Padres to break in new fences starting Tuesday

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Padres manager Bud Black, general manager Josh Byrnes and assistant G.M. A.J. Hinch spent several minutes throwing baseballs off the new fence in right field at Petco Park on Monday, trying to get a crash course in how they might play starting with the home opener Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The big hope, of course, is that more balls will fly over the fences. They were moved in 11 feet in right field and about 12 feet in the gaps. The right-field fence was lowered to just under 8 feet, matching the height of the fence in left and center.

While Petco is expected to remain a pitchers' park, the Padres hope players who crush a ball will be rewarded with a homer rather than a frustrating long out.