December 14, 2013

Citi Field No-Fly Zone

The Mets appear poised to field an impressive outfield this spring, manned by not one, not two, but three natural center fielders.  Juan Larares, when combined with newly acquired Curtis Granderson and Chris Young will feature in what figures to be one of the best defensive outfields in baseball.  And it couldn't happen in a better ballpark.

The Mets may have moved the fences in since Citi Field opened in 2009, but the outfield remains the place were long fly balls go to die.  Just ask David Wright, who acknowledged  earlier this winter that the stadium has impacted his home run total.  It probably had a profound effect on Jason Bay too, whose line drive swing just couldn't get the job done on the rare occasions he made contact.

For the first time since Citi Field opened, the Mets stand to field a team built for their ballpark.  That is impressively important, when you figure the team boasts just a .473 winning percentage at home since the park opened.

Its amazing to think how quickly things can change.  When the season opens, we'll be just one year removed from the atrocity that was Lucas Duda in left field.  Those days should be behind us, as the 2015 outfield should be a proverbial dragnet for any ball that leaves the infield.  That figures to help the young pitchers (minus Bartolo Colon of course) who will make up the team's rotation and could be a big part of an improved Mets team in 2014.

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