Oriole officials said on Friday that they hope by moving back the left-field fence and raising the height of the wall it will reduce the number of home runs and allow them to attract free-agent pitchers.
Last season, Oriole Park at Camden Yards saw more home runs hit, 277, than any park in the major leagues. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias thinks that these changes will make the distances closer to the average park in the major leagues.
“This has been, since its inception back in 1992, an extreme park for home runs,” Elias said during a video conference call on Friday. “That has only grown as the style of play across the major leagues has evolved over the past 30 years.”
Elias didn’t offer exact measurements, but said he thought it would be close to those of PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Left-center field at PNC Park is 383 feet. Before the Oriole Park alterations began, left-center field was 364 feet from home.
“For any team, for any park to be toward the extreme in either direction, it’s a bit of a challenge,” Elias said. “And it’s posed a challenge for this franchise, and we think this will improve the playing conditions and the style of play in this part of the park and be beneficial towards us and the type of competition that occurs here going forward.”
Elias said that the alterations will be completed by Opening Day, which is March 31st, and that about 1,000 seats will be removed. Last year’s capacity was 45,971.
“It’s something that we’re hopeful about, what the effects will be towards bringing this park towards neutrality,” he said. “It’s still going to remain very much a hitter’s park is our expectation, and even a hitter’s park in particular for right-handed batters will still be the case. This will bring the conditions more toward league norms so we’re not seeing such extreme outcomes on fly balls to this part of the park.”
Elias said he had spoken to current and former players, coaches and manager Brandon Hyde about the decision and his hope that it would be a more attractive park for free-agent pitchers.
“It’s definitely a significant factor in our move,” Elias said. “We still expect that this will remain somewhat of a hitter’s park and we like that about Camden Yards. The conditions here have been very extreme towards the very most extreme in the league.
“It’s not a secret. It’s been the case for decades and part of having a winning program is the ability to recruit free-agent pitchers and that has been a historical challenge for this franchise. There’s just no way around that. I think it’s going to help going forward.”
Elias said that this has been under consideration since he, Hyde and assistant general manager Sig Mejdal arrived in 2018. Serious plans have been formulated for the last six months.
“Our fair share of home runs per fly ball in this particular part of the park was very out of whack,” Elias said. “Addressing this area was a priority.”
Many of the candidates for the 2022 starting staff — Keegan Akin, Zac Lowther, John Means, Alexander Wells and Bruce Zimmermann as well as top prospect DL Hall — are left-handed. Elias said the changes have nothing to do with that.
“This is something that’s been in place for 30 years,” Elias said. “Baseball has changed a lot over those 30 years in terms of home run and fly ball behavior, and it’s been a persistent challenge for this organization to navigate and having such an extreme environment, we felt it was something we could modify with a relatively manageable adjustment like this.
“We think it will be an improvement overall for Baltimore baseball going forward for a long time, and that made it an easy decision.”
Elias isn’t sure if there will be additional extra-base hits but predicts more action.
“This may encourage a more athletic, exciting style of play in this part of the park,” Elias said. “We will have some additional extra-base hits, possibly triples, balls rattling around. I think it will be very fun and interesting. It’s something that baseball in general needs more of, and I think it will ultimately improve the aesthetic style of play at Camden Yards from a number of angles.”
Mejdal said the Orioles considered moving home plate back, but it’s already about as far back as it can be, according to baseball rules.
“I think it speaks to the outcome that have occurred here that just feel extreme and unnatural to the players,” Elias said. “The ball leaves the bat, and it’s a home run, and no one had expected it to be nor is it a home run at 28 or 29 other major league parks. The players feel that, and it’s kind of a frustrating theme sometimes.
“Obviously it benefits you a lot but to have half of your games in that environment is challenging. That’s the thrust of the move.”
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Best decision yet by Mike Elias, by far! I feel bad for those who had season tickets in that area - but they are taking one for the team! Maybe ME is starting to turn his attention to the majors and fielding a competitive team instead of focusing only on the minors. We can hope can’t we!
