Astros to extend Minute Maid Park netting from dugout to dugout

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The Astros announced Wednesday plans to expand netting at Minute Maid Park to run the length of both dugouts, following a trend throughout baseball the last two seasons to protect fans from batted balls and broken bats.

The netting above the dugouts will be 12 feet high and behind home plate 32 feet high, extending from section 112 to 126. Netting above the dugouts will be raised during batting practice so fans can still pursue autographs and lowered by first pitch. The Astros said the new material relies on a smaller mesh that allows better visibility.

Critics argued more netting would obstruct views, rob fans of foul balls and intrude on the crowd's intimacy with the game, but mounting attention from fans struck by balls and bats inspired commissioner Rob Manfred Jr. in December 2015 to propose netting in front of any seats that are within 70 feet of home plate. Nineteen teams without such protection made immediate changes before the 2016 season. The Astros already had sufficient netting, but the latest alterations are further precautions.

Mobile devices, some boosted by improved high-speed Internet at ballparks, increasingly distract fans. Manfred's announcement followed a national class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of a fan in Oakland asking for expanded safety measures throughout MLB. In 2014, 1,750 fans were injured by foul or errant balls in the stands at major league games, according to Bloomberg News.

In an age when customer choice has encouraged the Astros to replace Tal's Hill with Shake Shack and Torchy's Tacos, the latest adjustments let fans feel safer about sitting close while multitasking on their phones.

"Going to the ballpark and watching a game of baseball is a different experience now than it was even 10 years ago with the growing popularity of social media and real-time updates," Astros president of business operations Reid Ryan said in a team statement. "We want our fans to be able to enjoy a ballgame however they like, whether that's from behind a more protective layer of netting or right in the middle of the action."

The Astros expect the Minute Maid Park netting to be installed in time for the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic on March 3-5.

PHOTOS: Browse through the photos to see what the new expanded netting looks like at the Corpus Christi Hooks' Whataburger Field.

James Koenig, 4, looks through the netting as he sought player autographs during batting practice before the start of an MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park, Wednesday, July 6, 2016, in Houston. less PHOTOS: Browse through the photos to see what the new expanded netting looks like at the Corpus Christi Hooks' Whataburger Field.

James Koenig, 4, looks through the netting as he sought player autographs during ... more Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 77 Caption Close Astros to extend Minute Maid Park netting from dugout to dugout 1 / 77 Back to Gallery

The Astros already installed new netting at Whataburger Field, home of the Double-A affiliate, the Corpus Christi Hooks. Each extension runs 74 feet from a height of 31 feet, covering an additional 1,250 seats in four complete sections.