The Rockies plan to "raise their outfield fences" in an effort to cut down on the number of home runs hit at Coors Field, according to a front-page piece by Nick Groke of the DENVER POST. The wall between right-center field and right field will be raised 8 feet and 9 inches "to match the height of the out-of-town scoreboard, at 16 feet-6 inches." A green-coated, chain-link fence will "sit on top of the existing green-padded wall in front of the visiting and home bullpens." The wall height also "will increase down the left field line, by 5 feet, to 13 feet." That extended fence "will be in front of the tunnel next to the bleachers." The new fences, which "will not block any seats, will be installed this month and be in place" for the Rockies' April 8 home opener against the Padres. Rockies GM Jeff Bridich said that the team "determined that right-center field and down the left field line were high-home run areas." Groke notes the team "used a formula that accounts for the launch angle and exit velocity of hits off the bat to figure out how to reduce easy homers." By that measure, total home runs at Coors Field "could fall" by 5-6% this year. The left-field fence in front of the bleachers, an area that "sees its share of 'Coors Field home runs' will not be changed -- yet" (DENVER POST, 3/2).
