For the Baltimore Orioles, it was mission accomplished when they altered the dimensions of Camden Yards to move back the left field fences, erect a higher wall and make life more pleasant for pitchers of all handedness before the 2022 season.
In fact, they now acknowledge, they did too good a job.
Orioles executive vice president Mike Elias said Friday that the Orioles will move the left field fences in, ranging from nine to 20 feet, and reduce the height of the now somewhat infamous wall in the left field corner.
Three seasons of data proved that Camden Yards went from a very friendly park for all hitters to a left field set-up that frustrated superstars like the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge – he called it a “Create-A-Park” and a ‘travesty’ – to the Orioles’ own right-handed sluggers.
In 2021, the last season before the Orioles moved the left field wall back by 26 feet in some spots, and added six feet of height to a barrier affectionately termed “Walltimore,” Camden Yards was a hitter’s haven. It ranked No. 3 in Statcast’s Park Factors, with a 105 rating on a scale where 100 is neutral, and 124 – tied for second – in home runs.
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In 2024? Camden Yards was just the 19th hitter-friendliest park, its 99 rating skewing to pitcher-friendly and its 93 home run rating ranking 20th.
That’s a fairly remarkable shift, especially given that the right-field wall remains a pleasant target for lefty swingers.
Elias said on a video conference call that having a second offseason to adjust will make that corner of the park just right.
“Given the uncertainty of the game, offensive environments, etc., it became apparent to us over three years of lived experience that it was a directionally correct move, but we overcorrected,” says Elias. “It was something we wanted to address as soon as possible and develop a plan to seek a happier medium by 2025.
“Our hope is by pulling the dimensions in a little bit – as little as nine, to 11 to 20 feet – we will be able to come closer to what our original goal was – a neutral playing environment that assists a balanced style of play at a park that was overly friendly, and now is overly skewed.
“We’re seeking a more neutral playing environment, but this is one we still think will assist the pitching environment at Camden Yards, yet be a little less drastic, particularly as it pertains to our right-handed batters.”
Elias said there was no need to formally consult with his righty swingers; he says we “live with them on a daily basis.
“This isn’t the kind of thing we call a meeting for. But the feedback was the extremity and disparity in the park was more of a topic of conversation than we bargained for. It became a distraction in many ways. For our right-handed hitters, left-handers, too, aspects of this were a little severe.”
And while Elias didn’t indicate the switch was made to lure right-handed sluggers – he says pitchers will be equally as miffed – it can’t hurt. The Orioles are expected to pursue Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Teoscar Hernández in free agency, while their own free agent, switch-hitter Anthony Santander, would also benefit from the changes; he hit 44 home runs last year, with a home run every 13.6 at-bats as a left-handed hitter and every 15 at-bats as a righty.
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