Former Met Jeff Francoeur thinks the Mets’ offense would benefit from moving the fences at Citi Field closer to home plate. (Anthony J. Causi)
Jeff Francoeur has kept an eye on his former team and has seen the Mets’ woes, from poor play to season-ending injuries.
“I’ve seen a lot of that stuff,” Francoeur said. “When it rains it pours sometimes.”
But he said there is one thing the team can do to help its cause, and he wasn’t surprised when he heard that playing at cavernous Citi Field finally was getting to David Wright.
“Poor David hits the ball to right-center so well and there it’s an out,” Francoeur said before the Royals lost 3-1 to the Yankees last night in The Bronx, and the Mets beat the Rockies 4-3 at Coors Field. “To me, you start trying to pull the ball and getting into habits. And I know it’s frustrating for David playing in that park.”
Wright hasn’t criticized his home park but has admitted it’s tough to hit balls there that turn into outs, when they would be doubles or extra-base hits elsewhere.
Francoeur didn’t waste time knocking his former home field after signing with the Royals in the offseason, and even though it’s no longer his problem, the right fielder remains adamant the Mets need to make changes — to the field, not the team.
“They’ve gotta shorten the park up,” Francoeur said. “It’s huge. I’m not saying make it a bandbox like Philadelphia, but they have to do something.”
And it’s not just Wright, but any right-handed slugger — including the struggling Jason Bay. Francoeur is certain it’s bothering him, as well.
“Absolutely. How can it not?” said Francoeur, who is batting .308 with with eight homers and 24 RBIs after going 2-for-4 last night. He credits hitting Royals’ hitting coach Kevin Seitzer with changing his approach.
“It just wears on you. Lower the fence in left field, bring in the gap in right-center a little bit. Make it more fair for right-handed hitters to hit it out.”
Although Bay has had very little success in his year-plus in New York, Francoeur believes the left fielder can turn things around.
“You know he’s gonna produce,” Francoeur said. “He’s gotta relax.”
Citi Field may not be an issue for some players for much longer, with veterans like Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, as well as Wright and Bay, potentially headed for the trade market.
Asked if it might benefit some Mets to get a fresh start elsewhere, Francoeur said: “It might. You never know.”
That likely will be determined soon enough.
“I’m not saying guys are complaining all the time, but when you hit balls to right-center 415 feet and it’s an out or off the wall, it’s pretty devastating to a player,”
Francoeur said. “Especially when you turn on ESPN at night and see someone flipping one [at Yankee Stadium] 320 [feet] in the first row and it’s a home run. It’s tough.”
He obviously has no regrets about letting his feelings about his former field known.
“Some people got on me,” Francoeur said. “I wasn’t taking a shot at the organization. I didn’t play my best at certain times. But it’s a tough place to hit in, no doubt.”
dan.martin@nypost.com