The Royals Plan Changes at Kauffman Stadium

The Royals are gearing up for some changes at Kauffman Stadium. Their focus? Aiming to boost the number of home runs hit at home, the team announced on Tuesday that they’ll be moving most of their outfield fence inward by 10 feet.

“We want a neutral ballpark where if you hit the ball well, it’s a home run,” said the Royals’ general manager. He’s observed for years that when players feel they can’t get the ball out, it changes their swings. “I thought it was time to try it out,” he added, acknowledging a long-standing belief in this need.

Specifically, right-center and left-center fields will shift from 389 feet to 379 feet, while the center field will stay at 410 feet. The corners, however, will remain at 330 feet. Additionally, the height of the outfield wall will be reduced from 10 feet to 8 feet in some areas.

Despite its reputation for being tough on home runs, Kauffman Stadium has generally favored hitters more than pitchers, second only to Coors Field in Colorado for its outfield dimensions.

Over the last three seasons, the stadium had a park factor of 101, which indicates a slight advantage for hitters. Interestingly, although there’s been an increase in singles, doubles, and triples, the number of home runs has taken a hit.

The Royals’ home run park factor during this time was just 85, which ranks among the lowest in Major League Baseball. “Our goal isn’t to turn this into an offensive powerhouse,” Piccolo explained, clarifying their intent to create a balanced environment. They want hitters to be rewarded properly, especially those who hit into gaps.

Piccolo mentioned that a more neutral ballpark could help the Royals in building a winning team over time. “We think the more neutral the field is, the better our overall success will be,” he said.

Royals vice president of research and development, Daniel Mack, pointed out the need for consistency for both hitters and pitchers alike. “We don’t want the park to hurt pitchers,” he said, noting that the run value per fly ball is noticeably lower here compared to the league average. “Our players definitely get that feeling,” he added.

Slugger Vinny Pasquantino expressed his curiosity about these changes on social media, particularly from a data perspective. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how this plays out,” he noted. He also mentioned how hitters enjoy playing at Kauffman Stadium, even if players have long considered it a pitcher’s park.