Time to put your money where your mouth is now. There’s NO REASON not to go out now, well, after the new CBA is reached, and sign a too tier FA pitcher. And please, spare me the “why spend money on a FA when we’re gonna lose 100 games again next year.” You sign that FA so you DON’T keep losing 100 games. Time to turn this ship around!
Atta boy DL... give 'em Hades
BUT ... This was a great decision by Elias and Co. Probably the best call he'll ever make in his time here. I'll temper that a hair by saying that this move has been suggested by quite a few of our posters here over the past 5/6 years. BUT ... I'll give Elias a great big shout out for convincing ownership that it was worth doing. My guess is that that couldn't have been an easy task. A LOT of money has to be involved.
My guess is that his tanking days are over. He can start by making a statement and finally start putting the best team he can on the field on day one. And his best team would certainly include Rutchsman. (and possibly Rodriquez)
I agree with DLGruber, and will one up him by saying it's well past time to turn the ship around.
Ken, I would be shocked if Rodriguez is there on Opening Day. I think they're going to be very conservative with his innings, and they're easier to monitor in the minors, so I think he starts there, but I think you'll see plenty of him during the season.
No way to I expect Rodriguez to start the year ...I was just saying that the best team the O's could put out there would include him. (and sometimes I just like to stir the pot)
I get it. This is all part of a war against "extremism." Next, we'll hear that the AL East
is full of "insurrectionists." Why wasn't the ballpark a distorted freak when the O's were winning
and everyone was praising its classical lines? The team, including pitchers, ME has put together
has been for several years, and remains, extremely bad. It's not the ballpark.
Looking at the graphic ...that's going to be a nasty little corner on the wall next to the vistors bull pen. Not sure how that will play?
I do think this is an overall positive but one area that will need to be greatly improved is defense from the leftfielders. With the new angles in the indent and the corner by the bullpens that Boog mentioned there are going to be some crazy Fenway triangle bounces to chase down.
Nightmares for Stewart!
How's this one for that quirky area next to the Bullpens...Boog's Corner?
Named after our very own BRR…
No disrespect to Boog, Camden Corner?…go O’s…
Devo's dent
Or Cam’s Corner….go O’s…
The Camden Carom
That is now in First Place!
Stewart’s Folly
Am thinking that Mr. Dubroff may want to dedicate an entire article in this subject.
Play ball! (After the avaricious dust settles from the CBA)
What theatre!
I am apparently too obtuse to understand why this is so polarizing.
Some appear to view this as a sleight of hand smokescreen, merely a feint by ME to appease the easily misinformed who are unable to see the true intent. Marx’s opium of the masses.
Those who look at this positively (perhaps broadly characterized as the ME apologists?) seem to be the Pollyanna optimists who are naive and easily placated by a bit of lipstick.
Home and visiting teams will hit more home runs. Both teams may have difficulty fielding quirky caroms. It will be interesting and more competitive.
Ultimately, yes, we need to field a better team. Period. Check. Got it. Duly noted.
In the interim, pitch, hit, run, throw. Enjoy the new look. Play ball!
Good overview, Ict, but are you really expecting "more home runs"? As for polarizing, when the keynoter repeatedly identifies
the issue as about extremes, it kind of puts the responses into one corner or another. I'd like to think that ME is just rhetorically
sloppy, but you never know. Of course, being reasonable and moderate doesn't make for interesting reading.
This puts a damper on Stewart!
I can’t tell from the rendering if the wall at the fair pole (it’s NOT a foul pole) is already at 12’ or if it graduates to get to 12’ somewhere around that approximate 45 degree angle in LF. I’m also looking forward to some Steve Bartman type plays happening and if the wall graduates to 12’ some very exciting efforts by LFs on balls at the fair line. I’m very much looking forward to the change.
The bandbox is expanding!
Interesting. Hadn’t thought about the free agent pitcher angle. Maybe our pitchers eras won’t be as skewed now.
Has anyone read or mentioned exactly how many balls would now be in-play instead of home runs say last season? I picture one of those dot maps. It would be fun to know if say 8% of LF HRs would now have been fly outs last season. (Maybe more than 8% now that I think about ?)
I’ve seen two articles - one says 17 HR will be lost (6%). They were using info from statcast.
