Fenway Park Is Changing

by Ben Buchanan on Oct 19, 2010 4:16 PM EDT in News

So by now some of you have probably heard that Fenway's getting a shiny new scoreboard above the bleachers. And you probably figured there'd be the by-now-routine renovation of and addition of new seats (correct and correct). But how about something that's actually going to change how the park plays?

Well, that's what we're gonna get, as it looks like Fenway's large right field is going to get a little bit smaller as the Herald is reporting that the Red Sox are looking to widen the bullpens by nearly 10 feet, pending the approval of the Boston Landmarks Commission. That means more homers, particularly for the lefties.

So much for Fenway's reputation as a pitcher's park.

Presumably there's a few more seats on the way, lest the wider bullpen mess up the triangle in center, or make a new one in right. But either way, I'm not sure why the pens really need to be wider. Are we gonna see some triple-barreled action? Does the field at Fenway really need to be smaller? I don't know, but the Sox seem to think so.

(SBN Boston has more on the other renovations being done to Fenway)

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Sounds good to me.

Certainly encouraging in terms of them retaining Ortiz, who must be licking his chops.

Bullpen Banter
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twitter: @alskor

by alskor on Oct 19, 2010 4:20 PM EDT reply actions

I don't like it

I don’t see the point of making it easier to HR at Fenway, which already inflates BA because of the lack of foul territory. It’s already a good offensive ballpark, even if it suppresses HR.

Moving the fences in will make it very hard on pitchers. Good luck signing FA. (Remember Schilling’s reservations? Theo had to show him stats that showed that Fenway’s reputation as HR park wasn’t true). I think this is a mistake.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Oct 19, 2010 4:32 PM EDT reply actions

Easier for left-handed batters to hit HR's?

This is clearly a sign that we’re trading for Adrian Gonzalez. Book it!

by South Coast Ghost on Oct 19, 2010 4:47 PM EDT reply actions

Oh lord

USG

by Ben Buchanan on Oct 19, 2010 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions

You know someone out there in fandom was going to say it

And then call into WEEI or somewhere and express their conspiracy theory.

by South Coast Ghost on Oct 19, 2010 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Or…

“I’ve been saying it for years: the Red Sox cloned Ted Williams in the 90s, and he’s just now reaching maturity!”

USG

by Ben Buchanan on Oct 19, 2010 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

His frozen head is kept under neath Space Mountain in Florida

Or maybe that’s Walt Disney. Either way, they’re hittin’ 40+ HR’s in Fenway next year!

by South Coast Ghost on Oct 19, 2010 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

You know how they built the bullpens for Ted Williams?

I think this renovation is beign done for JD Drew
(note sarcasm)

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by bestbostonsports on Oct 20, 2010 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions

JD

Why? less room for him to cover and/or be injured in ?! (sarcasm noted)

by gojohn99 on Oct 20, 2010 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm not sure how I feel about this, but

I think that I don’t like it.

"Every night I go to bed thinking about when I’m going to play again. I dream about playing at Fenway."-Ryan Westmoreland
Twitter: @BoldandBrash

by BoldandBrash on Oct 19, 2010 7:27 PM EDT reply actions

10 feet is a pretty massive difference there

Should be interesting if it happens… can’t say I really have a problem with it.

by wolf9309 on Oct 19, 2010 7:45 PM EDT reply actions

Visualize what that might look like -- 15 to 20 HRs more by LHH at Fenway (Red Sox and others)

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by tdaloisio on Oct 19, 2010 8:01 PM EDT reply actions

Was there a HR hit right to second?

That’s hard to do.

by craig in calgary on Oct 19, 2010 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions

It was Ellsbury

HE IS SO FAST

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

@#$%ing Twit: @blogtard

by Bloggy on Oct 26, 2010 8:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Looks more to me like it would only have increased HRs by 5, maybe 10 this season

10 ft is not that big on that scale. Luchhino said its probably only going to be 6 feet, too.

Bullpen Banter
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twitter: @alskor

by alskor on Oct 20, 2010 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions

This color thing is really stupid.

Based off of the color, there appear to be some singles that were hit over the triangle, about 420 ft.

"Every night I go to bed thinking about when I’m going to play again. I dream about playing at Fenway."-Ryan Westmoreland
Twitter: @BoldandBrash

by BoldandBrash on Oct 26, 2010 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Sounds like Manny. ;)

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

@#$%ing Twit: @blogtard

by Bloggy on Oct 27, 2010 7:04 AM EDT up reply actions

So Fenway will play like Yankee Stadium in right field?

Ummm…… Interesting.

I love Lester and Pedroia!!! ITS MAN LOVE!

by kraken613 on Oct 19, 2010 10:25 PM EDT reply actions

Don't...

like it. Not at all. I reserve the right to change my judgment during and after the 2011 season, but I don’t like it right now.

by TheDesktopNinja on Oct 20, 2010 1:02 AM EDT reply actions

The major impetus behind this appears to be the comfort of our pitchers, btw

Luchhino said we have the narrowest pens in the bigs and that its difficult for two guys to throw at the same time.

Bullpen Banter
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twitter: @alskor

by alskor on Oct 20, 2010 1:45 AM EDT reply actions

In that case...

