Target Field Getting Even More Green This Season
The Twins have made several big changes are they open their 2019 season today, and Target Field has made a change that makes it greener.
The home of the Twins, Target Field, is one of the best ballparks in the country. And, since it opened 9 years ago (has it really been almost a decade already?!?) the Twins are constantly making improvements to make it even better.
And one of the changes this season is one you might not notice right away-- because it won't affect fans much at all. But it IS making Target Field greener. Literally.
That's because, over the off-season, crews went to work re-doing what's called the batter's eye in center field. The batter's eye, according to the Baseball Journal, is defined as "the solid coloring behind center field. It can take many forms, but the idea is that the batter’s eye provides a dark and solid contrasting color from the baseball so that a hitter can see the ball as it approaches the plate."
When it first opened, Target Field used to have 14 pines trees there, but players complained they made it tough to see the ball, so they were removed in 2011. But this year, the Twins are bringing living plants BACK to the batter's eye at Target Field. A lot of them. In fact, the Twins call it the Living Wall, and it's roughly 2,280-square feet and contains 5,700 sea green juniper plants. The Twins website describes it like this:
"The juniper plants, individually installed and secured in a tiered, multiple-tray system attached to the existing batter's-eye wall structure. Together, the junipers will create a consistent, stationary background of lush greenery, without variations in color or texture, to provide both beauty and a world-class hitter's backdrop."
So, yeah, Target Field is definitely going more green this season. Check out this cool video that shows them being installed:
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