Question(s) about modifying Camden Yards

[spiritof66]

Camden Yards is a great place to watch a ballgame. But the homer-tempting style of the baseball that it encourages is, in my opinion, less than great. Baseball in Baltimore would be more fun to watch if it were more difficult to hit the ball over the fence and if the outfield area were enlarged to create wider power alleys and more hits that stayed in the ballpark, leading to more defensive plays and misses and to more action on the bases.

If the Orioles succeed in becoming a contending team in the near term, say in 2023 or ‘24, there’s a good chance that its main strengths will be deep starting pitching, supported by very good defense in the outfield and behind the plate. It seems to me likely that, relative to other teams, especially those in the AL East, it won’t be a power-hitting team. None of the young guys now on the Orioles looks to me like much of a home-run hitter. Santander and Mancini show HR power at times, but they may not be around for long. Rutschman and Henderson's power may or may not continue at the major league level. Free-agent home run hitters tend to be expensive. Re-signing Chris Davis is probably not a good option.   While the future roster is not set, and players and circumstances change, there’s a good chance that the next strong Orioles team won’t be well suited to playing half its games at Camden Yards and a bunch more at Fenway and Yankee Stadium.

Would it be feasible to lengthen some or all of Camden Yards’ plate-to-home-run dimensions and/or raise some of the outfield fences, even if that means eliminating some seats and moving one or both bullpens? (In 2001, home plate was moved closer to the stands, increasing the distances to fences by about seven feet, but that change was reversed after one season. One of our catchers would benefit from moving home plate as close as possible to the stands, but I digress.) If there’s a new owner who’s willing to foot all or part of the bill, can any of that be done in a way that's financially practical? Should potential ways to enlarge the park be looked at now, at a time when any Oriole news that looks to the future rather than to the team's current performance should be welcome?

[UMDTerrapins]

Just raise the mound a couple of inches. Would anyone notice? 

[Yossarian]

Wouldn't that require losing the flag court in right field?

[MurphDogg]

1 minute ago, Yossarian said:

Wouldn't that require losing the flag court in right field?

The most recent renovations actually lowered the right field wall. You used to have to be 5'9"+ to see over the wall, which was the home run boundary. Now the home run boundary is at the feet of where fans stand in the flag court.

[LocoChris]

Wouldn’t mind moving the left field fences back a bit. 

[VaBird1]

It’d be cool if the area where they grow turf next to the bullpen was in the field of play.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

34 minutes ago, VaBird1 said:

It’d be cool if the area where they grow turf next to the bullpen was in the field of play.

Turn it into OPACY Monument Park like old Yankees Stadium.

 

 

[Aristotelian]

It could work both ways. Fences in may help a light hitting team turn their warning track fly balls into HRs. DJ Stewart is gonna hit out when he makes solid contact no matter where the fence is. The question is whether we want to attract free agent hitters or pitchers. If we have home grown pitching as a strength, that would argue for keeping fences where they are to entice the Nelson Cruzes of the world.

[Frobby]

They moved home plate back 6-10 feet one year, then changed their minds about it.   

“Prior to the 2001 season, in conjunction with extensive renovations to the ballpark's playing surface and drainage system, the Orioles reconfigured the ballpark with outfield dimensions that were up to 7 feet larger than those used since Camden Yards opened in 1992. However, it was found that the new dimensions did not significantly improve sight lines for fans, as had been anticipated, and adversely affected the viewing angle of the batter's eye wall. 

As a result, the ballpark was returned to its original dimensions before the 2002 season.”

https://www.mlb.com/orioles/ballpark/information/history