The Washington Post reports that the dimensions in right- and left-center field at RFK are mismarked. Instead of the marked distance of 380 feet, the actual distance is closer to 395 feet, which would go a long way to explaining why RFK has such a depressing effect on home runs. Boswell and Barry Svrluga measured the distance to left center, found it to be about 395, and then were told by club officials to stop. The team then measured the distance using a laser. The article doesn't say whether distances to other portions of the outfield wall were measured, but we think they should.
You have to wonder about an organization that can't accurately measure it's outfield dimensions. Interestingly, instead of remarking the distance to the gaps, the team just moved the 380 signs to a spot at which they apparently are correct. That means that the Nationals are probably the only major league team without a distance marker to the gaps.
We have a feeling that the outfield wall dimensions will change in the offseason, because the team's current players are frustrated and this word of mouth will definitely make it harder to attract free agent hitters. For that reason alone we're confident that the team will make a change. RFK will probably never bea hitter's park, but it doesn't have to be such an extreme pitcher's park.
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2 comments:
"That means that the Nationals are probably the only major league team without a distance marker to the gaps."
Citizens Bank Park had the opposite problem last year -- the gap mark in left field was too short. The club just moved it to the right, closer to CF (RFK is moving the 380 close to the foul poles). So CBP has no left field gap sign.
BTW, I was there last night, and the 380 signs did not look out of place. I don't know if they didn't move them, or just didn't need to move them that much.
Interesting that another team had a similar problem. You would think that in this high-technology era teams could get this right.
We were wondering the same thing about the positioning of the signs. We'll see if we or anyone else notices a change.
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