When the Minnesota Twins host their home opener next Monday versus the Oakland Athletics, fans will surely notice much tighter safety measures in effect at Target Field. The organization will be introducing walk-through metal detectors, the first team in Major League Baseball to introduce the measure.

The Twins are ahead of the curve as the first venue to comply with MLB’s new protocol to have walk-through metal detectors a standard practice at every ballpark by 2015. Why would Target Field be first you wonder? Well, Target Field will play host to MLB’s All-Star Game this summer — the exhibition (which is full of events like the Home Run Derby) will showcase MLB’s new safety measures to all baseball fans attending.

While the Twins fully expect to have metal detectors installed at all gates by early May, only some will be equipped with the devices for the home opener.

“This procedure, which results from MLB’s continuing work with the Department of Homeland Security to standardize security practices across the game, will be in addition to bag checks that are now uniform throughout MLB,” baseball spokesman Michael Teevan said earlier this week.

If passing through the metal detector is not your thing, fans can decide to be checked with a hand-held device.

While this might seem like overkill to some, it seems like a smart move to be more safe than sorry. Plus, these devices should be much quicker than every visitor being checked with the hand-held devices.

Hopefully fans will not have to empty their pockets and take their shoes off like a trip through like airport security (word is that fans will not, as the detectors are keen on large metal objects).

Photos via: MPR (Brandt Williams) and Kare 11