Comments on: Metrodome morphs into AL’s toughest hitters park http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/ Your source for Major League Baseball Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:22:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: DL http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65934 DL Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:25:00 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65934 One of the reasons Coors has such extreme home/road splits is that the batters adjust to hitting differently at Coors (breaking pitches don't break as much). When players leave Coors for another team they are generally never as bad as their road numbers would make you guess. One reason is players in general do worse on the road. Another reason is that the Rockies play a bunch of road games in Petco and Dodger Stadium - the two worst hitters parks in the majors. The Dome is in general a pitchers park now because the new stadiums that have been built have been more hitter friendly. Turf is generally kinder to pitchers than grass. Larger dimensions make it harder to hit HR. Large foul territory is one reason Oakland is always at the bottom of the list. The Dome inflates doubles but deflates batting average and HRs. One of the reasons Coors has such extreme home/road splits is that the batters adjust to hitting differently at Coors (breaking pitches don’t break as much). When players leave Coors for another team they are generally never as bad as their road numbers would make you guess. One reason is players in general do worse on the road. Another reason is that the Rockies play a bunch of road games in Petco and Dodger Stadium - the two worst hitters parks in the majors.

The Dome is in general a pitchers park now because the new stadiums that have been built have been more hitter friendly. Turf is generally kinder to pitchers than grass. Larger dimensions make it harder to hit HR. Large foul territory is one reason Oakland is always at the bottom of the list. The Dome inflates doubles but deflates batting average and HRs.

]]> By: Casey as a Bat… for the Twins? « SethSpeaks.net http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65933 Casey as a Bat… for the Twins? « SethSpeaks.net Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:39:57 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65933 [...] Blake also strikes out a lot. Also, do we think that Blake would hit 21 homers for the Twins? As Joe Christensen noted on his blog, the Metrodome was the most pitcher-friendly AL stadium in [...] […] Blake also strikes out a lot. Also, do we think that Blake would hit 21 homers for the Twins? As Joe Christensen noted on his blog, the Metrodome was the most pitcher-friendly AL stadium in […]

]]> By: gatty790 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65930 gatty790 Sat, 15 Nov 2008 02:08:34 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65930 Thank you, I have been saying this for a while Thank you, I have been saying this for a while

]]> By: thrylos98 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65928 thrylos98 Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:50:07 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65928 <I>what are the pros and cons to the difference between these leagues as it relates to MLB?</I> Not Pros and Cons but just some points (btw, mainly compared to the NFL because I do not watch hockey and I maybe catch 2 NBA games a season max): For one, it is harder to have "dynasties" in the other leagues, because the players in a team that wins demand more money next year and to sign them all, it would make a team go over the cap, thus there is more player movement. Second: NFL contracts are not guaranteed unlike baseball. If an NFL team signs someone for 10 years $200 mil, they can cut him in year 2 and owe him nothing. Not in baseball. A club has to pay the player whether they cut him or not. Third: There is no concept of "club control" in the NFL, unlike the MLB. In the MLB drafted players once they sing with a team are under club control while in the minors and once in the majors for 6 years (the last 3 they are arbitration eligible and are not able to be sent down - i.e. they are out of "options") Heck, NFL does not even have minor leagues ;) Fourth: League revenue (i.e. TV money and licensed stuff -jersey's, caps, anything with the NFL logo) is distributed exactly evenly in NFL; not in the MLB (some $ is distributed evenly in the MLB, but not most)... I am not going to continue because this will take a long time... The bottom line is that MLB is pretty antiquated and this serves some owners (think the haves: NYY, NYM, BOS, LAD, LAA, CHC etc) and the player's union. With the economy being in a downspin, unless it recovers by 2011 when the collective bargaining agreement in MLB expires, expect lotsa fun in that off-season... what are the pros and cons to the difference between these leagues as it relates to MLB?

Not Pros and Cons but just some points (btw, mainly compared to the NFL because I do not watch hockey and I maybe catch 2 NBA games a season max):

For one, it is harder to have “dynasties” in the other leagues, because the players in a team that wins demand more money next year and to sign them all, it would make a team go over the cap, thus there is more player movement.

Second: NFL contracts are not guaranteed unlike baseball. If an NFL team signs someone for 10 years $200 mil, they can cut him in year 2 and owe him nothing. Not in baseball. A club has to pay the player whether they cut him or not.

