The New York Mets today officially unveiled the plans for revising the dimensions of Citi Field, a cavernous stadium where the home run has been an all-too infrequent occurrence.
From Mets.com, here is the official description of what the organization will do at the ballpark, which just completed its second season as a replacement for Shea Stadium:
The Mets are moving in portions of the outfield wall at Citi Field as much as 12 feet and lowering the height of the home run line to 8 feet throughout the outfield. The outfield wall will become blue in 2012 concurrent with the Mets 50th Anniversary season. The home run line and distance markers will remain orange.
The Mets will erect a new wall in left field starting between the New Era and Caesars signs and angled to the Citi sign in left-cente rfield (see renderings below). The new wall will be closer to home plate by approximately 4 feet in left field and up to approximately 12 feet in deep left-centerfield.
A new wall will start in right-centerfield and extend toward the bullpen, and be as much as approximately 11 feet closer to home plate. The fence in front of the Mo's Zone/Modell's Clubhouse will move in approximately 10 feet. The distances from home plate to centerfield and the foul poles in left field and right field will remain the same.
Only two major league stadiums allowed fewer home runs per game than the 1.33 Citi Field surrendered in 2011. San Diego's PETCO Park gave up 1.23 per game, and San Francisco's AT&T Park gave up just 1.00.
"Offense is exciting for many fans," general manager Sandy Alderson said. "Maybe it will be slightly more entertaining."
Better idea, Sandy. Build a better team than the 77-85 collection that finished 25 games out of first place in the NL East in 2011. No matter how big -- or small -- the ballpark, people will only show up and enjoy themselves if you win.