For the second time in a week, I covered a game at Target Field. Last Saturday, it was the Gophers testing out the place. Friday night, it was the Twins playing their first exhibition game, against St. Louis.
The place is spectacular. It rained Saturday afternoon, which should prove to Twins fans that a little rain doesn't mean a whole lot when you have a well-tended field with good drainage.
After the game, Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer raved about the place, with Cuddyer's only complaint being the way pitches looked against the background of the trees in centerfield, at the base of the batter's eye.
Flyballs are much more interesting now, as outfielders have to factor in swirling winds.
Denard Span made an immediate impression, making a great catch to end the top of the first, and hitting a triple in his first at-bat, followed by a homer to right his next time up.
My two favorite aspects of the ballpark are the rightfield plaza area, from the gate all the way down to the bleachers hanging over the field; and the canopy, which looks spectacular when lit up at night.
Before the game, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire named Jon Rauch his closer.
I would have preferred seeing him play matchups in the ninth inning, but this is a relatively low-risk move. Rauch has done the job before, and while I don't think he has the stuff to be a closer for any lengthy period of time, naming him the closer serves the purpose of allowing the other relievers to settle into their roles.
