Fenway's bullpens will remain unfortunately cramped for at least one more season, as the Red Sox have decided to cancel their plans to expand the bullpens up to nine feet into Fenway's right field according to a report from WEEI.
Their reasoning for this abrupt change-of-heart isn't entirely clear, but the fact that it was just too late to get started seems to have had a lot to do with it:
Given the tight construction timeline we are operating on to have the ballpark ready for Opening Day 2011, and the fact that we’re already deep into the off-season, plus the impact any work on the bullpen area would have on other work currently being done on the right field seating bowl, we decided to take this project off the table for 2010-2011 off-season.
Score one for the pitchers. Well, except for the ones who have to warm up elbow-to-elbow.
While Fenway park is already a hitter's paradise, it's true that with the right field and the Monster, it actually doesn't really contribute to increased home run numbers. This might have made a pretty big difference in that direction, and I'm sure at least Big Papi is a little disappointed to hear that right field will stay the same.
Of course, there are some other renovations that could be done in right field. Rather more pressing ones. Involving seats that face the wrong way.
I'm just saying.