STARKVILLE — Fans may see less room in the outfield at Dudy Noble Field as soon as next season.
Mississippi State University baseball coach John Cohen confirmed this week the Bulldogs coaches are “discussing” the possibility of moving in the ballpark’s fences in to counter the effects of the new aluminum bat restrictions.
“The great thing about (MSU Director of Athletics) Scott Stricklin and all our administrators is they are very open to different ideas,” Cohen said. “Scott doesn’t run into any situation without getting a tremendous amount of information first, so we’re in the process of many discussions.”
MSU officials already have asked a professional architectural firm to produce renderings of what Dudy Noble would look like with shorter fences and what that would mean for fans.
“Our administration is all about constantly improving, and if we feel like moving the fences in and it improves some things about our baseball program, then this is the time of year to look at it,” Cohen said. “We’ve gathered a lot of information about different ballparks in our league. There is nothing that is off the table.”
Moving in the fences would transform Dudy Noble Field, which has left-center field gap of 376 feet and a right-center field gap of 374 feet. It is 390 feet to center field. Those dimensions make Dudy Noble Field, which opened in 1967 and has a seating capacity of 7,200 (more than 15,000 when you add in fans beyond the outfield walls), one of the biggest in the SEC.
Dudy Noble Field has average dimensions in the corners — 330 and 326 feet to left and right field, respectively.
The size of the park could help MSU improve its offense and give more Bulldogs more chances to show their power. However, any changes to the field dimensions could impact the effectiveness of MSU’s pitching and defense.
“I don’t think it is a secret that in 34 home games we had 10 home runs,” Cohen said. “I know we gave up only seven at Dudy Noble, which is a good feature as well.”
Last fall, MSU coaches explored the possibility of shorter fences while practicing with temporary fencing in left center and in center field.
“We hear about it all the time,” MSU first baseman Wes Rea said of the possibility of moving the fences in. “I don’t know if they’ll ever do it, but I do know our pitchers won’t like it.”
MSU hit the fewest number of home runs (21) since 1976, which was the year of the aluminum bat was introduced to college baseball, and was last in the SEC in slugging percentage this season.
“The home run is a feature of the game,” Cohen said. “There are several factors there. The confidence level of your hitters is one. I think the fans like to see the ball leave the yard every once in a while, too.”
The University of Kentucky, where Cohen coached before he replaced Ron Polk as MSU’s coach, has outfield dimensions that are 10 feet shorter in each of the gaps, and 16 feet shorter in right field. The Wildcats use the layout of their park to their advantage by recruiting left-handed hitters who can pull the ball.
“I think one of the unique factors about baseball stadiums in the SEC is what you have to adjust to,” Cohen said. “Adjusting to that facility is a factor, and no secret when you go to a place like South Carolina there is an adjustment.”
MSU used Dudy Noble Field’s dimensions against Kentucky when it came to came to Starkville with a chance to clinch the SEC championship. The Bulldogs swept the Wildcats in part because the Wildcats had a tough time adjusting to a bigger park.
“When you go to Georgia, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Auburn with their green monster, things like that, it is an adjustment,” Cohen said. “I think we had great success this year, especially with pitching and defense in our yard, and you don’t want to move away from that. Kentucky comes in, I think they led the league in home runs. They play in a small ballpark. They come to our place and that was a little bit of an adjustment for them. They hit some balls really hard and really far that ended up being outs.”
Cohen and MSU officials have declined to comment about when a final decision could be made for the 2013 season, but Cohen said everyone has “many months” to go before construction officially needs to start.
“I’m not saying we are moving the fences. I’m not saying we aren’t,” Cohen said. “That is why nothing is off the table and you want to make the best decisions that help Mississippi State.”
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