Twins fans should circle Monday, August 24^th on their calendars. For that is the date Target Field will reach another huge milestone as the first batch of sod is scheduled to arrive from Colorado. The actual sod installation is scheduled to take place beginning the night of August 24^th and concluding the early morning of August 27^th.  In total, 30 trucks loaded with rolls of the Kentucky bluegrass will arrive at Target Field over the three-day period. In the meantime, the playing field prep work continues with installation of a elaborate heating, irrigation and drainage systems.

TARGET FIELD NOTES:

Representatives from Major League Baseball will visit Minneapolis this week for a routine walk-through of Target Field. The MLB group will meet with Twins staff and review the status of the ballpark construction with a special focus on “baseball” issues such as dugouts, bullpens, outfield walls, padding, etc. … Speaking of bullpens, Twins closer Joe Nathan and setup man Matt Guerrier were among a group of current players who recently visited Target Field and the two continue to mull which bullpen – the top or bottom tier — the Twins should occupy next spring … Phase One of the Target Field Season Ticket Relocation program is now complete with the team’s 2010 season ticket base currently standing at more than 15,000 full season equivalents. Twins staff remain optimistic of approaching the 20,000 mark in FSE’s before Opening Day 2010 … The Twins are in receipt of a preliminary 2010 regular season schedule calling for the team to open on the road Monday, April 5 with the Target Field opener set for Monday, April 12. The schedule remains subject to change and will not be finalized until early September … The Twins continue work to finalize plans to play a pair of exhibition games at Target Field April 2-3, 2010 … Twins Tradition Wall sales remain strong with more than 80% of the available space now committed. Fans should act now to reserve their space on this special part of Target Plaza … The Twins are working closely with local transit authorities to plan grand opening ceremonies in early November surrounding the inaugural running and connection of the Northstar commuter rail line with the extended Hiawatha LRT line which intersects at Target Field.