Why the Orioles moved the left field wall back at Camden Yards

[@PhantomofDB]

Personally I’m tired of “3 true outcome” baseball, so I’m pretty on board with bigger fields and taller walls in general.

[@katherineberger6329]

The Orioles moved the left wall back because their pitchers are awful and they were getting shelled constantly. This is a gimmick to keep legitimate home run balls in the park.

[@PhantomofDB]

@@katherineberger6329 eh. Most of the lost home runs have been orioles players so far. And I really don’t think it’s any more gimmicky than an easy home run porch. They may have overcorrected, but it was also bad before

[@katherineberger6329]

@@PhantomofDB On an overall basis, but they're also definitely trying to keep visiting team home runs in the park. And the park was clearly not designed for this - the bullpen wall now presents a hazard to left fielders.

[@j.a.martir6438]

@@PhantomofDB I agree that it was bad before but also that they overcorrected. Could it be possible that, sometime soon, that overcorrection could be brought back a little?

[@mrb239]

i see you. make hitters try to get hits instead of trying to hit homers every at bat

[@jonstefanik9400]

I can't believe Oriole Park at Camden Yards is 30 years old. I remember watching CBS's Major League Baseball Game of the Week, the first time a game went on national television in that ballpark. I thought it was great!

[@jakealden2517]

I like the wall. It adds unique characteristics and dynamics to the field and the ball in play. However, I wish they hadn't moved it back quite so far.

[@israymervalentin-arias6313]

It’s butt ugly and the Orioles screwed their own right handed hitters as well. They could never get good pitchers to go there good luck to them finding good right hand hitters to go there now.

[@leaveadislike8470]

@@israymervalentin-arias6313our hitters be crushing that wall

[@johnisouth6636]

Love it. Every one keeps moving in. They did it at Citi Field and Comerica Park. I loved how the fences had deep dimensions. I loved Tal's Hill in Houston and they brought that in. Home runs are to be earned. Great move Orioles. Love the classic old days feel of it too.

[@VivaLaZach]

As an Astros fan I miss tals hill, but the way it is now is more aesthetically pleasing

[@ryanjohansson8950]

LOL the wall is a joke. It makes no sense whatsoever and was only moved back because other teams had better hitters and the O’s had bad pitching. Makes no damn sense how Left field is now deeper and has a wall twice as high than left-Center field.

[@johnisouth6636]

@@ryanjohansson8950 It's beautiful

[@johnisouth6636]

@@Steverodriguez825 You'll get used to it.

[@johnisouth6636]

@@Steverodriguez825 💪

[@westleighquattrone1660]

Brilliant move. Agree 100% with the decision and reason behind it.

[@jeremybear573]

The changes w the outfield wall dimensions have worked! Now let some ivy grow on the wall!

[@gregorykrug8034]

I love the new dimensions of Camden Yards!

[@timothybuck2396]

So far it has worked!!!

[@a.stoner]

I sat front row on this new wall next to the bullpen. You can’t see a damn thing in center or right field because of the bullpen fence being in the way now.

[@israymervalentin-arias6313]

It was an extremely ridiculous move. I’m a Yankees fan and I loved the way Camden Yards used to look. This wall and weird angle looks ugly.

[@BrutusJrThe3rd]

⁠@@israymervalentin-arias6313same. I hate watching games at Camden because I think it looks worse. There was nothing wrong with how it was before.

[@jojofreelancer1210]

Bought tickets so I could see from there it was nice. We had aisle and next seat which put us against the new wall with no one in front of either seat. I liked the view too. It's helped our team

[@AbleAnderson]

Everyone in these comments loving this change; I hate it. You have to be a truly trash team with no hope of hitting home runs to like this. The old Camden was a truly iconic classic. Now players don’t enjoy coming here as much. It was a “look forward to” experience before, and now some players are voicing dread

[@tylerf3505]

im a month late, but why should we give a damn what other star players on other teams think? who most likely wont ever wear an orioles jersey? the big picture here is that baltimore could NEVER attract good free agent pitching because its was a little league park

[@israymervalentin-arias6313]

@@tylerf3505 that’s true but it will literally have zero effect on good pitchers signing there with this move however it will have a big effect on good right handed hitters signing there.

[@zachhuffaker5656]

Boston got the green wall and Yankees got the smallest stadium to hit homers and now the orioles moved the wall back. We ain’t the only ones with special field advantage

[@cjones3710]

Also I hate the way it looks.

