Tough Twins season hard on fans and businesses

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - As baseball fans in Chicago and Cleveland brace for history, Minnesota baseball fans are trying to forget theirs.
           
With 59 wins and 103 losses, the 2016 Twins became the worst team in franchise history.
           
"It does 'get a little bit more embarrassing' when you get to triple digit losses and that's what it is now ," said Brian Dozier, Twins second baseman.

Frustration among players and fans also showed up in attendance. The mark of just short of 2 million fans was the lowest recorded in 12 seasons.

For businesses, it was bad news for the bottom line.

"Beginning of the season it was great, it did kind of taper off midseason and I imagine a lot of the businesses would say the same thing," said Brian Carpenter, Fulton Brewing general manager.

Carpenter says he estimates crowds in 2016 were about 15 percent lighter than the year before.

But thanks in part to the growth of Minneapolis' North Loop and committed Twins fans, he says business was still very good.

"It's still a great summer regardless. You still have the loyal Twins fans and there's a lot of them,” said Carpenter.

A few blocks away at Target Field, baseball is for now in hibernation. As fans look forward to 2017, it's hard not to hope for history of a winning sort.