Kingdome, Like Mariners, May Get a Facelift

The man who promised to give the Seattle Mariners a face lift is working to change the look of the Kingdome, too.

Even as Jeff Smulyan has the Mariners pursuing free-agent pitchers like Mark Langston, Frank Tanana and Craig Lefferts and talking to Cleveland about outfielder-first baseman Joe Carter, he’s taken the first steps toward altering Seattle’s home field.

In a move to help his pitching staff--and make use of speedy center fielder Ken Griffey Jr.--Smulyan and the Mariners have proposed moving the outfield fences back, turning the Kingdome’s bandbox dimensions into an entirely different ballpark.

Already given the informal approval of the American League, the Mariners are working with King County officials to move the fences in left and center field back slightly for opening day, 1990--and even more dramatically before the 1991 season.

“After talking with our baseball people it became obvious the move would help our pitching and not detract much from our hitters,” Smulyan said. “Our right-handed power hitters like Jeffrey Leonard and Jay Buhner don’t hit many just over that fence, but moving the fences back would eliminate the cheap home run.”

Initially, the left field fence distances would go from 314 feet down the line to 324 feet, from 351 feet in the left field alley to 361 and from 408 in dead center field to 415 feet.

Smulyan’s proposal delighted one of his pitchers, Brian Holman.

“It’s super, and it will make a difference at home,” Holman said. “You are aware of the dimensions and you do pitch differently. I gave up four or five home runs last year that wouldn’t have gone out if the fences had been back just a few feet, so 10 feet is a great start. What this could do is eliminate that one little mistake beating you in the dome.”

“It’s a plus for our pitchers, maybe a slight minus for our hitters,” pitching coach Mike Paul said. “But our staff gave up 114 home runs last year and Oakland’s--the best in the league--gave up 103. So we weren’t killed by the home run.”

If the team follows through on it’s proposed 1991 dimensions, there will be no cheap home runs in left field at all: 349 feet down the line, 377 in left center and 422 feet to straightaway center field.

The Mariners are doing more than talking about Kingdome dimensions--Smulyan told a Mariners booster club Thursday he expects the team’s 1989 payroll of approximately $8 million to take a significant leap before opening day, 1990.

“We’re going to pursue a few trades, perhaps take on some high-salaried players available,” Smulyan said, “and we’re going after the free agents we want.”

One of those, of course, is Langston, the man traded to Montreal last May 25 and now a free agent.

But Langston isn’t the only man the Mariners are studying. Veteran pitchers like Tanana, Walt Terrell and reliever Lefferts may get offers, too -- and insiders suggest Seattle might pursue Kent Hrbek, San Diego reliever Mark Davis and others.

“We’re not looking to add one player,” Smulyan said. “We’re not one man away from contention. We’ll pursue the free agents we want and we’ll be active on the trade front, too.”

Among other changes Smulyan may bring to the ’90 season and the Kingdome: a family section and a kid’s section, where youngsters can get a “painless introduction” to baseball.

“Having a couple of kids myself, I’ve been through games with them where they get bored easily,” Smulyan said. “We’re thinking of making part of the park more fun for kids, whether it’s video games that won’t bankrupt dad or an area where they can meet the mascot.”

Smulyan also wants the dome’s empty seats blanketed, thinking that covering thousands of bare seats would make the park less cavernous.

“There will be more promotions, more fun and a better team,” he said. “We are committed to backing up all the promises we’re making, and so far the fan response has been very favorable.”