Third: There is no concept of “club control” in the NFL, unlike the MLB. In the MLB drafted players once they sing with a team are under club control while in the minors and once in the majors for 6 years (the last 3 they are arbitration eligible and are not able to be sent down - i.e. they are out of “options”) Heck, NFL does not even have minor leagues ;)

Fourth: League revenue (i.e. TV money and licensed stuff -jersey’s, caps, anything with the NFL logo) is distributed exactly evenly in NFL; not in the MLB (some $ is distributed evenly in the MLB, but not most)…

I am not going to continue because this will take a long time… The bottom line is that MLB is pretty antiquated and this serves some owners (think the haves: NYY, NYM, BOS, LAD, LAA, CHC etc) and the player’s union. With the economy being in a downspin, unless it recovers by 2011 when the collective bargaining agreement in MLB expires, expect lotsa fun in that off-season…

]]> By: Twins fan in So Cal http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65927 Twins fan in So Cal Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:49:46 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65927 thrylos98 - thank you. MLB sure sucks -- what are the pros and cons to the difference between these leagues as it relates to MLB? thrylos98 - thank you. MLB sure sucks — what are the pros and cons to the difference between these leagues as it relates to MLB?

]]> By: Pete D http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65926 Pete D Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:10:51 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/11/14/metrodome-morphs-into-als-toughest-hitters-park/#comment-65926 ggd - "true atkins home and away splits are bad but; cuddy’s, h-.295/.365/.488 away-.241/.323/.395 diff. .54/.42/.93 aren’t much better!" They aren't much better at all. However, I don't see how this is an argument in Atkins' favor. AaronK - "Some players just hit better at home vs the road. If Coors Field were the sole reason for his splits all Rockies players would have the same type of splits. Coors Field’s ballpark adjustment isn’t that large." Colorado had the 6th best home OPS in MLB this year. They were ranked 24th in the league in road OPS. The drop 105 points of OPS when they go on the road. Doing a quick and dirty look at the numbers, it appears the only other team close to that number is Texas, who dropped 100 points in OPS going from home to road. And Texas is well known as a hitters park. Colorado is a hitters park. Offensive numbers are inflated there. For example, here are the home/road splits for the entire NL : H - .265/.338/.421 A - .256/.325/.405 and for the Rockies : H - .278/.350/.454 A - .249/.322/.377 Differences : NL - .009/.013/.016 CO - .029/.028/.077 The Rockies are losing 76 more points in OPS than the average NL team when they go on the road. Again, all this really proves is that Colorado is a hitters park, and inflates offensive numbers. And it REALLY seems to help Atkins. He's much more likely to hit .260 than .298. The fact that his numbers have declined for 3 years now should also raise a flag for anyone interested in acquiring his services. ggd -

“true atkins home and away splits are bad but;
cuddy’s, h-.295/.365/.488
away-.241/.323/.395
diff. .54/.42/.93 aren’t much better!”

They aren’t much better at all. However, I don’t see how this is an argument in Atkins’ favor.

AaronK -

“Some players just hit better at home vs the road. If Coors Field were the sole reason for his splits all Rockies players would have the same type of splits. Coors Field’s ballpark adjustment isn’t that large.”

Colorado had the 6th best home OPS in MLB this year. They were ranked 24th in the league in road OPS. The drop 105 points of OPS when they go on the road. Doing a quick and dirty look at the numbers, it appears the only other team close to that number is Texas, who dropped 100 points in OPS going from home to road. And Texas is well known as a hitters park.

Colorado is a hitters park. Offensive numbers are inflated there. For example, here are the home/road splits for the entire NL :
H - .265/.338/.421
A - .256/.325/.405

and for the Rockies :
H - .278/.350/.454
A - .249/.322/.377

Differences :
NL - .009/.013/.016
CO - .029/.028/.077

The Rockies are losing 76 more points in OPS than the average NL team when they go on the road.

Again, all this really proves is that Colorado is a hitters park, and inflates offensive numbers. And it REALLY seems to help Atkins. He’s much more likely to hit .260 than .298. The fact that his numbers have declined for 3 years now should also raise a flag for anyone interested in acquiring his services.

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