Mets mulling moving in Citi Field fences again

The Mets may bring in the walls at Citi Field again. (USATSI)

During the 2011-12 offseason, the Mets brought in the fences at Citi Field in an effort to create a more hitter-friendly ballpark. The fences were most notably shortened up in left and left-center as well as right field.

Now, after three seasons with the new dimensions, the team is considering shortening up the fences once again, GM Sandy Alderson confirmed to reporters, including Marc Carig of Newsday. No plans are final but the team is mulling over the idea. Any changes to the ballpark dimensions would not be sweeping and instead focus on right-center field.

From 2009-11, an average of 8.25 runs were scored per game at Citi Field, or 93 percent of the 8.85 league average. Since the fences were brought in for the 2012, Citi Field has averaged 7.47 runs per game, or 89 percent of the 8.39 league average. The Mets' feeble offense these last few years skews the data, however.

Alderson told Carig that Curtis Granderson would have hit an additional seven home runs this season had the team played with the revamped dimensions, according to their data. Granderson has hit 18 home runs this season after averaging 34.5 homers during his last four full healthy seasons from 2009-12.

Manager Terry Collins is on board with the proposed changes, even going as far as telling Mike Puma of the New York Post that he hopes the team follows through and brings the walls in for the second time in three years.

Yes, it's going to help the other team, too, but I go back to what I've said in the past: we pitch pretty good in some [hitters'] parks, Collins said before the Mets' 2-0 win over the Rockies.

...

I think it's going to help us a little bit confidence-wise when you get in that batter's box and say, Hey, look, I can use the field and do some damage here,' because that's what a lot of guys in this lineup are paid to do, and that's get big hits. I think it would be great for us Collins said.

The Mets are in the middle of a rebuild that is focused on young pitching, specifically Matt Harvey, Jacob de Grom, Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard, among others. The offense is not quite as robust, but they have some nice pieces in Granderson, David Wright, Lucas Duda, Daniel Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud.

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Mets mulling moving in Citi Field fences again