There's been discussion about the number of home runs (not) being hit in Comerica Park since it opened in 2000. It boasts the second-longest line in MLB from home plate to outfield at 420 feet, falling only behind the thin air of Coors Field in Colorado, at 424 feet to right-center.

However, conditions aren't right for an outfield that deep in Detroit, and it seems like things are FINALLY about to change for the Tigers.

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Thursday, plans were announced to lower the fences in the outfield at Comerica Park, something Tigers beat writer Matthew Scheidel wrote about in September of last year.

"In the bottom of the 8th inning... against the Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene stepped up to the plate with a runner on first and two outs. He worked a 3-0 count, got the green light, and smacked a fastball 424 feet to dead center. Surely this resulted in a go-ahead two-run homer, right?
Nope. It was an out. A long, frustrating out. A ball that had an expected batting average of .800, a ball that Greene crushed at 107.5 mph off the bat, a ball that would have been a homer in all but Comerica Park and one other, was an out."

Scheidel went on to say not only Tigers players, but opposing players, too, have voiced their concerns about the length in Comerica at which they have to strike the ball to get it out of the park.

So now, Detroit is finally doing something about it.

Now sitting at 420 feet, the plan is to move it in by 8 feet, making dead-center only 412 feet from home plate. It may not seem like a lot, but when you consider the number of outs caught in that 8-foot range at Comerica, it's astounding how many more runs might have been scored by the Tigers.

Left/Right Field Fences

To make things a little more achievable on the left and right side, the fences will be dropped by a foot and a half from 8.5 feet, to 7 feet.

Other adjustments

Additional plans are in place to lower the out-of-town scoreboard area from 13 feet to 7 feet, and the foundation of the entire outfield wall will be reconstructed with material and padding that enhances player safety.

A release from Comerica Park read:

"These changes modify the deepest parts of Comerica Park, while retaining the uniqueness and exciting style of play fans are accustomed to."

The new labels in the outfield will be 342 feet in the left corner, and 412 feet in dead center, which still makes Comerica the second-longest field in MLB behind Coors Field.

But just imagine a hitter like Miguel Cabrera, who hit 507 home runs and has a lifetime average of .308... how MANY MORE he would have had under these conditions?