This weekend was an absolute blast. The Minnesota Twins took
the field and despite a hiccup on Saturday, looked the part of a superior team
ready to assert themselves. On their off-day Monday, Major League Baseball did
its best to go up in flames. I expected a rollercoaster this season, but I’m
not sure this was how I envisioned it.
Max Kepler started the season with a dinger, and then he
went ahead and did it again. Nelson Cruz blasted his way into the record books
with a seven-RBI performance on Sunday, and Rocco Baldelli’s club looked like a
clear favorite in the AL Central. This week is highlighted by tough matchups
with the St. Louis Cardinals and Cleveland Indians, a good measuring stick pair
of matchups.
As I eagerly anticipated the return of Twins baseball at
Target Field today, even without fans, I couldn’t help but feel an immense
level of uncertainty. The Miami Marlins now have zero idea how they’ll field a
team, and the Washington Nationals want no part of player such an infected
organization. Rob Manfred has said it’s not a death blow to the league, but he also
hasn’t stepped up with any real plan forward.
I guess all of that leaves us in this weird limbo that 2020
continues to serve up.
The three days tweeting real, live, Twins action over the
weekend were some of the most fun I’ve had in all the years spent doing this.
It was a reprieve from the world around us, and while not sticking my head in
the sand, it was a necessary getaway. The unfortunate flip side is whether or
not it will all be taken away, and a matter of how abruptly.
I’m not going to pretend I have any clue how to navigate
these waters, or that playing baseball through a global pandemic is even an
entirely possible endeavor. What I do know though, is that this Twins team has
already flashed reason to believe they’ll be among the best in franchise
history, and I’d hate to see that go wasted.
My hope is that there’s a way forward and that some ugly
situations early present an opportunity for discussion, planning, and growth.
Maybe we’ll look back at this first week much like we can hope to in regards to
2020 as a whole, and just shake our heads at the absurdity we experienced. I’m
not sure what lies ahead, but you best believe it will be better if Twins
baseball remains a part of it.
