Fans watch a college baseball game at Target Field between Minnesota and Louisiana Tech as part of an open house March 27 in Minneapolis. It was the first game played at the new home of the Minnesota Twins.

MINNEAPOLIS — Real grass? Clear sky? Warm breeze?

Yes, Minnesota Twins games will again be an all-natural experience.

After playing since 1982 on artificial turf covered by a gray ceiling held up by blasting air conditioners, the Twins have left the Metrodome for Target Field as the team's 50th season in Minnesota begins.

The Twins no longer can rely on the din of the dome, where they went 49-33 last season, or beat balls into the carpet for infield singles. No more hustle doubles when bewildered opponents lose flies in the ceiling.

Don't expect the home-field advantage to disappear, though, because the place will be packed for every game this year.

Two weeks before their April 12 home opener, the Twins had sold 2.5 million seats. Before playing a game they're already at their second-highest season attendance total, behind only the 1988 record of more than 3 million. Official capacity of the cozy, canopy-encircled stadium is 39,504.

"Those are lofty numbers, and they are tremendously humbling," team president Dave St. Peter said. "As an organization we are appreciative of the support. We sense the excitement, and we believe we can sustain it."

To the surprise of some, Target Field was built without a retractable roof. The Twins committed $195 million toward the $545 million project, with the rest paid for by a special sales tax in Hennepin County, but a roof was deemed too expensive. The Twins believe they have a better design without it.

Average low temperatures for April and October are between 36 and 38 degrees, less-than-ideal night conditions. The Twins draw from a wide region, as well, and fans used to driving three hours for the guarantee of a game could be less likely to come.

"But there's weather questions in Chicago. There's weather questions in New York," Mauer said. "I always tell people April might be a little rough, but if you're playing in October I don't think you're really going to care how cold it is."

Lakefront and seaboard cities get more precipitation, too, and are more prone to postponements. Over the last three seasons, according to STATS LLC research, the White Sox have the most postponed home games with 14. The Cleveland Indians are next with 11.

Outfielder Jacque Jones, who will start the season in Triple-A, used to play for the Cubs and insisted the early-season Chicago conditions are "much worse" than what the Twins will have.

"The wind that whipped in off the lake was nasty. They don't have that in Minnesota," Jones said.

Target Field has 244 radiant heaters in the concourses, and there's a party deck with a fire pit where fans can watch the game from up high. Plus, as the locals will put it, "We're Minnesotans. We own jackets."

The ballpark is nestled in an 8-acre site, next to the downtown entertainment district. Right-field seats literally hang over the warning track. It's built solely for baseball, so the Twins will never again have to quit playing in the afternoon to allow the field to be configured for a college football game later that night.

"I really believe this is a 100-year facility," St. Peter said. "As long as Major League Baseball is still in existence, the Twins are going to have a team and we're going to be playing at Target Field."