[@coreyk1501]

Moving the wall is fine, but they could have moved it back 15' instead of 26'. It looks ridiculous and will have no effect on free agent pitchers signing with the Orioles

[@israymervalentin-arias6313]

It will however have an effect on good right handed batters signing there though. Why would you wanna play 82 games there?

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

Yeah, because removing entire sections of fan-friendly seats are conducive to good baseball hitting. As if that park will ever fill up back to the attendance numbers from the Mike Mussina days! Oh well, at least Orioles fans can relish in still having the foul poles from old Memorial Stadium. Which will turn 70 Years Old for the 2024 Season!

[@zachhuffaker5656]

Uhh the orioles and angles game it was a full packed game buddy. That stadium gets packed

[@ajellyfish6357]

Move center back to 500 like when Ruth played, even left and right center were 450

[@warrenkemmer1307]

Lies

[@simitz4752]

Really is an eyesore

[@bigboots6114]

who in the hell allowed this to happen because the 90 degree wall going to center is going to hurt someone

[@bigboots6114]

@markjohnson7488 not like this

[@AbleAnderson]

lol part of the argument is it will erase some home runs and add some exciting extra base hits to the game. Yeah, nobody likes those damn home runs; we want doubles, not homers. That’s one of the dumbest arguments I’ve ever heard. Anyone who says they don’t enjoy watching home runs is lying or bullshitting; it’s one of the most special things in sports

[@huckfinn9225]

great move. the O's have a lot of young exciting players. 4ever Baltimore. On a side note; my cousin is a doctor living in Baltimore and is a big sports fan, Dr. Bonnie Jo Kerr.

[@siriusblack7714]

As an astros fan who sees cheap homeruns leave the minute maid park all the time I wish they would move the Crawford boxes back 10 feet or so

[@johndurrer7869]

*

[@gregorykrug8034]

I agree! They say everything is big in Texas, but the playing field at Minute Maid Park are definitely pretty weak, even before they brought the CF wall in.

[@davidsmith-uw2ci]

I like the wall and like it even more now that Judge hates it lol

[@israymervalentin-arias6313]

Do you also like it that Orioles right handed hitting players also hate it? You guys are ridiculous and good job ruining that special ballpark. Also good luck attracting good power hitting right handed hitters from signing there.

[@ethanludden7847]

Gleyber Torres was also part of that drama

[@joshroyale7678]

I still don't get it. The short wall wasn't an advantage to one team over the other. Just get some guys that can hit. I think the wall looks awkward now.

[@cjones3710]

It does look awkward as all heck.

[@ScurvyDog2222]

It's disadvantageous if you don't have an (expensive) home run hitting team. Baltimore zeroing out the payroll will decrease their run scoring, so they want to bring down their opponents' as well.

[@israymervalentin-arias6313]

@@ScurvyDog2222 so instead of losing 12-3 they will lose 6-1.

[@overdose956]

2:22 nah bruh we want to see more HRs lol

[@RedSkywalker17]

So basically... hey we suck and we know the rest of the division has several right-handed power hitters so let's just make it harder on them! 😂 This only hurts Baltimore more because you can hide team skill gaps by hitting home runs in close games and winning more games you have no business winning. Now, the rest of the AL East and their better hitters are just gonna hit all over Camden to the O's detriment.

[@JTGwozdz]

How are you feeling about this after the eight game win streak?

[@zachhuffaker5656]

This ain’t aging well my guy

[@ryandouglas8382]

Exactly. The O's knew Rutchman, Santander, Gunnar Henderson, Ohearn, Frazier, even Holiday who isn't up yet are all left handed hitters. They rigged it and the MLB allowed it. What a joke!!

[@IrishLion-re8bu]

It looks stupid, takes away from the ballpark's history. Should've spent that on player contracts

[@deesnuts1]

Working out well 🤷‍♂️

[@greggood8055]

Went to Camden Yards for the first time recently. Left field is awful. I can’t believe they decided to move the wall back AND raise the wall. Makes no sense. The seats in the stadium are uncomfortable. Other than the cool warehouse aspect, I was surprised to find the stadium to be subpar in most ways. A disappointment.

