Reports: Mets To Move In Fences Once More At Citi Field
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The incredible shrinking stadium is about to get another makeover.
The chronically run-starved New York Mets are moving in the fences -- again -- at Citi Field, according to multiple reports.
The team made a round of changes prior to the 2012 season, shortening the dimensions throughout and most notably nixing the Great Wall of Flushing in left field.
This time, the walls will reportedly be brought in only in the areas of center and right field. Work is slated to begin after the World Series, the New York Daily News reported.
Why can't the Mets implement a wall system like this? Move the wall when necessary. The mover even comes in orange. pic.twitter.com/Rn5NeXTgD2
— Megs (@YankeeMegs) October 14, 2014
"It's not about tailoring the ballpark to a particular player or a particular composition of team," general manager Sandy Alderson said last month, acknowledging the possibility of new dimensions at the cavernous ballpark. "It's about making Citi Field as fan-friendly and as exciting as we can make it."
The hope is that altered fences -- and a new hitting coach -- will boost the power numbers in Flushing, especially for stars David Wright and Curtis Granderson. The Mets hit seven fewer home runs at home (59) than on the road (66) in 2014. They also suffered a dip in average (.224 to .242) and runs (286 to 343).
On the flip side, could the the Mets -- a team built around young pitchers Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jacob deGrom and the emerging Noah Syndergaard -- be sabotaging themselves without even knowing it?
Manager Terry Collins doesn't think so.
"Yes, it's going to help the other team, too," he said in September. "But I go back to what I've said in the past: we pitch pretty good in some (hitters') parks."
Citi Field opened in 2009.
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