Marlins Park Receiving a New Facelift
While the MLB offseason conversation primarily revolves around free agents and potential trade deals, there is another conversation afoot capturing the attention of many.
Just recently, as noted by Wells Dusenbury, the home of the Miami Marlins, Marlins Park, will be undergoing some changes. One of the most unfriendly hitters parks in all of baseball will now be reduced in size. The dimensions in center field and right-center field will be reduced by 12 feet. That then reduces deep center field to 400 feet while right-center field will be reshaped to 387 feet. It marks the second straight season of structural changes to Marlins Park. Such changes included the removal of the famous home run statue and the lime green walls.
It’s About Time
Ever since its creation, Marlins Park has been known as an offensive dead zone. Over the past seven seasons, Marlins Park has allowed the second-fewest home runs combined (1,007) out of any ballpark. That ranks second only to San Francisco’s Oracle Park.
Over the course of this past season alone, there were only 173 home runs blasted within the confines of Marlins Park. On the other side of the spectrum, eleven other ballparks allowed 240 home runs or more. The 2019 season also saw eight outs estimated at 390 feet or more. Those ranked as eight of the longest outs in the MLB in 2019.
The discrepancy between home and away games have been quite alarming. Since the arrival of Marlins Park back in 2012, the Marlins have hit 477 home runs at home but 593 on the road. On the other side, the fish on the mound have given up just 527 homers at home. The downside is that the road provided a much larger number of 755 home runs given up since 2012.
Other changes to Marlins park will include the addition of synthetic turf. Such turf that two other MLB teams are implementing including the Arizona Diamondbacks who experienced similar environmental challenges with growing natural grass. The new stadium upcoming for the Texas Rangers will also be utilizing the B1K synthetic grass turf system in 2020.
While it may not seem like a very exciting move for the Marlins organization and Marlins Park, it does show continued movement on the part of top brass. Derek Jeter and the company continue to reshape the organization into a competitive team and that includes the stadium housing the fish. That, in turn, creates a better fan experience and revamps what has been a lack-luster atmosphere
