New York Mets fans are eager to see Thor take the mound this spring, but those looking for the long ball may be more interested to know what he and the rest of the batters can do to knock one out of the park.
From Shea to Shining Citi
The Mets have been around since 1962, and while the team doesn’t have as many World Series pennants as the Yankees, they still enjoy a strong fan base. With a slew of red-hot hands at the plate and on the hill, Citi Field is ready to welcome back fan favorites like Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, and Curtis Granderson.
As one of the newer ballparks in the major league – opening in 2009 – Citi Field is the brainchild of the Mets and Citigroup, who worked together for several years to develop and build the Mets’ current home.
The stadium is located in Queens, New York, just a stone’s throw from the team’s former home, Shea Stadium, where they took the field for dozens of years. It features a deep outfield, but the lack of home runs prior to 2012 led to recent renovations, which lowered the fences and brought the fence lines in. In 2016’s regular season, Citi Field saw 193 home runs, compared to 108 in 2011. Bartolo Colon’s legendary homer, however, took place away from Citi Field.
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Citi Field has a few features that harken back to the team’s former home at Shea, such as the Big Apple, which comes out when a Mets player hits a homer. Also present is the beloved scoreboard skyline, which was re-situated at Citi Field on the combined roof of two restaurants.
Long Ball Locales
If you’re hoping to snag a souvenir home run ball, there are a few places in Citi Field where your chances are pretty high. According to our heat map, situating yourself along the fence line is pretty tops no matter where you sit.
Your best bet, though, may be in sections 134, 138, 102, and 103. Of course, those in the bullpen can probably catch a few balls as well – but alas, if you’re not a Mets pitcher or another member of the staff, you’re out luck.
Last year’s longest long ball at Citi traveled 470 feet off a Jacob deGrom pitch, while the longest homer of a Mets player came off the bat of Yoenis Cespedes, clocking in at 466 feet.
Citi Field has been renovated into a hitters’ ballpark, much to the delight of ball-hawking fans – and has the home run stats to match. Are you heading out to cheer on your boys in blue and orange? If so, grab your glove and some sweet gear from Fanatics.com, and make a beeline for one of these crucial hot spots.
Sources
- http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/
- http://m.mets.mlb.com/news/article/3720385
- http://stadiumpage.blogspot.com/2011/10/citi-field-renovation.html
- http://www.espn.com/mlb/team/stadium/_/name/nym/new-york-mets
- http://www.hittrackeronline.com/detail.php?id=2016_2914&type=ballpark
- http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/ballparks/citi-field/
- http://m.mlb.com/news/article/176830856/bartolo-colon-hits-first-home-run-of-career/
