(ABC 6 News) — It’s the latest sign baseball is coming around the corner, the return of the Twins Caravan.

On Tuesday, Families at the Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital in Rochester gave a warm welcome to members of the Twins organization.

“I don’t know, just seeing the faces light up and to see them first-hand means a lot to be able to experience that,” parent Greg Gote explained.”

“They loved the bear, they loved all the silliness, loved to see all the special people,” Greg’s wife, Courtney, agreed. “So, it was really fun to see that for the kids too.”

The experience being a treasure for patients like young Konner Repp meeting Twins legend Justin Morneau.

“It was pretty awesome, I didn’t think I was going to meet him today, but it was a surprise,” Repp said.

Fellow patient Noah Gilion was also enjoying the event, “being able to get out of my room and see faces that are different than just my nurses or whoever it is. So, it’s just been nice to just do something.”

It was just as enriching for the guests, especially when these moments reminded them of why they play for more than the number on their backs.

“You’re playing for fans that have watched, you know — generational fans, you know?” Twins utility player Austin Martin said. “And I never want to take any opportunity that I have on the field or any opportunity that I have to wear this Twins jersey for granted because it’s not promised tomorrow.”

No sport is perhaps more associated with dreams than baseball. Dreams are what many families at Eugenio Litta have to go by some days. When you’re down to your last out, you don’t quit. You hold on to hope and knock it out of the park just like the Twins.

“These kids are resilient, they’re tough and then I think they inspire us as much as maybe we hope to inspire them,” Justin Morneau surmised. “You always get a better perspective, a new perspective on what’s important and what real toughness looks like and I think these kids provide that for us.”