KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — There ought to be more balls flying out of Kauffman Stadium this season.
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The Kansas City Royals announced Tuesday they are moving their walls in for the upcoming season, something that has been demanded by fans for years, and that the club hopes will result in the most action and scoring since the ballpark opened in 1973.
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“We’ve discussed this possibility for years, and after much work by our research and development department, (we) believe this will be a positive change for our baseball team,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said.
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“We wanted more consistency throughout the season while making sure the specifics put us in the best position to succeed.”
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The dimensions of Kauffman Stadium have been largely unchanged since its opening more than 50 years ago, with the left- and right-field foul poles 330 feet from home plate, the gaps at 387 feet and the center-field wall 410 feet from the batter’s box.
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That created one of the most expansive outfields in Major League Baseball.
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The Royals often have used it to their advantage, too, building clubs that put a premium on defense and baserunning. But that often has been to the detriment of fans, who tend to appreciate the long ball and scoring, and it sometimes put the Royals at a disadvantage when a club with big hitters capable of putting the ball out of Kauffman Stadium came to town.
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While the center-field wall will remain at 410 feet, the Royals said the wall near each foul pole will come in eight to 10 feet, and the resulting gaps will be 379 feet. The height of the wall also will change from 10 feet in most places to 8 1/2 feet, allowing the Royals to add about 150 seats in left field and about 80 new drink-rail seats in right field.
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The club’s research estimates the run value of fly balls will go from the bottom third of MLB ballparks to the middle third.
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“Making this a fairer ballpark will help with roster construction, but more importantly, (it) will allow our players to keep the same approach regardless of where we play,” said Dr. Daniel Mack, the Royals’ assistant GM and vice president for research and development. “Our approach was carefully considered to account for as many factors as possible. We believe this will ultimately reduce the constraints within Kauffman Stadium.”
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While the Royals are changing the dimensions of Kauffman Stadium, they are also continuing work on its replacement.
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Ownership has made it clear that the Royals will not play in the picturesque-but-aging ballpark after its lease expires in 2031, which puts them on the clock for building a replacement. The neighboring Chiefs recently announced their intention to build a new stadium in Kansas in time for the 2031 season, and the Royals are expected to decide soon on their location for a new ballpark.
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The long-held belief is that the Royals prefer to build in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, though other sites are being considered.
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