The Final Day(?) at the Dome

For some reason, nobody really wanted to cover the Twins' final regular season game at the Metrodome, so by default, here I am. It's a very odd feeling, saying goodbye to something that I never really liked. It's more like good riddance. I feel like I'm holding a funeral for credit card debt. Sure, I had some good memories because of it, but I'm better off without it and I'm not really sad to see it go.
One of the reasons why I don't like the dome is because it's a dome. I grew up outdoors, so to speak, when it came to football and baseball. With the limited months of being able to enjoy the outdoors all coming during the summer, it seems absolutely ludicrous that I would make an effort to go inside.
But it's multi-purpose setup is another reason why I'm glad to see it go. It's a jack of all trades, and a master of none. All the great stadiums have a personality that fits the sport they house and that is not something the Metrodome can claim.
It's because of the multi-purpose setup that I had a "thank goodness the Twins are almost done with this place" moment walking up. Here we are, one game left in the season, the Twins are tied for first place, and their playoff lives depending on what happens today- the last day as tenants, and all there is on the outside of the building is Vikings signage. The most important day of the season for the Twins isn't even acknowledged.
Anyway, I'm going to keep a running blog on the day, so keep checking back!
12:47 Central
Just returned from an adventurous trip around the concourses. They are not the place for impatient people, as it is akin to rush hour traffic in there. I chatted with a few people who all said the same thing; happy to see the dome go, but even happier the Twins are playing for something.
They are doing the introductions right now with both teams lining up along the baselines. There are very few empty seats even though the start time is over 20 minutes away. Everyone is on their feet, flash bulbs are popping, and they are ready for some baseball, even if it is indoors.
The Twins need a Detroit loss and a win over the Royals to claim the Central title outright. However, it looks like they will need to win in order to force a playoff. Detroit leads 3-0 over Chicago in the bottom of the third.
1:11 pm Central
Carl Pavano throws a first pitch strike as the crowd builds up in excitement through his windup. It is 52 degrees outside and 68 degrees inside the dome.
1:16 pm
Pavano sets the Royals down in order, thanks in part to a nice play at third by Matt Tolbert. It's obvious to me this crowd is here because of the playoff implications and saying goodbye to the Metrodome is secondary. The Tigers still lead in the top of the 5th, 3-0, so we'll see how long the atmosphere stays as a playoff one.
1:30 pm
End of the first inning. After Joe Mauer walked to put runners at first and second with one out, I couldn't help but think, "I bet the Twins wish Justin Morneau was coming up right now". Instead, it was Jason Kubel, and he blasted a three-run shot to right to give the Twins a 3-0 lead. One out later, Delmon Young (Delmon Young!) hit a solo homer. 4-0 Twins after one.
1:42 pm
Pavano gets into a little bit of trouble, but gets out of it. I'm reminded that Twins fans are pretty savvy even though they don't have a real baseball stadium. Denard Span catches a flyball for out number two and makes a strong throw home, causing the runner to stay at third. The crowd erupts. It is a great atmosphere right now.
1:57
Took an inning off in order to eat a press box hot dog and it was totally worth it. So far, the only disappointment about the press box experience is there were no Drumstick ice cream cones when I got here. It's been a tradition of mine to eat one right of the bat and now I'll have to wait 'till next year.
Another note on the Twins fans. They actually started cheering when Pavano had two strikes on somebody without being prompted. Rockies fans can take a cue from them.
Joe Mauer is hitting right now and every pitch includes thousands of flashes from cameras.
2:06
What a bottom of the third. Jason Kubel hit his second three-run homer and then the crowd noticed the White Sox had put up a run against the Tigers, making it 5-1 in the top of the eighth. The crowd started chanting "Let's go White Sox" and lo and behold, it was 5-3 Detroit. The crowd cheered so loudly that Jose Morales stepped out of the batter's box. 7-0 Twins after three and hope in Detroit.
