moving in the outfield fences<\/a> at Kauffman Stadium starting this season, fans and pundits alike began talking about how it would help Bobby Witt Jr.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Royals\u2019 internal research found the new fences \u201cwill take the run value of fly balls at The K from the bottom third of MLB ballparks to the middle, primarily through more extra-base hits.\u201d<\/p>\n
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General manager J.J. Picollo said Tuesday at a news conference that Witt was one of the Royals most negatively affected by the old dimensions.<\/p>\n
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Daniel Mack, the Royals\u2019 assistant general manager for research and development, explained how Witt will benefit from the change.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think we probably are going to help some of the opposite-field power that he possesses,\u201d Mack said of Witt at the news confidence. \u201cI think (it) will probably improve with these changes.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Witt had highest line-drive rate<\/a> among qualified Royals hitters a year ago (20.2%), according to FanGraphs, followed by Salvador Perez (19.0%), Maikel Garcia (18.9%), Vinnie Pasquantino (18.7%) and Jonathan India (16.8%). Witt also had the highest percentage of balls hit to the opposite field (28.3%).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Those numbers bear out Mack\u2019s assertion.<\/p>\n
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As does this spray chart from Hagen Snell. It shows the large number of outs for Witt at the warning track in right field a year ago. It shows why the Royals believe Witt, a right-handed hitter, could see more balls clear the fence in right field.<\/p>\n
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