CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- When the White Sox host the Marlins on Monday evening, Guaranteed Rate Field will have a tweak.
Extended netting now adorns the field from foul pole to foul pole after the recent installation was completed in an effort to increase fan safety. Monday marks the first game with it after the White Sox were off for the All-Star break and had a long road trip to open the second half.
White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf asked team officials and the Illinois Sports Authority to explore the extension of the netting back in early spring. As several scary incidents involving fans hurt by foul balls occurred throughout this season, calls were renewed for increased safety and the White Sox then took action.
The netting is 45 feet high and was tested for durability, flexibility and viewing experience before the White Sox gave the go-ahead for its installation. Previously, the netting had only extended to the end of the dugouts.
"It took them about three days to get the netting hung," White Sox vice president of communications Scott Reifert said. "They draped it the first day and then tightened it up. I would say the whole process took three really full days to get up."
The White Sox feel that the fans' experience will be enhanced by the netting, especially in an era in which so many are glued to their smart phones.
"Our approach is let's see what happens over the next few months," Reifert said. "Fans are going to adapt. Players are going to adapt. After that, we can make decisions about next year moving forward."
The White Sox implemented the netting from foul pole to foul pole with MLB's permission. The league hasn't mandated it yet but could do so down the line.
"It's a club-by-club decision," Reifert said. "You don't want a lot of zigs and zags, more straight lines in the construction. We were able to do that and were able to do that quickly."
The net will effectively be a wall, as balls that land in fair territory and bounce off the net will be in play, as will errant throws. That means there will be fewer ground-rule doubles and fewer instances of fan interference.
"Major League Baseball has been out to go over these new rules," Reifert said. "Safety was the No. 1 issue. Hopefully, we have found a balance between baseball and safety."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.