2:21
More trouble for Pavano in the top of the fourth. Back to back doubles made it 7-1 and then Cabrera lost a pop up in the roof that fell for a hit (would it be a Metrodome finale without one of those?). But Pavano got two strikeouts to end the threat and now the Twins need some help in the top of the ninth in Detroit.
2:35
There will be no champagne today. The Twins didn't get the help they required from the White Sox in the top of the ninth as Detroit won 5-3. That means Minnesota needs to win to tie and force a play-in game on Tuesday. I was surprised by the lack of reaction from the crowd when the Tigers final was posted.
2:41
The decision to start Pavano on three days rest appears to be a good one. Through five innings of work, he's struck out 6 and allowed only one run on five hits. Twins look like they are going to force that one game playoff as they still lead 7-1, but the atmosphere feels a little deflated since there is no chance to win the division outright today.
2:58
The day is over for Pavano, and he got a nice round of applause when he was pulled out after giving up three runs in the sixth. He went 5 2/3 innings and struck out 7. This game has lost a lot of the energy it had earlier. The Twins can no longer clinch the title today and with a four run lead it feels like a playoff is an inevitability. So this isn't the final Metrodome game and the Twins aren't clinching a playoff berth today.
3:03
Maybe this isn't a done deal. Keppel just gave up back to back hits and was yanked. Mahay now in with two outs in the sixth as the Twins bullpen tries to make this interesting again.
3:12
The energy is back, thanks to the Royals loading the bases and bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of their number three hitter, Billy Butler. The Twins helped by using three pitchers to get one out. Jon Rauch struck out Butler looking to end the game and wake up the dome.
3:25
Twins got a run back with two outs when Denard Span scored from first on a Cabrera double. Now Brian Duensing, who was originally scheduled to start this game, is pitching for Minnesota.
3:34
Learned that Louie Anderson is from Minnesota after he helped sing "Take me out to the ballgame". Also, due to the crowded press box, they are out of hot pretzels. Man, they are just killing all my Twins rituals. I'm sitting in a different place, didn't get my Drumstick or pretzel...what's next? The Twins lose?
3:50
Twins add another run to make it 10-4 and the crowd celebrates by singing Journey's "Don't Stop Believin", which for some unknown reason has become the most played song in the entire world lately. The best part is when the lyric "Born and raised in South Detroit" came on, the entire crowd booed. They should do it for the rest of the song so maybe people will stop playing it.
4:00
It was Jesse Crain's turn to get into a little bit of trouble in the top of the 8th, but he eventually shut the door on the Royals and it's still 10-4 Twins going to the bottom of the inning. The attendance today is 51,155, the most since they got 51, 617 on opening day against the White Sox in 1993. The atmosphere is back to a relaxed feel, with fans enjoying the fact their team is comfortably ahead. I almost wish this game was closer so that there would be the same electricity in the air as the beginning of the game.
4:13
Orlando Cabrera doubled home Span again, which is good since he's had an interesting day fielding the baseball. He hasn't made an error but has missed a couple of makeable plays. The lightbulbs continued to go off when Joe Mauer came to the plate and for the second time today, chants of "MVP, MVP" went around the stadium. Michael Cuddyer hit a two run homerun, fitting since his hot bat is a big reason why the Twins are tied for first in the Central. Francisco Liriano is going to pitch the top of the ninth with the score 13-4 and a date with the Tigers on Tuesday all but certain.
4:19
With two outs, the crowd rose to their feet, waving their homer hankies and taking pictures. It's not going to be the final game at the Metrodome, but it was a fun one and the Twins won 13-4. Now it's off to the locker room so the final summary will come later!
4:45
I emerged from the Twins locker room and returned to the press box to find about three-quarters of the stadium still filled and watching the post game ceremony celebrating the Twins history in the Dome. While it wasn't the best place to play baseball, it was where the Twins played. People are more than happy to remember the good times and say good bye to an object that was ugly, impersonal, and uncomfortable, but the source of great memories, two World Series Championships, and at least one more game.