Purple baseball ...

The Twins were playing in Milwaukee Thursday, but
Target Field was lit in purple in honor of the Minneapolis
musician. Note that the clock at the top of the pole
was reset to "1999."

Yeah, the Twins won Thursday, and certain important hitters in their lineup -- Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario -- are showing signs of life. I barely noticed, and that's true of a lot of people, Minnesotans and otherwise.

The reaction to the sudden death of Prince intrigues me. It's been a while since he was a major commercial force in popular music,  And still -- buildings and bridges and other structures around the world were bathed in purple light Thursday night in his honor, and the crowd that descended on the west end of downtown Minneapolis speaks to the connection Prince and his hometown shared. First Ave. isn't far from Target Field; it's a good thing the Twins were on the road.

This is a #MNTwins clubhouse ritual. Veterans make sure rookies know the words to “Little Red Corvette.”https://t.co/EwHJzxf6j5

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) April 21, 2016

Most spot-on Joe Mauer quote ever: "It's sad news. Any Minnesotan takes credit for Prince, for sure."

— Dave Campbell (@DaveCampbellAP) April 21, 2016

There may not be anybody more qualified than Mauer to describe (and identify with) the weird blend of pride and contempt Minnesotans have for the Minnesotans who make it on a national scale.

Let's see, other baseball connections ...

Prince Fielder is named for the singer.

"U Got the Look" contains the line: "Boy versus girl in the World Series of love." I've always connected that line to the Twins 1987 World Series win, but the song was recorded before that season began.

Alex Rodriguez on Thursday used "Kiss" as his walkup, which is amusing because of the famous photo a few years ago of ARod kissing his reflection in the mirror. Rodriguez is not exactly known for his self-awareness, but I have to doubt that selection was accidental.