[@mrb239]

it does add a unique experience but at the expense of the home team?? or.... i have seen uncomfortable plays, turn arounds , flailing arms .. touch for the outfield

[@mrb239]

dont know how the Orioles approved this ballpark dimensions... its weird when i balll is in play. players are out of position, its nit normal

[@jakealden2517]

Another thing, if they made any change to the park it should be to fix all those seats between 3B and the left field foul pole that face the OUTFIELD, forcing fans for 30 years to turn their heads to watch the game. The person who designed Oriole Park clearly never sat in the stands to watch a game.

[@danielk8906]

"We can't win so let's change the park to make it harder on other teams..." Makes no sense. You rob your own team of home runs opportunities as much as you rob the visiting team.

[@deesnuts1]

This aged horribly

[@danielk8906]

@@deesnuts1 It'll backfire on them again.

[@deesnuts1]

@@danielk8906 how lol

[@Mrclean431]

So pitchers wont pitch on a team where they will get a lot of run support ? Im not thinking this a true thing.

[@youshe9121]

I feel like this would be the trend for weak teams like Orioles. The teams with less talents would probably tend toward small ball strategy. This would be the simplest way to prevent opponent teams hitting home runs.

[@jasonmontero8579]

Yankees should do the same for their right field lmao

[@cleanslate2004]

That's one way of looking at it, but he's confusing what the team was built on with what the stadium was built on. You don't adapt the field to the players,, you adapt the players to the field. This project reminds me of the political strategy of Redistricting which doesn't appeal to the voters in the district. but instead counts them out. Reducing seat capacity definitely reduces revenue & stats which in turn affects player salary that could deter power hitters from signing there. Fans come to see home runs which have been a part of baseball Lore since Babe Ruth. That said Home players that are known for home runs that fill the seats will adapt by increasing launch angle causing more pop ups. All in all this guy cost them alotta money for just a thro of the dice & he took away from the esthetics that was all Camden Park was known for since the new stadium was created. This guy reminds me of a real estate broker who insisted less was more, saying less property & house was less maintenance which added more value to my life style. That pitch didn't work with me then & what I wound up with matched my needs.

[@Elios0000]

OR they could PAY FOR GOOD PITCHING. but no lets make the park look like trash

[@LostBeagle]

Spot on. This organization sucks. What good will a decent farm system, top prospects and good hitters do without good pitching? C'mon man. When was the last time the Birds had just one top tier pitcher on their staff, let alone two or more?? You can't compete without pitching, and this team has proven, year after year, that it can't compete.

[@annex4398]

I love the new wall and it is helping. The old power alley distance was a joke.

[@israymervalentin-arias6313]

@@annex4398 helping who? Orioles are in last place and below .500 lmao. It hurt opposing teams just as much as it hurts their own right handed hitters.

[@dukedematteo1995]

Still the best newer park in baseball.....all the imitations since then don't have the same character as the Yards.

[@israymervalentin-arias6313]

Nope it has lost its luster. It was a gorgeous ballpark before dam near perfect. This wall and weird angles is butt ugly. Also not only do opposing teams right handed hitters hate it but orioles own right handed hitters hate it.

[@dukedematteo1995]

@@israymervalentin-arias6313 yea that dimension change is weird..

[@bumbylansford9534]

I think they call this PROPAGANDA

[@MrShonH]

I think bigger market teams should have closer outfield walls and smaller market teams should have further outfield walls...that way smaller market teams could actually lure in good pitchers and other free agents from time. Big market like LA or NY? Let the home runs and points fly! People go there to be entertained anyways...it makes no sense to have cavernous outfields in big markets where they already get big name free agents and hoard most of the league's talent. Then if you play in KC or Tampa or something, it's no free picnic and you can't just curb stomp those teams on a yearly basis. I think it'd be a more fun and balanced league if pitchers preferred to play in smaller markets but top home run hitters preferred to play in big markets.

[@ELcinegatto87]

26.5ft is outrageous. It kills the flow of the outfield and the park, this was a major error. 10-15ft would have been easily adequate. I'm not even an Orioles fan, loved Camden Yards but 384ft with a huge wall to straight away left is gonna hurt the Orioles more than it well help. The fans will be very frustrated when barreled up 400 foot balls are getting caught at the warning track just a few ft right of that. It also doesn't address the rest of the park, so if those were adjusted it might've been less mickey-mousey. Take it from a Mets Fan, the former owners badly botched the original dimensions. The park is now neutral and an extreme adjustment was not required. The Phillies play in a band box and were able to win a world series and had great free agent pitchers. So this is not gonna make the Orioles magically attract pitching. The starts with development. Should have improved your DR academy or Minor League system instead and develop ground ball pitchers. Massive shame.

