Baseball Barred From Eliminating Twins, Who Must Play 2002 in Metrodome

AP ^ | 11/16/01 | BRIAN BAKST

[coder2]

YIPPEEE !!!!!

[Senator Goldwater]

That leaves only the Montreal Expos on the block. Since they needed a dance partner for contraction and apparently won't have one, they should move forthwith to Washington DC.

[coder2]

Sounds like Washington wants a team, so I really don't see a problem here... Of course, Selig wants the Twins gone for personal reasons. But there will be dancing in Minnesota for this ruling !!!

[Senator Goldwater]

Fred Malek heads up the DC effort, and he was George W. Bush's parner with the Texas Rangers. He's hooked up with Jim Kimsey of AOL, and the group has over three billion to work with. The city has put up eight viable tracts for a ballpark, and they can use RFK in the interim.

Jeff Loria should sell 49% stake to this group, and move them in time for a first pitch by Dubya next April.

The national pastime belongs in the Nation's Capital.

[Rubber Duckie]

"Locally, the Twins have been part of Minnesota history and tradition for 40 years. The Twins have given Minnesota two World Series championships, one in 1987 and one in 1991. The Twins have also given Minnesota legends such as Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Harmon Killebrew, Kent Hrbek and Kirby Puckett, some of which streets are named after. These legends have bettered the community."

Both were great teams. However, the greatest Twins team ever was the 1965 Twins, who carried the World Series to seven games against one of the greatest teams of all time. Had Cesar Tovar been around for the whole season OR had Rod Carew been a couple years older, even the mighty LA Dodgers (Sandy Koufax's greatest season ever) would've been defeated. The Twins had a major hole at second base that year, but an all-star outfield and pitching staff-- even with Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew injured for a good share of the season.

[bootless]

Thank goodness. It was an idiotic idea to include the Twins on the chopping block. The 'Spos are the dregs of the league, attendance-wise, though. I'm sure there's a city out there somewhere that will welcome them.

I have to admit that when I saw the line about Homer Hankies and Bobblehead dolls, I double-checked to make sure The Onion didn't write it! :-)

I was also shocked to see that the A's were on the short list. Unbelievable.

[drstevej]

Let the Twins play in the Metrodome, just don't schedule any opponents! That should draw huge crowds.

[okie01]

"The national pastime belongs in the Nation's Capital."

No question about it.

And, after this decision, MLB won't be able to give Carl Pohlad big bucks to fold the Twins. So, why not give big bucks to Peter Angelos and move the Expos to DC?

Angelos, the asbestos-rich trial lawyer, will have to be bought off first because he contends that Washington is part of his Baltimore "territory". Accordingly, if he doesn't get his pound of flesh, he will be the one taking MLB to court...

[afuturegovernor]

How can a judge just order the Twins stay in Minnesota? If I was a judge could I get the Diamondbacks to move to Mississippi?

[AmishDude]

Peter Angelos is the problem with a team in DC.

He won't allow them to do it. Of course, I would love having a team competing financially against the most Clinton-loving and most incompetent owner in MLB.

[Osage Orange]

" "The Twins brought the community together with Homer Hankies and Bobblehead dolls. "

Well...heck that settles it.

B>LET UM STAY..!!!

FRegards..to you bootless.

[coder2]

How can a judge just order the Twins stay in Minnesota?

Technically, the judge ordered that the Twins had to honor their contract with the Metrodome and play their 2002 season there. The way I understand it, there is no "buy-out" clause in this contract. The judge did not order the Twins to stay in MN, he ordered them to honor the contract.

[AmishDude]

They signed a lease. 'Course, I don't know why they couldn't just buy out the lease, but I'm sure there's a clause that prevents it.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

So now a judge can order a NOT to go out of business. Perfect.

[Osage Orange]

From the article:

"printing magnate Harvey Mackay"

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IF Harvey "How to Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten" Mackay is involved....they won't get snookered by King Karl....

[coder2]

So now a judge can order a NOT to go out of business.

If a business signs a lease or contract with no "buy-out" clause, that business would need to honor the lease or contract. That's all this ruling is. The way I understand the Metrodome lease is that home games have to be played in the stadium, and there is no out written in.

So are you saying that if a business wants to break a lease/contract, they have every right to do so ???

[speedy]

Yeah, there was a hole at second -- I recall Frank Quilici as one of the revolving second sackers, none of them any good. Bob Allison supplied some outfield punch, and Don Mincher, Jimmy Hall, Rich Rollins and Earl Battey could also hit it out. Zoilo Versalles was MVP at SS, admittedly one of the flukier picks for that honor. And of course the two greats, Killebrew and Oliva. And pretty decent pitching with Camillo Pascual, Jim Kaat, Jim Merritt, Mudcat Grant and Dave Boswell. Can't recall the relief pitchers -- could it have been some guy like Jerry Arrigo or Johnny Klippstein? Must have been better than that. And Sam Mele the manager -- remember the Twinkies actually beat Koufax and Drysdale the first two games, then were shut out by Claude Osteen and the Dodgers turned it around.

[patent]

Let the Twins play in the Metrodome, just don't schedule any opponents! That should draw huge crowds.

After Sir Pohlad called the Twins “hopeless” a day or two ago, I doubt they will get huge crowds no matter what happens.

patent  +AMDG

[bootless]

:-) Thanks. Bobbleheads rule. (Even though I don't have one)

FRegards! Only 2½ months till pitchers and catchers report!

[Heyworth]

Okay, but can the League simply remove the Twins from the schedule? "Sure, you've got a team in Minnesota. No one plays 'em, but they're up there." And the judge's reasons--that they've bettered the community and offer a place family's can take their kids--don't really seem like solid legal reasoning. Isn't this in fact the sort of judicial activism of the kind usually decried around here?