The anger was reflected in turnstile count. The Twins finished bottom third of MLB in attendance after failing to draw 2 million fans despite being viewed as a near-lock to reach the postseason before an epic collapse the final month.
Social media often deteriorates into a venomous echo chamber, but they can reveal the mood of a fanbase, and those platforms served as a nightly blowtorch session directed at the organization.
The vibe felt strange all season. Unhappiness was present even during stretches when the Twins played winning baseball, making it obvious that undoing the damage in the fan-team relationship likely will be impossible under the Pohlad leadership. Letting emotions cool this winter isn’t a solution.
The family said the decision to explore a sale was under consideration for months over the summer, which, if true, means that even the most successful part of the season did not dissuade them from pushing forward with the idea.
An ownership change brings uncertainty and perhaps even fear of the unknown, but status quo would mean to continue down an uncomfortable road. Does anyone really want a repeat of this season, when every loss is met with intense reaction about ownership’s commitment to winning? Frankly, that’s exhausting. There must be a better path.
