MLBWeird But True

Dimension Changes To Citi Field Backfire, Help New York Mets’ Opponents

As the New York Mets continue their post-All-Star Game free fall, as per tradition, a wonderful Mets-being-the-Mets tidbit has emerged about some field size adjustments the team made to Citi Field. Before the season, the team shrank the size of Citi Field, lowering fences and erecting new and closer ones.

Via the AP:

“The Mets erected a new blue fence in front of the old green wall at the 4-year-old ballpark, lowering the height needed for a home run to 8 feet from as much as 16 and cutting the distance from home plate by up to 12 feet.”

Considered a pitcher’s park since it’s inception, Citi Field wasn’t exactly friendly to the Mets’ middle of the order hitters. Except when the fences came in, a very Mets thing happened.

“Of the 46 home runs this year that would not have cleared the old wall, 21 were hit by New York, according to figures compiled by the team. [...] But opponents benefited the most. Visiting homers went up to 88, a boost from 81 in 2009, 47 the following season and 58 last year. It was the highest total against the Mets since 91 at Shea Stadium in 2001.”

The Mets’ run total took a nose dive as well, scoring 287 runs. That would be good for 3.54 runs per game, and the lowest overall run total since 1994 when the team only scored 235 times at Shea Stadium.

But more importantly, New York Mets management gave opponents a net gain of four home runs (25 that wouldn’t have cleared the fence for opponents, 21 for the Mets). So generous!

[AP, via Hardball Talk]

Photo via Getty

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