Camden Yards is an icon. Since its inception in 1992, barely any changes have been made to it. The left field wall will be raised from 7 feet to 12 feet, and pushed back up to 30 feet in some areas, as part of the renovations to the Orioles home field.
The Orioles home ballpark has allowed more home runs than average every year since 2006 except for 2016 and the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Camden has seen more home runs since 1992 than any other ballpark, and the left-field fence has been a big reason. The left-field wall is 333 feet away from home plate. That is an average across all MLB ballparks. Wrigley Field is the closest MLB ballpark to left-center with a 343-foot distance. Camden Yards is one of eight ballparks with a wall that is lower than eight feet. The sixth tallest wall in Major League Baseball is a 12-foot wall. In this era, when the longball is king, teams will frequently move walls in or lower them. Is it possible to move them out? Not much. The walls were moved out of Municipal Stadium in 1991 but were back in the same place a year later. The walls at Busch Stadium III are not being moved back in September.
John Means threw the team's first no-hitter since 1991 in Seattle, and he said he was glad it happened in Seattle. Kyle Lewis' eighth-inning fly ball, which was caught at the left-field wall in Seattle, would've been a home run if the game had happened in Baltimore.
Means said after the game that it was gone if it was Camden Yards.
One of the main thoughts of this man after throwing the team's first no-hitter in 30 years was "I'm glad we weren't at home." Imagine how hard it would be to get a free-agent pitcher. Why would any of the top free agents want to play for your team if they know they are going to be giving up dingers left and right?
Camden Yards has hit more home runs in the last three years than the next closest ballpark. The difference between Yankee Stadium and Wrigley Field is larger than the one between them.
How will this affect the Orioles in the future? There is a chance that Baltimore's offensive numbers could take a dip because of the fact that Austin Hays and Ryan Mountcastle were right-handed hitters. There is a chance that Baltimore's division rivals could take a huge hit.
Camden Yards is where Judge has hit 14 home runs, four more than any other ballpark not named Yankee Stadium.
Gleyber Torres has hit eight home runs in Baltimore, more than any other ballpark.
Toronto's first baseman hit 12 home runs against Baltimore. He has a season total of one-fourth.
Mike Zunino has been a catcher for nine years, but has only played in the American League East for the last three years. He has hit five home runs at Camden Yards, which is sixth most of any ballpark he has not called home.
Right-handed hitters tend to get their way in Baltimore, and the American League East is full of powerful right-handed bats. I didn't even mention the names of the players.
The move should help the Orioles pitching staff. This is probably a good move with many of their staff still very young and a lot of prospects still in the minor leagues. It will help build confidence in many of the team's young pitchers and will also help convince free agent pitchers to join the team.
The Orioles lease on the ballpark is set to expire in 2023, and this decision will hopefully help in talks with Maryland Stadium Authority to give the team an extension.
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