Once the home of the Twins and their two World Series championship teams, the Metrodome now is home to just one baseball team — the Gophers, who have taken over the locker room and have gleefully played ball in warm and dry conditions, no matter what the weather is doing outside. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The raves over Target Field have included many comparisons to the Metrodome, and none has favored the indoor ballpark. The Dome is not missed by its former MLB tenant, and yet there are ballplayers grateful to be at home under the Teflon sky.

The Minnesota Gophers moved into the Twins' former clubhouse in January and began preseason workouts in the Dome. The Gophers started playing early-season games in the indoor yard in 1984, but it is home to the full schedule for the first time this season.

"With the Twins leaving, and the condition of our facility [Siebert Field] ... we went to the stadium commission with this idea," coach John Anderson said. "The commission was very cooperative. It has been good for us, as a temporary solution."

Temporary for two reasons: A) The next facility project in university athletics is supposed to be a new Siebert Field; and B) if the Vikings and the commission get their way, a very expensive replacement will be under construction on the Dome site a year from now.

The Gophers have done their best to make themselves comfortable, even if the Dome turns out to be a one-year stopgap.

The 35 players on the roster have individual lockers in the clubhouse. There are names, numbers and framed action photos above the lockers. There is a lounge, a lunch room and a trainer's room adjacent to the clubhouse. There is a batting cage down the right-field line.

"The only thing we don't have here is a weight room," Anderson said. "The Twins took that equipment with them."

Generally, the Gophers would play most home games in the Dome through March, then move the schedule to Siebert. This year, all four visiting Big Ten teams -- Michigan State, Indiana, Michigan (May 7-9) and Penn State (May 14-16) -- will play their three-game series indoors.

Indiana was here last weekend. The Hoosiers lost a couple of fly balls in the roof, but coach Tracy Smith had no complaints, considering the alternative.

"You look at the weather radar, and see green [for rain] all over the country, and you feel pretty good, knowing you're going to be able to play three games as scheduled," he said.

"There's some sentiment in the league that the Dome is so different that it's a big advantage for Minnesota, but I don't spend time on that. This is the second time since I've been at Indiana that we've played indoors here. We enjoy it."

Kyle Knudson is a Gophers senior catcher from Maple Grove. "As a Minnesota kid, you're aware there were a lot of historic games played in here," he said. "To be able to call that field home ... it's pretty good."

The Twins have talked at length about their appreciation for the spacious clubhouse and the amenities surrounding it at Target Field.

"The Twins might not have liked what they had here, but it's a definite step up from a college locker room," Knudson said. "The room we have at the university we share with J Rob's [Robinson] wrestlers."

The Gophers still practice at the university when the Dome is occupied with another event. Mostly, the players drive a car, a moped or take the campus bus that turns around nearby to make the short daily commute for practice or games.

The Dome does offer a source of frustration beyond an occasional lost fly ball in the dirt-gray ceiling: It's a big-league yard in size and that has a significant impact on power numbers.

"Siebert Field is a bandbox," Anderson said. "It was built for college hitters in the wooden-bat era. Even with metal bats, you have to really rip it to get a ball out of here."

Michael Kvasnicka, the Gophers junior right fielder, will be an early-round choice in the June draft -- even with his current modest total of six home runs.

"I have two ... no, wait, one home run ... in here this year," he said. "The power alleys are out there, and 408 to center -- there's a lot of territory for a ball to die."

Kvasnicka then pointed toward right field and added: "That big curtain can cost you, too."

Would he prefer Siebert?

"Not at all," Kvasnicka said. "The players are in charge of the tarps. We would've been yanking tarps all day [Sunday]. All you have to do in the Dome is show up and get ready for batting practice."

Patrick Reusse can be heard noon-4 weekdays on AM-1500 KSTP. • preusse@startribune.com