Left field at OPACY going through a big change

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Hallas said:

You're not wrong.  But I'm spitballing that this is going to cost around 15 million. Changing the stadium dimensions is like, 1/10 the cost of a top tier free agent on a multi year contract.  At most.  So even if its not super high impact I think it's still a worthwhile endeavor given the cost of talent.

Who pays for this?  I figured it would be the MSA and not the team.

[Philip]

Hope this means a bit more attention to defense. LF just got a lot bigger, and  Trey DJ and MC would be even worse out there.

More guys scoring from Second or even first now, doubles off the wall, good times ahead.

[now]

9 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

When did that happen?  Sure wasn't in 2020 when they drafted the top left handed power bat in the draft and gave Mayo overslot.

Cowser isn't seen as much of a power hitting prospect but he still projects to average power.

Yeah, those two aside, from 2020; but in 2021 the reports seemed heavy on contact, bat-to-ball, and low K rates.

[Ravensfan1996]

Anyone notice that this new design will probably mean the Orioles Bullpen will have to be moved as well?  Especially if they go with the 30ft option.  

[wildcard]

5 hours ago, Ravensfan1996 said:

Anyone notice that this new design will probably mean the Orioles Bullpen will have to be moved as well?  Especially if they go with the 30ft option.  

I have not seen the Orioles' design.  There are several mock ups posted by fans but nothing from the O's that I have seen.   The report is up to 30ft.  So it could be 30 ft   at the foul pole and much less by the time they get to the bullpen.  The bullpen may not be changed at all.

If you have seen the O's design please post it.

[DrungoHazewood]

13 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

You can search for the HR numbers from there with one click.

It's high, everyone will agree it's high.  High enough to be a real issue?  That's questionable.

Not as if it hasn't been an issue for quite some time.  I know some folks are talking about changing the park configuration is some next level thing but it isn't.   The Giants changed their ballpark way back in 2020.

I don't think this is anything close to a big deal and it isn't worth getting into an actual argument over but I'm not a fan of the language they used and I don't think the main goal of this change is to win more ballgames.

I know one of your raison d'êtres is to look below the surface to see the rotten core that the rest of us won't admit is there, but I think at least part of the rationale for this is to have a more interesting form of baseball in Baltimore.  To give the young pitchers a fighting chance instead of getting called up from Norfolk and living in constant fear that missing your spot by 3" will result in a 3-run homer every single time.  Of course this is an iterative change, it's going to lower homers at home 10%, 20% or something.  But it's at least going in the right direction.

Although it might make signing the annual Maikel Franco a little more challenging, as it'll lower his home run total from 11 to 9 and make it harder to get that big payday he's angling for next year.

[DrungoHazewood]

6 hours ago, Ravensfan1996 said:

Anyone notice that this new design will probably mean the Orioles Bullpen will have to be moved as well?  Especially if they go with the 30ft option.  

Yes.  What they should do it move the Orioles' bullpen back to where the visitors are now, and put the visitors in foul territory where the heatmaps suggest the most line drive foul balls end up.  Just for spite.

[DrungoHazewood]

46 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I have not seen the Orioles' design.  There are several mock ups posted by fans but nothing from the O's that I have seen.   The report is up to 30ft.  So it could be 30 ft   at the foul pole and much less by the time they get to the bullpen.  The bullpen may not be changed at all.

If you have seen the O's design please post it.

It's not going to be 30' at the foul pole. I mean, it could be I guess, but that would make that dimension 363', which would be the longest LF foul pole dimension in probably 50+ years. 

Me, I'd take it all the way.  Go old Griffith Stadium on them, when it was 402' down the line.  In 1927 Goose Goslin had 17 homers, all on the road.

[DrungoHazewood]

10 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

I think I'm the only one here who really doesn't seem to care.  I feel like I should, but I can't really find the wherewithal to do so.

I think the only thing I'd like to see from this is more extra base hits.  More doubles and triples.  

I'm sure someone has already started looking at how many homers would have been outs, etc.  Kinda curious about that, but that's about it.  

I guess it'll be more interesting when they play the games.

If they play the games.  Ain't that right, @Can_of_corn?

I don't know if you're the only one, but I am more interested in this than probably any player acquisition they'll make until 2023.  I've been arguing in an invisible, anonymous, ineffective, interweb-y kind of way for something like this to happen across the league for years.  Good to see it worked.

[DrungoHazewood]

10 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

As long as it doesn’t look dumb, I’m good with it.

Just don’t ruin the look of that stadium.

They'd have to try to make it dumb.  Like some of the new parks that look like someone's teenage kid designed them with MS Paint to have six abrupt angles in the fence for no reason besides they could do it.  The best parks are organically weird, like Ebbets Field was 290 to RF because there was a street at 300'.  OPACY has no such restrictions, so it should be pretty simple to make it blend in with the classic look of the rest of the place.

[Redskins Rick]

Personally, I was okay with it, just wish they had left it alone.

[Can_of_corn]

52 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

I know one of your raison d'êtres is to look below the surface to see the rotten core that the rest of us won't admit is there, but I think at least part of the rationale for this is to have a more interesting form of baseball in Baltimore.  To give the young pitchers a fighting chance instead of getting called up from Norfolk and living in constant fear that missing your spot by 3" will result in a 3-run homer every single time.  Of course this is an iterative change, it's going to lower homers at home 10%, 20% or something.  But it's at least going in the right direction.

Although it might make signing the annual Maikel Franco a little more challenging, as it'll lower his home run total from 11 to 9 and make it harder to get that big payday he's angling for next year.

Sure, I'll agree that is a factor.

I just don't think it's the only one, which is what they are insinuating.

[Aristotelian]

20 hours ago, wildcard said:

May help attract FA pitchers.   Along with the best offer.

This was my thought. All part of the master plan.

[Aristotelian]

17 hours ago, jabba72 said:

This curiously does nothing to Left Handed hitters. According to OOTPB, Camden Yards favors LH's more, with balls hit to right field. 

I'm OK with that. Adley is LH and we want him nice and comfortable in his home ballpark while helping his pitchers against RHB's.

[jamalshw]

I think it's interesting how OPACY is now going to be more of a lefty hitter's park. The right field line is already closer to the plate than the left-field line and although the right-field power alley is a bit deeper, the difference is only 9 feet so the swing will be to make the LF power alley as much as 21 feet deeper than RF. 

Ultimately, this probably helps the team and makes the park play a bit more fairly to pitchers, but just pondering the resulting imbalance between left and right field. Will be quite interested to see the official team mock up of what it will look like.