The team has begun changing its outfield fence.
In their second attempt to convert Citi Field into a more hitter-friendly park, the Mets are once again moving in the fences. The team took to Twitter to document the project's initiation.
Work has begun. #Metspic.twitter.com/U83qgqvEJo
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 15, 2014Earlier this week, the New York Daily News reported the team's plans to bring the right-center and right-field fences closer to home plate.
ESPN's Park Factors gave Citi Field a 0.956 home-run rate that ranked 18th in MLB this season. Lucas Duda became just the second Met—and the first since Ike Davis in 2012—to launch a 30 home run campaign since the new park opened in 2009. In 2011, before the first round of construction, the stadium placed 28th with a 0.735 homer rate.
The club's dismal offensive home production in 2014 likely sparked another alteration. The Mets hit .224/.296/.349 with 59 long balls in Flushing compared to a .252/.321/.379 road slash line alongside 66 homers. That discrepancy, however, was not reflected by their opponents, who cleared Citi Field's fences 71 times compared to 70 at their home turfs.