Minnesota Twins Fan Now Faces One-Year Ban After Protesting Ownership

It's hard to believe but on Saturday, August 17, the Minnesota Twins had a record of 70-53 with 29 games left to play and they looked ready to make another playoff run as they had done in 2023.

Now the 2024 season is over and the Twins will be watching Major League Baseball Playoffs on TV like the rest of us suffering an epic collapse by winning just 12 of those remaining 39 games.

Not that we should be surprised the Twins missed the playoffs, not after owner Joe Pohlad had announced before the season that he was cutting the Twins payroll by $30 million. This came after the Twins snapped a playoff losing streak in an electric atmosphere at Target Field. I was there and was refreshing to see fans so excited.

To say that Pohlad's announcement was a letdown would be an understatement and he's learning quickly that you get what you pay for and fans are upset. One fan was upset enough to bring a sign into Target Field to call out Twins ownership and now he won't be allowed back for a year.

Minnesota Twins Remove Fan From Game & Ban Him From Target Field For One Year

On Saturday, September 28, the Twins were playing the second game of their final series of the season, a series in which they were ultimately swept by the visiting Baltimore Orioles.

That night, images of a man inside Target Field holding a sign that read "Defund The Pohlads" started circulating on social media. That man, later identified as Michael Bailey, also had a sign that read "Penny Pinching Pohlads = Twins Mediocrity".

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It didn't take long that night for Bailey to get the attention of Target Field security who, along with several law enforcement officers, escorted him from the Target Field plaza and ultimately banned him from returning to Target Field for one year.

Bailey returned to the area on Sunday, September 29, to continue his protest outside of Target Field and to share the news that he had been banned.

What The Minnesota Twins Say About The Incident

According to FOX 9, which reached out to the Minnesota Twins for comment, a spokesperson for the team said Bailey was asked to put down the signs because the stadium has rules against derogatory signs.

They added that not only did he refuse the request, but he was also verbally abusive towards staff members and used profanity around families. It was only then that he was asked to leave.

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The Twins spokesperson added that Bailey refused to leave and, ultimately, was trespassed from the property, and that escalation is what led to the year-long ban from the stadium.

Whether Twins ownership takes the necessary steps, which would include spending more money, to improve the team to playoff caliber next year remains to be seen. However, the team did confirm that Twins manager Rocco Baldelli will return in 2025.