A Weekend with My Team

by UncleLeo on Apr 11, 2011 9:19 AM PDT

Went to Minneapolis to catch Games 2 and 3 of the weekend set against the Twins. I have a great many thoughts and feelings regarding this weekend, but before we talk about anything else, I have to ask... Who was the A's fan who had a friend in a red hat, where said friend in red hat passed out half way through the game and had to be woke (wakened?) after the game was over? I have to admit, it was quite humorous to watch.

Ok, back to the serious stuff, random thoughts about the experience...

Saturday: Ours was a 5 hour drive to reach the stadium, and we got there in the top of the 1st. The place was packed. Gio pitched well, as did Blackburn for the Twins. It was nice to see a scattering of A's fans throughout the stands. From what I could tell, fans of both teams were extremely frustrated by their team's offense... or lack thereof. (There are other game re-cap threads, so this will be primarily about being there and the experience.)

As has been mentioned in other recent threads regarding Twins' fans, they were great. Very friendly. We got some teasing for being "the enemy", but it was always good natured, and was fun to interact with them like that. Not once did we ever feel threatened or any hostility. The crowd was "electric', too, which I will talk more about later.

Sunday: The weather was windy and borderline crappy, and there were a lot of no-shows, but it was still a large crowd. While the crowd Saturday night seemed mostly younger couples and 'electric', Sunday's crowd was more family-oriented, and less outwardly friendly. Most of the families were turned inward and less prone to talk or interact with those around them. They weren't unfriendly, they just weren't engaging.

McCarthy pitched extremely well, also. The wind was blowing in, pretty heavy at times, so I was surprised to see any home runs at all. Yet, Matsui and Thome hit impressive HRs, and Willingham simply crushed his. Twins fans have really latched onto Thome, btw. If you didn't know any better, you'd think that all 590 of his HRs have come in a Twins uniform.

The Stadium: This was our first visit to Target Field. We had all been to the Metrodome before. I didn't think the Metrodome was great, but I was ok with it. I had seen far worse in my day. Target Field, I thought, was nice. Not the best I have ever seen, or even close, but nice. I will admit that I am a fan of the faux retro look, and this was more modern. It was much "taller" than I expected, if that makes any sense. Sight lines are good. Layout is good. I'm also a sucker for downtown backdrops. Seats are cramped, though. Yeah, I'm a little bigger than average, but I'm not huge either.

One thing that struck me... it's laid out in a somewhat similar way to the Coliseum and Mt Davis in that it has somewhat of a "closed-in" feeling similar to Mt Davis. Just not as overwhelming or dominating as Mt Davis. You see actual people on the other side of the field, and there are a couple opening where you can see downtown. The views of the downtown helped ease any claustrophobic feelings, I'm sure.

Saturday we sat down the LF line a couple section past 3B about half way up. Except for being packed in like sardines, they were good seats.

Sunday we sat in the "Home Run Porch" in LF. First row. This was a lot of fun. A little more room. A different perspective. The porch overhangs the field a bit, so we couldn't see any deep LF plays, but that was kind of fun in its own right. I normally like to be as close to home plate as possible, but I could do this more often.

Ingress & Egress: The stadium was easy to move about during the game. That was nice. They get huge kudos, however, for their parking. I have never seen stadium/arena parking so easy to get in and out of. The designers and engineers obviously put a lot of thought and creativity into this, and they succeeded. I was in one of the closer lots, and it did cost $15 (which is a tad high by midwest standards), but I cannot complain (too much) after experiencing the ease in getting in and out.

Final Thoughts: On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give Target Field about an 8. I'd give the fans a 9, maybe 9.5.

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Nice write-up. Thanks!

Rec’d

I vibrated with joy that join A's. -- Kim Seong-min

by WaddellCanseco on Apr 11, 2011 11:01 AM PDT reply actions

Did they have any "Let's Go Oakland" type chants, or specific things for different players?

by Billy Frijoles on Apr 11, 2011 11:29 AM PDT reply actions

The only one that really sticks out...

…was they’d yell “Kuuuuub” when Jason Kubel came to bat. Which sounded like a “boo”, similar to when Red Sox fans yell “Youk” for Youkalis.

Even though they didn’t have specific chants, most fans clearly held Maur, Morneau, and Thome in the highest regard. I did see many Denard Span shirts and jersey’s, too.

