Baseball has enough trouble scheduling with bad weather.
But I am not proposing putting a roof on the new park.
On the contrary, I am saying something much more radical:
SAVE THE METRODOME!!!!
I know it sounds crazy, defending the single most maligned stadium in the game, but I say there is a place for it and a real group of reasons to keep it as the home of the Twins.
Indulge me!
Let's list:
Reason 1: It's a dome
I know I hit on this already but seriously? An open air stadium?
Do you just want the first week of the season snowed out every year?
Have you BEEN to Minnesota?
Have you at least seen Fargo?
That film took place in Minnesota...
I believe during 4th of July weekend!
Reason 2: It's recognizable
When baseball started replacing the cookie cutter ballparks that all looked the same from the 1970s with the new fan friendly ball parks, a strange thing occured:
All the new parks started looking the same.
Seriously what is the difference between the new Philadelphia park, the new Washington park, the new St. Louis park and now this new Minnesota park?
But when you see a line drive hit off the "Baggie", you know EXACTLY where you are!
Reason 3: Everything ugly becomes beautiful again
As bad music and ugly clothes from the 70s and 80s became popular with nostalgia has proven, there is no predicting what people will long for.
Maybe the Metrodome should stand as a lasting monument to an era of bad stadium building.
Maybe it will become a baseball travelers destination.
(Remember, they almost tore down Fenway Park in the 1960s.)
Reason 4: It's a legit home field advantage
When the place is packed and the homer hankies are waving and noise is deafening... the Metrodome is a unique place even on TV.
Plus the quirkiness and color of the roof ads to more of a home field advantage.
Remember sure fielding Willie McGee unable to catch a flyball during the 1987 World Series?
The Twins have yet to lose a World Series game in the Metrodome... which leads us to the next reason.
Reason 5: Two World Champions celebrated there
Don't take that for granted folks...
The Cubs and the Phillies have been around forever and combined they only have 3 World Series titles.
Since the expansion era only Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, the Oakland Collesium and Baltimore's Memorial Stadium have had their team celebrate a World Series on their home turf.
And Oakland has been rebuilt, Memorial Stadium has been torn down and Shea and Yankee Stadium will be abandoned after this year.
Ironically the Metrodome would become the house of Champions!
Reason 6: They already ARE competitive!
Remember how the Twins were supposed to be contracted after the 2001 season?
Part of the reason was they were unable to be competitive?
What did they do in 2002? They won the Division and went to the ALCS.
What did they do in 2003? They won the Division.
What did they do in 2004? They won the Division.
What did they do in 2006? They won the Division.
How are they doing in 2008? They are tied for first place.
So much for contraction!
Reason 7: $522 million can be better spent!
I hate to get all preachy, but 522 million clams could go to a lot of teacher, fireman and police salaries instead of assuring the opening of the baseball season will be snowed out.
So that's my take.
Then again the Metrodome is one of the few stadiums I have NOT been to.
What do you Twin fans think?
Are the folks at Twins Nations ready to lay waste to the place where Kirby made that catch and Jack threw 10 shutout innings in game 7?
Is everyone in Twinkie Town ready to turn the page?
Hey Nick and Nick, aren't you the least bit nostalgic?
Do the Twins Without Spin feel that a third party in the Metrodome will be sweeter than ever, especially after the contraction threat?
Has the Twins Geek always been embarrassed by the giant souflee looking park?
Or will the likes of Seth Stoh help get me to save the Homerdome?
I guess Twins fans won't have to worry about fair weather fans... not under all that snow.
I have to admit that I like the Metrodome too, so that probably makes me a little bit of a baseball loser. I was there on Thursday, and I can't think of anyplace in Mpls. I like more than the Dome. Still...the new ballpark is a done deal, and trust me, outdoor baseball is far superior to indoor baseball. Kaufmann in Kansas City is not a cookie cutter ballpark, so I have to have faith that the one here won't be either. We'll just all have to bundle up for those April and September games, and **crossing fingers** October games.
ReplyDeletep.s. I will grant you that MN is cold and snowy, but the summer months here are beautiful. It's not like we have a foot of snow on the ground in August. We also really don't talk like the characters in Fargo. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou forgot a big one -
ReplyDeleteMany college teams rely on the Metrodome to get their early season games in up here in the North. From early February through early April the dome has baseball games going at all hours as teams use the facility to get in games that would otherwise not be playable.
More reasons why the Metrodome is historically significant.
ReplyDelete1987 WS Game 7 - Completes the first World Series in which the home team won every game.
1991 WS Game 1 - The first World Series between two teams that finished last the year before.
1991 WS Game 7 - The first game 7 to be scoreless after 9 innings.
Last major league appearance of Steve Carlton. He struck out the side one inning.
The only major league stadium to have 3 players make their 3,000th hit there.
The only major league stadium to host the World Series, Super Bowl and Final Four within 6 months of each other.
The three players to make their 3,000th hit in the Metrodome are Winfield, Murray and Ripken.
ReplyDeleteIt also should be noted that within a year of the WS, Super Bowl, and Final4 the Twin Cities also hosted the Stanley Cup Finals, US Open Golf Championship and the Special Olympics.
I totally agree with reason 2. All the new ballparks have become the cookie cutters they were built to replace.
ReplyDeleteYou really need to go see a game at the Metrodome... it's a terrible place for baseball. The first time I saw an outdoor baseball was game at County Stadium (Brewers' old place), and it blew my mind. There is an entire factor of baseball missing when it is played inside, especially the Metrodome. Hell, Tropicana is better than it!
ReplyDeleteYou should stop writing. You are embarassing yourself. Also, never become an attorney because the case you made for the dome would get you disbarred. I've had season tix for the Twins for quite some time now and have been to 8 other outdoor ballparks. The dome has no business in baseball. Have you been to Minnesota during the summer? The average temp. April-October is only 2 degrees less than Boston (your beloved town) and we receive less precip. Save yourself and stop writing!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis might be the dumbest prose I have read in the last 48 years. The city should sell the Metrodome to this yahoo for $1 when the Vikings stadium is finished.
ReplyDeleteFunny how people with no valid argument against a blog or other piece of writing always have to resort to name-calling. I.E.; "This article sucks cuz you're a big doo-doo head!"
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why people don't like the metrodome I seriously don't! It's a great place to see a game and the whole no rainouts or snowouts thing isn't too bad either:)
ReplyDeletetotally agree with reason 2. All the new ballparks have become the cookie cutters they were built to replace. thanks
ReplyDeleteI think that this post is very good and has useful information.
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