Mariners to Reduce Ballpark Dimensions

[Don Quixote]

Trying to create some excitement?

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8454262/seattle-mariners-shrink-safeco-field-dimensions-2013

[Gurgi]

Its about time. It kills the morale of their hitters.

[Crazysilver03]

Seattle Mariners

The fence will be moved in from 4 to 17 feet at different points in left field and 4 feet from straight center to the right-center gap. Additionally, the 16-foot-high hand-operated scoreboard down the left-field line will be moved back and no longer be part of the fence, so the outfield wall will be 8-feet high all the way around the park.

Kingston said their studies of the previous several seasons indicated the new configuration would have led to 30-40 more home runs a season, for both clubs. He acknowledged that doubles and triples could actually go down, because of less outfield space, but more well-struck balls should carry over the fence instead of dying at the track.

Here are the specific adjustments planned:

? The distance down the left-field foul line remains the same at 331 feet.

? Instead of jutting out quickly to 341 feet, the left-field wall will jut out to 337 feet.

? The hand-operated scoreboard will be moved, and as a result, the height of the outfield wall will be 8 feet from foul pole to foul pole.

? From the left-field corner to the left-field power alley, the wall will be moved in 4 feet.

? The distance at the left-field power alley will decrease from 390 feet to 378 feet.

? From left center to straightaway center, the distance the wall will be moved in will vary from 4 feet to a maximum of 17 feet. At straightaway center field, the distance will decrease from 405 feet to 401 feet.

? From straightaway center to the right-center power alley, the wall will move in 4 feet. The distance at the power alley will decrease from 385 feet to 381 feet.

? From the right-field power alley to the right-field line, the dimensions remain the same.

[Moose Milligan]

Felix must be pissed.

Maybe they should have done this after Griffey complained back in the day.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'd rather they move the fences out and go get a team of nine fast line drive hitters. Triples paradise with a handful of inside-the-parkers. Forget the Justin Smoaks and their whining about homers dying at the track. Yea, I know, most folks don't think like me.

[DrungoHazewood]

Its about time. It kills the morale of their hitters.

Short fences kill the morale of their pitchers.

[Don Quixote]

I'd rather they move the fences out and go get a team of nine fast line drive hitters. Triples paradise with a handful of inside-the-parkers. Forget the Justin Smoaks and their whining about homers dying at the track. Yea, I know, most folks don't think like me.

I'd like to see more triples and IPHRs, myself.

[Hallas]

I'd rather they move the fences out and go get a team of nine fast line drive hitters. Triples paradise with a handful of inside-the-parkers. Forget the Justin Smoaks and their whining about homers dying at the track. Yea, I know, most folks don't think like me.

So basically, Ichiro and....?

[Hallas]

Short fences kill the morale of their pitchers.

They could have left the fences the same but put bleachers to within about 5 feet of the foul lines. Probably would have had the same effect but without the crying about HRs.