Expand the home bullpen only :P

by TheDesktopNinja on Oct 20, 2010 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions

So this is what the front office ment by "fix the bullpen" this year.

Problem solved.
Next on the list….;-)

by went9 on Oct 20, 2010 2:01 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs

At the risk of sounding like a 12 year-old girl

LOL.

Wait 'til next/this year?
"Laser show. So relax."

by nuthinboutnuthin on Oct 20, 2010 8:20 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

We're not in the playoffs.

I’m trying to keep a sense of humor because this October really sucks.

by went9 on Oct 20, 2010 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions

+1

Brilliant!

by travben85 on Oct 21, 2010 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions

Wouldn't the Sox need MLB approval to change the dimensions of the stadium?

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Oct 20, 2010 12:01 PM EDT reply actions

I don't believe so, so long as the stadium conforms to the limits they set.

USG

by Ben Buchanan on Oct 20, 2010 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, nothing about Fenway conforms

I believe the approval goes for new stadia and changes within a season. And nothing too idiotic like the Pennant Porch from KC Municipal:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh189/lwiedy/PennantPorch.jpg

(seriously, if you haven’t seen one of Charles Finley’s craziest ideas, go nuts)

by Sean O on Oct 20, 2010 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Love the sheep grazing

"Every night I go to bed thinking about when I’m going to play again. I dream about playing at Fenway."-Ryan Westmoreland
Twitter: @BoldandBrash

by BoldandBrash on Oct 20, 2010 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions

MLB has some rules about..

where home plate is located, I believe they prefer a SW location, as most stadiums have the plate in that bearing for shadows and sunsets. There are some stadiums that have the home plates in the Northwest.. (ironically the two heavyweights of MLB, Selig and Reinsdorf have/had their stadiums’ homeplate on a N-NW bearing.. There are some safety issues for homeplate bearings.

If the Sox are really concerned about pitcher and fan safety, make the Pitchers wear batting helmets on the mound, and extend the backstop up to the first and third base sides as protection against maple bats flying around.

Right now, Henry is in Selig’s camp, he can probably do anything he wants. I can see MLBPA may file a protest for Sox southpaw pitchers, and may some other pitchers, but I don’t see a big problem.

by superferret on Oct 22, 2010 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Of course...home runs actually being impacted by bringing the fence in assumes...

that if they bring the fence in, it will stay the same height. Wouldn’t raising the fence counteract some of the distance it was moved?

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by tdaloisio on Oct 20, 2010 8:00 PM EDT reply actions

If they did that, they'd run into sightline issues in the bleachers and RF seating.

USG

by Ben Buchanan on Oct 20, 2010 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Do you think

anyone cares about the sightlines in the RF seating? The real solution, that unfortunately the ownership group never embraced, is to completely tear out the bleachers and RF seating and start over. The RF seats are unfixable, and are easily the worst aspect of Fenway Park.

by Sean O on Oct 20, 2010 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions

There's definitely issues with their orientation.

But raising the fence would presumably make it so a handful of seats simply could not see the field much past the foul line.

USG

by Ben Buchanan on Oct 20, 2010 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions

They've made comments before that re-doing the RF seating bowl was something they eventually planned to tackle.

IIRC, it was supposed to be done before the 2012 100th anniversary, but I seriously doubt that happens. There’s virtually no way its cost effective. I’m sure at some point they will find a way to improve the situation, though.

You know my big wish for Fenway? Concession and bathrooms at the TOP of the bleachers.

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twitter: @alskor

by alskor on Oct 21, 2010 1:40 AM EDT up reply actions

If that was their plan

They’ve done everything to make their current work a foolish investment. They wouldn’t have added the RF roof boxes, or the really-recent Cumberland Farms deck if they were planning on bulldozing all of it. And there’s no doubt about it, the only solution is to bulldoze everything from Canvas Alley to the monster.

Otherwise, they would have to nearly double the width of each row to accommodate the rotated seats, which would kill capacity in an already crowded park. Even then, you’re staring directly into the sun for the first 5 innings for 2/3rds of the season, and it’s still not exactly the angle you want. The bleachers also have some insane angles, like when you’re on the CF section right at the connection piece to RF, and facing directly to the middle of section 1.

by Sean O on Oct 21, 2010 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions

There's no way..

They’d be able to complete that much work in a single offseason considering they’d have the winter to deal with. And to spread it over multiple offseasons or to work on it during the season would be very negative to the game in general at the park.

by TheDesktopNinja on Oct 21, 2010 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Understandable

But that doesn’t make the situation any better. Regardless, you still have, what, 20% of the park’s seats being effectively horrible? It could still be done in stages, and done in a way where construction only happens in the offseason.

So, hypothetically, you cut off the right bleachers at the CF-most column line, so you maintain that section of seating. The CF bleachers are bulldozed from the Monster to where it used to join the RF bleachers, and the new CF section is built (and yes, alskor, with a concourse at the top of the bleachers).

Next offseason, bulldoze the remaining RF bleacher section, and build from the new CF section to the break. Next offseason, from the RF bleachers to Section 5, then section 6 to 10.

The most difficult part is getting the angles right in the new design, which isn’t an easy step. But I managed to smush something in that worked, with functional sightlines for everyone.

by Sean O on Oct 21, 2010 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions