Seattle Mariners Announce Plans to Move in Outfield Fences at Safeco Field in 2013 (Photo)

by Dan Duquette Jr. on Tue, Oct 2, 2012 at 4:17PM

Safeco Field is getting a little less safe for pitchers.

The Seattle Mariners have announced a plan to bring in the outfield fences for next season, which should help one of the notorious pitchers' parks in baseball inspire a little more offense from time to time.

"Our goal was to create an environment that is fair for both hitters and
pitchers," general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "Considering the current field dimensions as well as the
climate in and around Safeco Field, we feel this will be accomplished
with this new layout."

The changes will be most noticeable in the left-center field power alley, where the fences will move as much as 17 feet closer to home plate. The Mariners will also be removing their 16-foot tall hand-operated scoreboard from left field, and replacing it with an 8-foot wall that is uniform with the rest of the left field fence.

These will be the first changes made to Safeco Field, which was built in 1999. Check out a diagram of the proposed changes below.