Citi Field's shrinking act

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/01/sports/baseball/mets-to-alter-dimensions-of-citi-field.html?ref=sports

I would say this will make baseball watchable there, but the Mets will remain the home team.

 

I still think teams can get a lot of value of out of a park like that, but many who try it flinch in the face of their best hitters getting butthurt.

 

It'll be interesting now to keep track of how many balls fly over the short fence, but land in front, or hit the old fence. We'll see if that makes Wright and Bay better hitters, or if the old dimensions were just an excuse for declining skills.

 

I hate this. The field is the same for both teams who play. Quit whining. If you lose 5 HRs a year, guess what, so does the other team.

 

That's not entirely accurate, qt, since no other team plays 81 games a season there.

 

True, but their pitchers benefit at home as much as their hitters suffer.

 

But trying to hit in that park can very much screw up your swing and/or attitude when hitting at other parks.

 

I think he meant the 81 games against visiting teams in total. He's right, the ballpark dimensions are the same for both the Mets and whomever they play at home.

 

Some how The Mets will find a way to screw this up. Odd are good that part of new fence will fall down before the season is out.

 

I don't see why this is a big deal. It's not a radical change and it's not like they're the first team to move the fences in.

 

It's probably more a matter of being able to attract free agent bats. Hitters need to feel like they have a fighting chance to reach certain numbers. Of course, what's the excuse for not attracting pitching?

 

Zactly. The Giants supposedly are looking at this for the same reason. Especially for guys taking shorter deals, they'll never choose a team like the Mets or Giants or Mariners if they can go somewhere else and have better numbers when they re-enter the market.