Minor League Ball: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
New Blog: The Nova Blog for Villanova Fans!

Home, Home Again

Well I'm back home now and moving forward to operational status again.

The trip to Minnesota was a blast. I got to see the Saturday game against the Royals, and I got to hang out with my friend Brent from childhood. It was great to reconnect.....with Brent, and with being a Twins fan again.

Star-divide

For the first time in a long time, I actually found myself enjoying a baseball game on an emotional level. Baseball has been a part-time job since 1993 and a full-time job since 1998 for me, and a lot of the emotional magic had fallen away in the daily grind of player analysis and writing. But I got some of that back this weekend.

The first game I saw in the Metrodome was sometime in 1983. I remember it was against the Red Sox, and I remember that Frank Viola got his clocked cleaned. Randy Bush hit a home run late in the game, but that the Twins lost something like 7-3 if I remember right.

Frank Viola threw out the first pitch before the game Saturday, which I found to be a nice synchronistic bookend for my adventures to the Metrodome. I have to admit, for all of its deficiencies as a baseball venue,  I always kind of liked the place. Living in Iowa as a kid, going to see a Twins game was always a production involving a 5 hour drive and a hotel stay, and it was nice knowing that if my dad bought tickets that the game WOULD be played, with no worry about rainouts. That will be lost with the new field, whatever it's advantages. The Dome is also tied into childhood and early adult memories....Hrbek, Viola, Blyleven, Gaetti, Brunansky, Puckett, Reardon, Tapani, Erickson, Aguilera...even Allan Anderson, Les Straker and Fred Toliver. I still have my 1987 World Series keyring. The 1991 series occurred right when Jeri and I got engaged.

I've been rather blase about the Twins in the playoffs the last few times, but this year I'm emotionally invested again. I'll be rooting hard Tuesday against the Tigers. Wouldn't another World Series be a great way to say goodbye to the Dome?

0 recs  |  Comment 4 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Just to get Ozzie's blood pressure up.

The Metrodome will still be there for a while. I think they ought to schedule a series against the White Sox there next season.

by timprov on Oct 5, 2009 12:42 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Retrosheet

Looked it up on retrosheet. I think the game you went to was, I think, June 4, 1983:

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1983/B06040MIN1983.htm

Your memory is good. Viola gave up 5 runs in 6.2 innings, Bush hit a sol shot. Sox won 8-6. Later than year, thought, Viola threw a complete game and beat the Sox 5-2.

by mhsiegel14 on Oct 6, 2009 12:46 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

yeah

Yeah, that’s the game. I was wrong about the score, but I remember Viola vs. Eckersley and I remember the Bush home run. I also remember Len Whitehouse coming out of the bullpen.

by John Sickels on Oct 7, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Blase

Why is that? I’m the same way. Been kind of bored with them the last couple times but I am really fired up for this. I think it’s because they hit a hot streak after they were written off. They have decent pitching, but we have bats again. Reminds me a bit of the 87 team.

http://milbprospects.blogspot.com/

by garrioch13 on Oct 6, 2009 1:29 PM EDT via mobile reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Minor League Ball: Where the Future of Baseball is Discussed
Start posting on Minor League Ball »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

Connect_with_facebook

Cbs_fantasy_baseball_promo

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

770insig_small
13 Prospect Lists, 1 Final Ranking
52376727_small
Top 140 Prospects
Small
Scott Feldman

Recent FanPosts

N16115505_31581383_8646_small
Bullpen Banter's Top 50 Prospects
Small
My Teams Future
Carlos_santana_ties_home_run_record_as_aeros_demol_small
Best place for HS and college stats
Small
Adeiny Hechevarria -  Opinions/Comments
Favicon1_small
The Rays know how to handle young pitchers
Small
Community Prospect #79
Orioles_small
Need some help on foreign born players
Mejia1-2_small
Ryan Westmoreland Diagnosed with a Cavernous Malformation
Small
Debate Amongst Friends
Favicon1_small
Jared Mitchell could miss the entire season

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

SBNation.com Recent Stories

Arizona Diamondbacks' Mark Reynolds connects for a three-run home run against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning of an MLB baseball game Friday, June 12, 2009, in Phoenix. It was Reynolds' fourth hit of the night. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Mark Reynolds Signs Three-Year Contract With Diamondbacks

via danhoard.mlblogs.com

Top Sox Prospect Ryan Westmoreland Scheduled For Brain Surgery

Texas Rangers' Kris Benson pitches to the San Francisco Giants in the first inning of their spring training baseball game in Scottsdale, Ariz., Monday, March 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Kris Benson Signs Minor League Contract With Arizona

More from SBNation.com >


Managers

Carew_small John Sickels


Site Meter