By The Long Beach State baseball team’s hitters better practice their home run trot now that Blair Field’s new fences make it more hitter friendly.
The Dirtbags and visiting teams only hit four home runs combined at Blair Field last season, but that number is likely to increase in 2016.
The left and right field fences stand 335 and 330 feet away from home plate now, respectively. The old left and right field walls stood 348 feet away. The center field fence is 395 feet away as opposed to the original 400 feet and the new fence will also be shorter all around, going from 10 to 8 feet.
While the possibility of more baseballs leaving the field looms, Dirtbags head coach Troy Buckley highlights that there’s also a chance to make more defensive plays in areas where typically there would be a hit allowed.
“I think we’re going to have more guys robbing plays,” Buckley said. “I think we’re going to have more plays against the fence, where we really never had plays against the fence. The [old] fence was a mausoleum, it was so big.”
Along with more defensive plays, the team’s offensive strategy is going to change now that the fence is going to be a factor.
“I think the guys are going to have play a little bit more shallow just because the fences are more in,” Buckley said. “And with that you’re going to have more doubles. I honestly think it’s going to take some time to figure out how this whole thing is going to play.”
Preseason All-American infielder Garrett Hampson was a little skeptical about the overall cosmetics of the renovation, but has been pleased with the changes.
“It’s not as shallow as we all assumed,” Hampson said. “It’s going to be same old Blair. I think it’s not going to be too much of a difference, but I think there will be more home runs.”
Players are not only expecting more long balls, but some expect overall hitting to improve as well.
“I think the fences are really going to help our team put more home runs on the board,” outfielder Brock Lundquist said. “We’ve got a lot of power hitters in the line-up. We think it’s going to bring up the numbers a lot.”
Blair Field has been known as a pitcher’s park in recent years, but Buckley isn’t sure what to make of the park after an unusual heatwave the last week and a half with the season only three days away.
“In the last eight days the weather has been unseasonably hot,” Buckley said. “We don’t usually play in 89-degree weather in February. So we haven’t traditionally dealt with this.”
Usually the stadium gets an ocean breeze that travels from right field to left field that affects the way the ball could travel.
“Right now we’re not getting that,” Buckley said. “In my opinion the field is playing small, but that’s part of the weather. I think from the gaps to the lines is where we’re going to see the biggest change.”
The Dirtbags play an upcoming home series against Holy Cross that kicks off Friday at 6 p.m.
