SEATTLE (AP) — The fences at Safeco Field are coming in.
The Seattle Mariners announced plans Tuesday to move in the outfield fences at their spacious ballpark for the 2013 season after years of debate on the impact that having one of the more vast outfields in baseball was having on their offense.
The biggest change will come in the left-center field alley, where the fence will move in as much as 17 feet from its current dimension. The left-center power alley is currently 390 feet, but will be at 378 feet next season. From there, instead of a rounded fence, the wall will move straight out to its deepest point at 405 feet, four feet shorter than currently. The straighter line of the fence will lead to the 17-foot change.
