The Twins returned to an outdoor home last season after 28 years in the Metrodome. They made it through the 81-game home schedule with one postponement and one suspension after five innings. They also played 81 games on the road without a rainout.
The weather magic has disappeared in Season 2 of the outdoor return. The Twins were rained out in New York on April 6, and they have been postponed twice on this second homestand of the season.
In the process, they have left the civilians confused. Friday's game was called at 6:40 p.m. By the time many fans made it home, the rain had stopped. Tuesday's game vs. Tampa Bay was called early in the afternoon. The heavy rain stopped and the game could have been played in a cold drizzle.
"One thing we're trying to figure in as we make these decisions is the 'misery' factor for the fans and players," Twins President Dave St. Peter said Wednesday. "And it would've been miserable for everyone if we had played last night."
The problem with choosing not to play on Tuesday was that it put the Twins, the Rays and the fans in a position of being required to play in conditions as cold -- with rain and snow -- on Wednesday.
"No matter how you try to adjust, we are going to play games on nights like this," St. Peter said. "That is no different than in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, New York or Boston.
"We had unbelievable weather in our first season at Target Field. And the first homestand, the weather was fine. In a way, that makes tonight the official return of outdoor baseball for the Twins and our fans."
The decision to postpone Tuesday's game was less of a surprise than what accompanied the announcement: The postponement would be made up as the night portion of a split doubleheader on Thursday.