New York, NY

The New York Mets have decided to try to give offense a boost at Citi Field.

The Mets are adjusting the dimensions of the field by both bringing in and lowering the outfield fence.

The changes will include bringing the fences closer by as many as 12 feet in some locations and lowering the height to eight feet all around.

"We're targeting to try to fit in, to be more normal or more on average with everybody," Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon said.

The new fence will be erected in front of the 16-foot black fence.

"You just keep looking at that thing, and that left-field wall kept getting higher and higher," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said.

The cost of the renovations still fit under the original $800 million estimate for construction, team COO Jeff Wilpon said. Construction could begin in November weather permitting.

Hitters have long complained about the dimensions at Citi Field, especially since some well hit balls that would be homre runs anywhere else turned into routine fly outs.

But despite the rumblings, Alderson and his staff did not rush into any changes. First they tested how the new dimensions would have affected previous teams.

They found that since 2009 the Mets would have hit 81 more homers and allowed 70 more. In 2011, Citi Field was the third-toughest ballpark in which to hit a homer, according to MLB Park Factors.

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