Video: Minnesota Twins Fan Arrested, Banned from Target Field for Anti-Pohlad Sign

Just when you think the Minnesota Twins can’t do anything else to further tarnish the organization’s reputation, another game was played at Target Field on Friday night. They lost, something that has become the norm of late. But this time, it mathematically eliminating them from postseason contention.

Justifiably, fans are mad. Some point their finger at Rocco Baldelli, others want Derek Falvey and Thad Levine out. But the real ones know. The Minnesota Twins’ real problem is at the ownership level. The Pohlad family cut $30 million from the payroll, right after the Twins made the longest postseason run in 20 years .

Minnesota Twins fan arrested, banned from Target Field for anti-Pohlad sign

So (finally), instead of just “Fire Rocco” signs being raised at Target Field, something we have seen sporadically in recent days, one brave soul made an anti-Pohlad sign on Friday that read — “ Defund the PO…lahds ” on one side and “ Penny Pinching Pohlads = Mediocrity ” on the other — and proudly held it above his head, in protest of the Twins’ terrible ownership.

But unlike the anti-Baldelli signs, which were not forcibly taken down and did not come with any ramifications, Michael Bailey ( @bailbino on Twitter) was tracked down, arrested and banned from the his favorite team’s home stadium for all of next season. Watch the video underneath the signs. It’s insane.

WTF were the Twins/Pohlads thinking?

Even for the Pohlads, this is impossibly stupid. Are you really that soft, you can’t handle one fan bringing a sign that mocks you to the game. There is a 100% chance the Pohalds saw this from their owners suite, full of expensive food that won’t be eaten, and sent stadium security to ‘teach him a lesson’.

This is not acceptable behavior, even if the sign wasn’t on point. The fact it is makes this video that much harder to watch. Michael wasn’t the guy who cut the knees out from underneath its baseball team. And they did it one summer after that same squad got it more victories and more playoff revenue than it had anytime in the previous two decades. That was the Pohlads. They caused him to make that sign. And rumor has it, more cuts are coming.

Read More: Report: Minnesota Twins Could Cut Payroll Again

It was Joe and his uptight family members that turned the Minnesota Twins starting rotation from its biggest strength to its most obvious weakness. They let Sonny Gray leave in free agency and then refused to replace him. Thus, the sign. If those salary cuts never happen, the Twins find a way into the playoffs.

Had that been the case, Target Field would be packed with ecstatic fans who have forgotten what a ‘Pohlad Pocket Protector’ is. Instead, the place is empty and fans are bringing signs that are getting them unjustly arrested.

It should be the Pohlads who are banned from Target Field and arrested. Destroying October for millions of Minnesota Twins fans is the real crime here.

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• Twins Unlikely to Fire Top Decisionmakers
• Report: Minnesota Twins Could Cut Payroll Again
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