Kody Clemens had already spent nine innings inside one of baseball’s most recognizable settings when the part he wanted most finally arrived.
After Minnesota’s 7-1 loss to Philadelphia, he walked into the corn with his father, Roger, for a game of catch.
The moment drew from the closing scene of Field of Dreams, though it also belonged to a family that had waited for the schedule to bring them to Iowa.
The Plan Started Before First Pitch
Roger explained why they were staying after the game when he said, "We can not get off this property before doing something special. We've had this marked on our calendar for a long time, so we’re going to make it happen."
He and Kody had marked the date well in advance, and the postgame catch gave them a reason to remain after the crowd had begun to leave.
The night itself wasn’t easy for Minnesota.
Kody went hitless in four at-bats, and the Twins managed only one run while Kyle Schwarber drove Philadelphia’s offense with two home runs.
Once Kody and Roger walked into the corn and began throwing, the setting carried the rest, leaving the family with something it could keep beyond the broadcast.
Clemens has still given Minnesota useful power this year, reaching 20 home runs while moving around the infield.
His versatility has helped the Twins keep him in the lineup, including earlier stretches when the club experimented with him at the top of the order.
A Rough Game
The Twins fell behind in the first inning and never found a long rally.
Luke Keaschall homered in the second, but Minnesota left the bases loaded in the fifth and watched Philadelphia add two late runs.
Kody’s father understood how quickly the result would take over the day if they let it.
Roger won seven Cy Young Awards during a career that included 354 victories and 4,672 strikeouts, yet the planned catch gave him a chance to be a father inside a place built around that relationship.
Minnesota has seen Kody create bigger moments with his bat, including a walk-off grand slam against Kansas City, while this one worked because it didn’t need to change the score.
The father and son reached the majors through different routes, with Roger becoming one of the most accomplished pitchers of his era while Kody built a role by moving between positions and taking advantage of pitchers who miss over the plate.
The Memory
The Twins return to Target Field with another Phillies series, and Kody’s place in the lineup will depend on the usual mix of matchups and rest.
He has earned chances by handling different positions and giving the club left-handed power.
Minnesota has changed the top of its order during the season, and Kody’s flexibility gives Shelton another way to do it.
But the Iowa trip gave him a few throws with his father after both had spent their lives around the game.