Chicago, Chicago, Milwaukee road trip unlike any other in Twins history

June 26, 2018 at 2:08AM
Fans urge on Willson Contreras as he doubles, beginning a ninth-inning come-back to tie the Brewers and later win the tenth inning at Wrigley Field Friday, Sept. 16, 2016 during the first home game after the Cubs clinched the the National League Division title. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune) ORG XMIT: 1190625 ORG XMIT: MIN1609231005166601
Fans urge on Willson Contreras as he doubles, beginning a ninth-inning come-back to tie the Brewers and later win the tenth inning at Wrigley Field Friday, Sept. 16, 2016 during the first home game after the Cubs clinched the the National League Division title. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune) ORG XMIT: 1190625 ORG XMIT: MIN1609231005166601 (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Savvy Twins fans already know about the opportunity in front of them. They proved with ample responses to a Twitter inquiry I made about the upcoming nine-game road trip for Minnesota.

But to reiterate, this is what is in front of the Twins starting Tuesday night: three consecutive three-game road series against the White Sox (Tuesday-Thursday), Cubs (Friday-Sunday) and Brewers (Monday-July 4).

If ever there was an opportunity for a magical baseball trip, this is it. Two cities, three teams, nine games, with a weekend and a holiday thrown in.

The word "unique" tends to be both overused and misused, but this span is truly unique. The Twins have only played the Cubs at Wrigley Field four times — the last in 2009, the last before that in 2001. They didn't play the White Sox or Brewers (more common opponents, particularly the White Sox) adjacent to any of those four series.

So this is a trip that has never happened. Twins fans, as the kids like to say, are extremely here for this and plan to take advantage as best they can.

Aaron Richards from Kasson said he's heading to Wrigley for the Friday and Saturday games with his wife, who is a huge Cubs fan but has never been to Wrigley.

"I get to see the Twins and drink Old Style. Definition of a win-win," he said.

Same goes for John and Kathy Anderson of Minnetonka, who are going to Wrigley (his first trip there) on Saturday and then heading to Milwaukee on Monday.

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Naturally, it seems as if the Cubs and Brewers series are the ones most fans are zeroing in on. The White Sox games are less rare and are in the middle of this week, after all.

But Mark and Julia Moller of Minnetonka are taking their daughter, Anna, to Chicago for the first time for games against both the White Sox and Cubs. It's also his 50th birthday celebration, Mark added.

As another astute reader pointed out, the Sunday game at Wrigley features a unique giveaway: a Willson Contreras laundry hamper. (Hopefully not game-used).

That said, if you have cost in mind the White Sox/Twins games have that going for them. I see tickets on Vivid Seats for the White Sox series starting at $4 for all three games. It will run you $50+ on StubHub to get into a Cubs/Twins game. Then again, cost isn't always the same as value.

As someone who has been on multiple trips to all three ballparks, here are a few suggestions:

In Milwaukee ...

• Definitely tailgate outside Miller Park. It's legitimately a great tailgating scene. Chad Harris from Coon Rapids, who said he's going to the Twins/Brewers games next week, agrees. He said: "Those games are always fun. Feels like a rivalry. Tailgating scene at Miller Park is outstanding."

• Definitely don't: Lecture the locals about how much better of a ballpark Target Field is vs. Miller Park. Trust me, they already know.

• You might also want to check out Milwaukee's excellent Summerfest, a long festival with tons of good music that is happening during the Twins series.

In Chicago ...

• Go plenty early to Wrigley and check out the neighborhood bars. It's better than trying to go after the game when everyone has the same idea. If you're going to a White Sox game, don't prejudge the ballpark based on what you've heard. It's actually not bad.

• If you have kids, check out Maggie Daley Park (right next to the excellent Millennium Park near the lakeshore). You will be hard pressed to find a better outdoor playground.

• But do not — repeat, do not — eat approximately 13 pounds of meat for lunch at Fogo de Chao in downtown Chicago before watching a baseball game in the intense heat. I did this in 2012, and I still have regrets. Projected high temperatures are in the low 90s this weekend in Chicago. Don't say I didn't warn you.

All that said, it's going to be hard to mess this trip up no matter how the Twins play and no matter how much of it you are planning to attend.

If you do all nine games, by the way, you achieve legend status. Those are just the rules.


Courtney Wheaton watches a baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, June 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: MIN2018062519383741
Nine days, three parks: Fans watching the White Sox in Chicago (top photo) don’t get to see any Ivy like Cubs fans at Wrigley do (middle photo), but their park is underrated. And neither of them get to see sausage races unless they go to Milwaukee (bottom). But Twins fans can see all three by going on the team’s upcoming road trip starting today. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
The Sausage Race takes place during a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers on June 4, 2017 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI. The Brewers defeated the Dodgers 3-0. (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - JUNE 04: The Sausage Race takes place during a MLB game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers on June 4, 2017 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI. The Brewers defeated the Dodgers 3-0. (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images) ORG XMIT: 280052 (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

Michael Rand

Columnist / Reporter

Michael Rand is the Minnesota Star Tribune's Digital Sports Senior Writer and host/creator of the Daily Delivery podcast. In 25 years covering Minnesota sports at the Minnesota Star Tribune, he has seen just about everything (except, of course, a Vikings Super Bowl).

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