*Photo from Camden Chat*
Since the ballpark was opened, Camden Yards in Baltimore has always been a hitters ballpark, more so in recent years when the Baltimore Orioles have fielded some quite terrible baseball teams. Hopefully, the home runs will be more curbed now. The Orioles are altering the left field dimensions of Camden Yards to reduce the home runs hit there, according to Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun.
The changes to the ballpark dimensions focus entirely on the left field wall, away from the bullpens. The changes will not affect center or right field, simply the left field area. These changes to the dimensions include raising the left field wall height up from 7 feet to 12 feet, while also moving it back by at least 30 feet. MLB has approved the changes, and they will be in place when the 2022 season begins.
When John Means threw a no hitter for the Orioles, against the Seattle Mariners in Seattle on May 4, 2021, a big reason why he did was due to a sharp hit from Kyle Lewis being caught at the warning track instead of going over the fence. It was a flyout in Seattle, preserving the no hitter. If the game were played in Baltimore, that would have been a home run, which would end the no hit bid.
The adjustments made will help Camden Yards fall in line with many more MLB stadiums. The 333 feet from home plate to the left field corner is about league average in baseball, but the 364 feet from home plate to the left center field wall is one of the shortest distances in baseball, which makes it easier for opposing hitters to hit home runs in that area of the stadium.
Camden Yards was also one of only 8 ballparks in MLB that had a wall shorter than 8 feet in left field, and it was the shortest wall in left center field at any MLB stadium. Now, the 12 feet high left field wall will be tied for the 6th tallest in all of baseball.
Since opening in 1992, exactly 30 years ago, the stadium in Baltimore has seen 5,911 home runs since it's opening, which is the highest home run count in any stadium in baseball. It's the only ballpark that has seen more than 4,000 home runs, and the Orioles pitching staff set a league record when they allowed 305 home runs in the 2019 season.
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