No team-specific chants like “Let’s Go Oakland”. Mostly clapping, and even then only when the scoreboard prompted them.

I'm beginning to believe that Bud Selig wants to die of old age before he has to make a decision regarding Oakland vs San Jose.

by UncleLeo on Apr 11, 2011 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions

I heard them yelling "Luuuuuuke" for that Hughes kid, whatever his name is

Last of the Ninth - Photography

by Flashfire on Apr 11, 2011 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Rec it, thanks for sharing UL!

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Apr 11, 2011 12:11 PM PDT reply actions

BTW, can we get you to go to tonight's game? :)

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Apr 11, 2011 12:17 PM PDT reply actions

My "record" is 2-0 this year, and I'd love to, but...

…unfortunately I can’t :-(

I'm beginning to believe that Bud Selig wants to die of old age before he has to make a decision regarding Oakland vs San Jose.

by UncleLeo on Apr 11, 2011 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions

Cool!

Thanks for sharing. Love stuff like this.

The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. —Joe Posnanski 8/29/09

by pam5981 on Apr 11, 2011 1:42 PM PDT reply actions

I was there Sunday too.

I live in Minneapolis and always try and catch the A’s when they’re in town(only once this year unfortunately). I’ve seen the A’s in Chicago(Sox), KC, Oakland, and ATL and the fans in Minnesota are by far the most tame so UncleLeo’s summary is right on. It’s nice that they’re cordial but you can’t get any reaction out of them. I like to root aggressively for the A’s and like it when people that know their team want to talk back. Makes for good dialogue I think and make the game more enjoyable. When Matsui and Willingham went deep me and another guy in the front row of the 3rd deck(I was in the front row of the 2nd) were up hooting and hollering and nothing at all. I even started a one man OVER-RATED chant for Mauer….nothing. I contrast this with my recent trip out to Oakland for Opening Day vs. Seattle. The crowd was much more into it and there was a lot more energy in section I was in anyway and you didn’t have to be prompted by the scoreboard to get excited. I guess the A’s type of play…good pitching, good defense, and timely hitting is kind of boring if you’re an opposing fan and if the A’s come into your stadium and shut you down, but even though the stadium is almost always full the intensity is lacking. Anyway, those are my thoughts/gripes. If anyone in the Midwest wants to go to the KC series I may be able to go.

The worst person to run from is yourself.

by noesis78 on Apr 11, 2011 4:46 PM PDT reply actions

Well, nothing personal but chanting "OVER-RATED" for Mauer, especially in his home ballpark, is pretty bad

Last of the Ninth - Photography

by Flashfire on Apr 11, 2011 9:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Also... he's like the best catcher in baseball

hard to be overrated.

Official Athletics Nation Rotating Tagline Editor - Pam liked my old sig better.
My thoughtful watermelon is easily mistook for an early American catapult.

by mikev on Apr 12, 2011 8:38 AM PDT up reply actions

Right, which is why you would expect a reaction from a Twins fan.

A simple “umm…who’s your catcher? Yeah, I thought so…” would have probably satisfied noesis.

Yeah, I gotta say I enjoy the friendly barbs. Hence why I got my ticket package near the visitors bullpen at the coli. good times. As in when I was in A’s gear at yankee stadium there was this approx. 9 yo kid and his dad with thick NY accents heckling me all game. They literally cracked me up a few times with some hilarious comments. Makes for a good experience overall as a visiting fan.

Also why I perversely enjoy going to A’s-Red Sox games, even though the crowd is full of annoying douchebags. It’s kind of like being a visiting fan in your own ballpark. Can get some good ol’ friendly trash talking in.

One of my better memories was going to an A’s-mariners game in high school and relentlessly going back and forth with a belligerent drunk M’s fan. didn’t escalate, but it was just a constant back and forth that made a relatively uneventful game pretty entertaining.

by Billy Frijoles on Apr 12, 2011 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions

I was at the Saturday game.

I, too, had first row “home run porch” seats in LF, probably not far at all from where you sat on Sunday. I’d have to agree with everything you said – the fans were great, in particular. The stadium impressed me, perhaps most of all in the way that it really blends in to the surrounding urban environment. You barely know there’s a baseball stadium downtown at all until you are practically on top of it. Weird.

Fun game, nice stadium, nice fans. I’ll be back!

A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular.

by IowaA'sFan on Apr 11, 2011 6:54 PM PDT reply actions