So many things have gone wrong for the Marlins this season that they might as well start blaming the ballpark. At least that’s how some of the players feel about it. The newly-constructed Marlins Park is considered a pitchers ballpark. It measures 344 feet to left, 334 feet to right and has spots that are 386, 418 and 392 between left and right. That is pretty big, but Ozzie Guillen is tired of hearing it used as an excuse.
“We’ve got to deal with the ballpark, and we’re going to be negative coming in here every day, ‘Oh, this ballpark is too big’?” Guillen said Tuesday according to the Palm Beach Post. “We’ve got to play in this ballpark 81 games and I don’t want to hear any more (from) my players, my hitting coach, nobody with this uniform worry about this place (being) too big. If they think this place is too big, let me know. I’ll put somebody else in who can hit bloopers behind shortstop.”
After hitting a 418-foot fly out that could have won the game for the Marlins on Sunday but instead became the final out, John Buck described the fact that the ball didn’t leave the park as “frustrating” and “disheartening.” Teams have been known to move fences in during the offseason to create more homers, but Guillen said that’s not going to happen in Miami.
“‘I can’t hit home runs here.’ Ha, ha,” Guillen said mocking his players. “We are not going to move the fence. That’s it.”
As Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk alluded to, Ozzie may be surprised. He’s probably getting sick of hearing people blame players that have been traded and now the ballpark dimensions for Miami’s disappointing season, but don’t be surprised if the Marlins move some fences in this winter. Long balls sell tickets, and we all know how much trouble they have doing that.
Photo credit: Robert Mayer-US PRESSWIRE
