’s gone 89-92 (.492) since, including 7-12 (.368) this season and 19-39 (.328) in its last 58 games.

In timing so bad it could be studied in business school as a cautionary tale, the Pohlad family slashed payroll by $30 million coming off the first playoff success in 20 years, weakening the roster and halting momentum — as well as ticket sales — for a fan base that was just starting to believe again.

Then came last season’s collapse, when the Twins squandered 90 percent odds to make the postseason by finishing 12-27. And now here we are, with those late-2024 struggles bleeding into early 2025, and fans showing their dissatisfaction with the team’s owners and on-field performance by simply not showing up to the ballpark.

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It started last spring, with Pohlad’s now-infamous “right-size the payroll” comments during a radio interview, and continued in September with an end-of-the-season media session during which he attempted to justify the post-2023 payroll cuts as a “business decision.”

“We were headed down a great direction and I had to make a very difficult business decision,” Pohlad said. “That’s just the reality of my world. I have a business to run, and it comes with tough decisions. I wouldn’t make any other decision, because that’s the position we were in.”

But as Twins fans have learned the hard way throughout four decades of Pohlad family ownership, running the Twins as a business isn’t necessarily the same as running that business well. Every “business decision” made by the Pohlads has consequences for the team and for its fans.

Now the Pohlads are learning the hard way that when you make it obvious you view the team as a business, fans will follow suit by viewing the team as a product requiring motivation to buy, judged solely on its merits rather than on emotional attachment or a sense of obligation to support.

And, quite frankly, the product being offered by the Twins hasn’t been good enough to entice potential customers to spend money to watch a struggling roster built by an inactive front office hindered by lame-duck owners who set this whole downward spiral in motion with a “business decision.”

Don’t blame fans. They’re just making their own business decision now.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6281284/2025/04/17/minnesota-twins-target-field-attendance-drop/