The Mets yesterday unveiled a new outfield fence that "shortens the distances in right-center field, a move precipitated by the team’s examination of balls hit at Citi Field last season," according to Tim Rohan of the N.Y. TIMES. GM Sandy Alderson "is mindful that in baseball, nothing sells like home runs." He said, "We’re talking about creating a little more excitement, a little more entertainment at the ballpark, which I think goes hand-in-hand with scoring." Alderson said that he "was done tinkering with Citi Field." But he and Mets Manager of Baseball Analytics Ian Levin agree that analysis and statistics "might compel other teams to begin making more frequent modifications to their stadiums." Such changes "must be approved" by MLB, though there "is no limit to how often a team can ask to alter its park’s dimensions." MLB Senior VP/Standards & On-Field Operations Joe Garagiola yesterday when asked if he would allow a team to change its dimensions on a regular basis responded that such a situation "had never arisen" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/19).
NO PLACE LIKE HOMER: Alderson indicated that the Mets "would have hit 17 additional homers and opponents would have hit 10 additional homers had those dimensions been in place last season." He suggested that in terms of making the Mets more competitive at home and increasing fan excitement through more runs on the scoreboard, the latter "may be the more important of the two factors." ESPN N.Y.'s Adam Rubin reported the new space created by the revised dimensions "will partly increase the size of the bullpens and partly become dead space that may be used to create a garden." Team COO Jeff Wilpon said that additional seating "could not be created in the new, narrow areas because there is not an easy way to get fans from concourses to the area, food service would be unavailable, and it would not be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act" (ESPNNY.com, 11/18). On Long Island, Marc Carig notes the tweaks "focused primarily on making rightfield cozier to help lefthanded hitters." The new fences "stand anywhere from 3 to 11 feet closer to home plate, with the biggest difference in right-centerfield" (NEWSDAY, 11/19).
PURIST & SIMPLE: In Newark, Mike Vorkunov notes yesterday's announcement "marked a final point on the timeline for the refurbishment." Alderson believes that with the new dimensions, Citi Field "will be a neutral field." Not only will it "help the Mets hit home runs, he believes it will benefit the game aesthetically as well, producing more runs." Alderson: "I wouldn't say you override all baseball considerations for an additional entertainment component but it's a plus." This "is the second time the Mets have shrunk Citi." Alderson: "One of the advantages of having a larger ballpark at the outset is that you can shrink it down a little bit without significant cost. If you build the ballpark a little small originally, trying to knock out those retaining walls is a lot more expensive. It's not something that can be precisely predicted the way a field is going to play" (
Newark STAR-LEDGER, 11/19). In N.Y., Kevin Kernan writes, "New Jack Citi is open for business come April 13. No excuses. The walls are closing in on the Mets in more ways than one." Alderson: "We want the ballpark to be fair, but a few more home runs for us wouldn’t be a bad thing. A little more scoring is something that most fans enjoy, not all, not baseball purists by any means but there aren’t a lot of baseball purists left" (
N.Y. POST, 11/19).