[@leaveadislike8470]

who needs hitters when pitchers wanna pitch here

[@ariellelariosa372]

Cuz the orioles were tired of the Yankees and Red Sox hitters hitting home runs when they were at home. 😂 there’s a reason why they got a good record the past year and a half.

[@colbyjames86]

“Hey, instead investing more money into our pitching staff, let’s demolish 1,000 seats in left and just make the field bigger!”

[@voicesoup]

Nothing as exciting as a long fly ball caught on the warning track.

[@bmoose566]

Watching a player try to beat a throw to second or third base is more exciting than watching a guy jog around the bases

[@michaelehaddad2659]

I wast at a wedding with my GF in college in Balitmore across from Camden the year it was built. We climbed the fenxe and had sex in left center field., I know that 99% of the story's you hear like this online are BS, this is the truth. I was afraid to do it. It was my GF that talked me into it. I'm positive it was the first year it was open during the summer/spring.

[@derrickctv1820]

The new wall is trash and messes up the original beauty of Camden Yards. U can move the wall to Lexington Market the O’s are still trash. The GM said they are years behind everyone. They are literally fielding a Pro Minor League Team smh

[@RafealFN]

This is went things went south

[@LostBeagle]

Fire everyone. This is the single worst organization in MLB. Perpetual bottom dwellers. Just fire everyone

[@santaclause3487]

This really shouldn’t be allowed unless they have a real excuse, like to change the view from the seats. T maybe Elias is just making stuff up.

[@bric6454]

Won’t stop judgey boy from hitting dingers!

[@MyDadsYouTube]

Just hit some in right but not in left. it's working

[@T.J.Caldwell318]

I hate the change. This was a dumb idea. I know Mountcastle agrees

[@ImAFanboy]

Maybe should have invested that money into better pitchers so there wouldn't be as many home runs?

[@jeremylando40]

MOVE IT BACK

[@joselysylva9455]

🐢

[@dillonbeckwith]

excuses. don't tank

[@cjones3710]

Why are they doing a celbration of of everything every 5 years, 25 years of opacy, 30 years of opacy. Heck focus on the present, make the led boards look like light bulb scoreboards so we are not blinded by all them trashy graphics.

[@dustinplatt775]

Let's just make MLB stadiums The Thunderdome. Gladiatorial baseball. Who wants to start a Go Fund Me?

[@ryanjohansson8950]

LOL this is embarrassing. Your team has bad pitching and you’re getting outhit by better teams so they made an absurd and illogical change that makes it so that straightaway left field is now deeper and higher than left-Center field. Makes absolutely no sense and was obviously done because other teams were having more success to that part of the park than the Orioles were.

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

Right field is still at a joke distance.

[@pepawg2281]

I disagree with moving the wall back AND raising the height. One or the other wouldve been okay, but not both.

[@tekimpo]

Wonder how adley rutchman will play with this change he returns as a yankee to play at camden yards. Orioles dont know how to develop talent

[@frankieallen0]

Probably to make games more fair, because teams kept smashing homers there.

[@israymervalentin-arias6313]

Fair for who??? Instead of orioles losing from a score of 5-3 they will lose 3-1

[@frankieallen0]

Most teams don’t have ballparks that have lots of homers hit at their home ball parks. The Orioles made it look similar to the other ball parks.

[@israymervalentin-arias6313]

@@frankieallen0 I get that but they basically screwed over their own right handed hitters too. Also good luck attracting right handed power hitters to go there

[@ELcinegatto87]

@@frankieallen0 No they didn't, they way overcompensated and now made it an albatross. 384 to straight away left with a 12ft wall. 400ft or bust, went from hitter friendly to 2001 Comerica to 2009 Citi Field (both dimensions massively botched).

[@jk-es6nf]

MLB is a clown show for allowing this.

[@Insertquartertocontinue]

Lemme guess… Yankees fan? You don’t care about the wall, you just care about those cheap homeruns your team used to get.

[@jk-es6nf]

@@Insertquartertocontinue my friend… have you seen how many homers the orioles have missed out on because of it?