Target Field

It's now been a little more than a week since my buddy Tim and I went to our first Twins game at the new stadium. Let me preface this by saying I am 1,000 percent against taxpayer funding for pro sports venues. I think it is the worst kind of corporate welfare there is. That being said... Target Field is pretty sweet.

The sightlines are outstanding. We were about as far up in right field as you can be and it still felt like we were close to the action. The Twin City skyline was behind us in all its semi-impressive glory and the sun was shining (at least it was in left field — we were in the shade, which was a little chilly, but not bad). There's many more food choices, including gelato and even a fresh fruit cart – although I'm not sure how many apples they're going to sell for $3 apiece. Then again, it's hard to find anything there for less than $3. I got two small tacos from Senor Smoke's (Juan Berenguer shout-out, for all you hardcore Twins fans) for $5. They were tasty, if not particularly filling.

It was a great day for a ballgame and the place was packed. The Royals, of course, didn't cooperate. They insisted on bashing out a rare 10-5 win (Alberto Callaspo for MVP!), but I left feeling pretty satisfied. At $17 for each seat the ticket prices weren't rage-inducing, but I still miss the $5 seats at the Dome.

The one complaint both Tim and I agreed on was the rightfield bathroom, which seemed like an afterthought. It was a cramped, triangular room with only one door in and out, which made for an uncomfortable bottleneck. Maybe it wasn't built with sellout crowds in mind, but you would think it should have been.

Anyway, maybe the other bathrooms are better. And when you've got a great view and there's a good team on the field, it's hard to complain. Except when the taxpayers have to pay for it. That I think we should always raise a fuss about, no matter how enjoyable the finished product is.