My First Time...Indoors

Followed the Chi Sox up to "the Baggy" (Minny). Twins need to take
all three to make it interesting.

Update: Saw an interesting game tonight. But not just the game itself, but the experience of watching baseball indoors made it interesting. The Twins won 9-3 and got to within a game and a half of the Sox. The fans in Minnesota are really into their ball club. They all stand up when it gets to be two strikes on the opposing hitter and they don't need those stupid fan graphics to tell them when it's ok to cheer, which is refreshing. The Twins play a fun type of baseball too relying on pitching, fundamentals, and aggressive base running. With 35,000 rowdy fans in attendance it felt like a playoff atmosphere. (Although there's no reason I should know what that feels like)

There were several quirks about the game/stadium that should be pointed out. First of all, you feel like you're at a hockey game because it's so chilly inside. It also feels like you're in a completely sterile environment, which is not fun if you like Washington, DC humidity or really dry hot air. During the game a fly ball hit the roof of the stadium and somehow it was called foul, although I thought it was almost impossible to tell that high up whether the ball would have landed inside or outside the lines. Another exciting moment came when someone ran out onto the field and got chased by 20 of Minneapolis' finest , which was very entertaining.

What else? Because they pump air into the dome when you exit the stadium you get whooshed away when you open the door. It's quite exhilarating! I missed out on the excitement the first time I left because I used the revolving doors, but when I looked back and saw what a foolish mistake I had made I turned right back around and experienced the thrill. From speaking with several fans about their new OUTDOOR ball park that is supposed to be ready for 2010 I got the feeling that everyone hates the Dome, but from looking at the faces of kids and adults alike as they exited their Dome, you can't help but think how they will miss the "whoosh".

OK, now that concludes most of the MLB stuff I'll be doing on the trip. So now seems like a good time for me to post my official biased stadium rankings of the one's I've visited so far over the years:

PNC/Pirates (great views from the upper deck)
Camden Yards/Orioles (no explanation needed)
Great American/Reds
Tiger Stadium/Tigers (classic old time stadium with character)
Wrigley/Cubs
Edison Field/Angels
Fenway/Red Sox (definitely overrated, but I was there 9 years ago and have not seen recent renovations)
Citizens Bank/Phillies
Nationals/Nationals (almost identical to Philly, except with the terrible view of the parking lots)
Jacobs Field/Indians (too many club suites and the upper deck view of the field isn't as good as Phils/Nats)
Kauffman/Royals
Memorial/old Orioles
Busch/old Cardinals
Yankee/Yankees (if not for games that have been played here this would be further down...the stadium is a dump)
Shea/Mets (dump)
Metrodome/Twins (fun once, but just once)
Veterans/Old Phillies (dump II)
RFK/Old Nationals (no explanation needed II)
Cinergy/Old Reds (couldn't get down to the lower deck during batting practice w/out a ticket)