Another guy on twitter (a SABR guy) did a bunch of math and said it’ll be a 27% reduction. Big difference between those two guesses.
This change has been overdue.
It will definitely change the personality of the Park. More errors, more lapses in players judgement, more triples, no more buddy system between LF'ers and CF'ers on gap hits...all leading to a more interesting fan experience. All good.
I do wonder why it did take this long to accomplish. Was Peter that tight? Were previous GMs too feckless to make the business and baseball case?
Are you, BC, inviting conspiracy theories? OK. Suppose that when ME applied for his position, he said it would take time to develop a good cadre of talent, but there was one thing he could fix right away: Camden Yards stinks as a ballpark. Do you think he would have got the job? People everywhere had come to regard it as a jewel of the game. When the O's had winning teams, there was no place better to watch a game. Recently, Boston and New York fans have flocked to see their teams in this great environment. Despite understanding that years of on-field ugly defeats have frustrated and angered people, it's still not easy to see someone scapegoating the stadium. Changing the style in which a team loses a century of games doesn't really change much.
A good Conspiracy Theory wouldn’t be a bad thing these days…
Have also refrained from giving too much credit to Elias and Sig—don’t want to offend the Elias Haters here..
Well this would seem to suggest a few things . First this had to be planned for awhile it’s a major undertaking and I’m guessing the stadium authority had to be involved and onboard . Nothing in government gets done with a simple call so my guess this has been percolating for 18-24 months .
Secondly, does this explain the last two 1st rd picks that being left handed hitters with power. If you knew this was under serious consideration that would be the move.
Thirdly, the guy playing left is going to have to be extremely mobile that would seem to be Hayes, Mullens or McKenna.
Lastly, it does seem that Elias who never really says much even when he speaks has laid down a marker that they are going to be in on at least some upper level pitching.
Elias plays 3-D Chess.
Other GMs play checkers.
Or vice versa. Only the standings know for sure.
BC, what do you mean by that comment? It infers to me he’s far more intelligent than other GMs and I’m just not seeing it. So far all I’ve seen him “do” is field teams poor enough to get the top draft choices. His trades haven’t yielded much, tho I admit he wasn’t gonna get much for anything he had to offer, no Rule 5 or waiver pickups have stood out. I’m just curious as to what he’s done that would make me think for a second he’s smarter than anyone else in the room. Don’t misunderstand these comments. I desperately want to see him succeed, and if all these 1st round picks become All Stars he might, but that’s a real long shot. Best to you, stay warm.
DLG
It is more intended as a humorous comment related to some fellow posters who are not too happy w how he has approached this rebuild.. He has an unorthodox approach w Pitching and I too hope that his plan works.
That is the one thing that we all have in common here..
Be safe on the roads...
24 International signees, pitcher named Elias…hmmm, wonder how accurate their ages are, hope a few pan out…go O’s…
I don't understand it. the park has been this way for 30 years. we had winning teams (although not many) with the current dimensions. I can't help but think this is being done to help mask the fact we have a lousy pitching staff.
Didn't they change the dimensions a while back for 1 season or am I misremembering
2001
Finally !
No more cheap homeruns to left for the O's or the opposition.
Looking forward to seeing the ball put into play when hit there instead of a trot around the bases.
Or for the O’s…go O’s…
My bad…go O’s…
This is huge. O's fan forever. It's seems like a day and forever since we got a 1 or a 2 in their prime in a trade. Yes? Since Pat Gillick era? Maybe? I think this article is very revealing. To me, it looks like back in 2018, when interviewing for the GM job, Elias had the guts to emphasize to the owners that for the franchise to be a success, ownership must get out of the way and let management and management staff manage the team. Ownership stay out of it. Anyway, since then, to me it looks like the Angelos family has done just that. And agents of players are seeing this. No more ownership interference in negotiations. Yes? They now deal directly with baseball people.The fence was never the issue. Kudos to Mr. Angelos and family for finally turning over full reigns to the professionals. Oh and if I was an agent of a 1 or 2 in his prime who has aspirations of making the H of F someday and see what Baltimore is doing here with the fences, the Os would be on that short list of teams I'd recommend my client to consider. Just saying.