Are the Mets once again thinking about altering Citi Field's dimensions for the second time in three years? According to general manager Sandy Alderson, all possibilities to help improve the club in 2015 are being discussed.
Ignoring the fact that they probably just need better hitters, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson told a group of veterans at a Manhattan V.A. Hospital on Monday that there have been discussions within the organization about once again tweaking the dimensions at Citi Field, particularly the right-center-field gap.
Discussing a variety of topics, Alderson brought up the potential changes to the ballpark unprompted.
"It’s something that we had talked about the possibility in the past and we continue to look at it. We brought the fences in a couple years ago. It’s not about tailoring the ballpark to a particular player or a particular composition of team, it’s about making Citi Field as fan-friendly and as exciting as we can make it."
He also mentioned Curtis Granderson specifically, saying his right fielder would have seven additional home runs this year if the unspecified distance was currently in place.
As most Mets fans know, Citi Field has already undergone a change in dimensions. Following the 2011 season, the club brought in fences by as much as 12 feet while lowering the wall to a uniform height of eight feet across the entire outfield. Of course it doesn't appear that opponents have had as much trouble with the dimensions, outhomering the Mets 429-339 in Flushing since 2009.
Much has been made of the Mets' ability—or lack thereof—to hit for power at Citi Field since it opened in 2009. Our own Eric Simon penned a prescient piece all the way back in January 2009, three months before New York even played a game in their new home. Then again, maybe too much has been made of the club's inability to succeed at Citi Field. Either way, the fact that Alderson mentioned a specific number of home runs being added to Granderson's total is a strong sign that more changes could be in the works.