During the first week of play at Citi Field last season, the San Diego Padres complained to Major League baseball that it was almost impossible to see the field from the visitors’ bullpen.

The visitors’ pen was behind the Mets bullpen. The Mets pen was at field level right up against the glass paneled outfield fence. In addition, the Mets added two while tarpaulins above the pen to protect the pitchers from the elements. The visiting pitchers were protected by the bridge that is right over their bullpen. The bridge and tarpaulins made visiting pitchers feel as if they were in a cave.  

Nothing could be done about the problem during the season except to install TV screens to see the action.  However, this off season, the Mets have already gutted the entire bullpen including the higher tier.

The bullpens will be revamped so that the visitor and home bullpens are side by side giving both clubs the ability to see out to the entire playing field. Pitchers will now throw toward the playing field instead of parallel. On bad weather days, both club’s pitchers will be protected from the elements by sitting under the bridge making the white tarpaulins unnecessary. This will give fans over the bridge and surrounding area a bird’s eye view into the bullpens.

Also of note, a friend of mine, a devout Yankees fan, traveled to Citizen’s Bank Park to see game three of the World Series. He sat in the upper level in right field. Remember the home run A-Rod hit that was first challenged? If you recall, it hit the camera above the railing. Well, my friend could not see that play. In fact, as the right fielder moved back on the ball, any ball for that matter, he disappeared from view. Sound familiar?

I had written about this phenomenon early in the season when many Mets fans complained in regards to not seeing parts of the outfield from the higher outfield grandstand seats. I even included illustrations supporting the notion that this was not uncommon in many new parks with lots of outfield seating. I recall a fan complaining on talk radio saying that the Phillies ballpark had no such obstructions. Apparently he was wrong.

Give the Mets credit for listening to the complaints and taking action. Mid way through the season, the Mets installed a video board in the right field corner for anyone in the left filed grand stand to see. Plus, when balls are put into play, the action on the three video screens including the new one in right field is live. By contrast, Citizen’s Bank Park showed hardly any action on their video board according to my friend.

Most Mets who complained were simply not use to the idea that in the outfield, some areas of the playing field are out of view. This is also true in Yankee Stadium. Earlier in the season, I sat in the right field stands in the second level. Every time Nick Swisher went back on the ball, he disappeared.

At the Mets season finale, I sat in the left field corner in the Promenade boxes. I could not see the left field corner. However, my view of the diamond and the majority of the outfield was still spectacular. Plus I did not have to pay a king’s ransom for the tickets. The equivalent seat at Shea Stadium would have had me pushed much further back from the majority of the action. It’s a tradeoff I am willing to accept considering I am closer to the action and the seats are fairly affordable.

I guess the point I am trying to make here is while our team may need some overhauling to get to where it needs to be, our ballpark is second to none.