Help me learn to pick a ballpark? Topic

Would you give me your advice for where to play this team - and your thinking so I can learn?

$120mil league. no DH. Possible Stadiums:

Old Comisky (1,0,1,-1,-2)
Yankee 1 (-2,0,1,-1,-1)
Griffith (0,-1,1,-2,-2)
Sportsmans (0,3,0,0,1)
PoloGrounds (-1,3,0,-1,-1)

Shibe (2,0,0,0,0)

Primary hitters   AVG#/OBP#/SLG#   and 1B#/2B#/3B#/HR#

C   Dickey 640pa   322/403/553   .... 20/5/0/5
1B Gehrig 762pa    339/459/679  ...... 18/5/1/8
2B Myer 763pa      339/428/457  ....  25/5/1/0
3B Rolfe 785pa      320/392/482 ......  21/6/1/2
SS Cronin 722pa   331/410/493 ......  23/6/1/2
OF DiMag 563pa   371/435/659   ..... 22/6/1/6
OF Goslin 556pa    368/435/607     ... 23/7/1/4
OF Selkirk 309pa   318/397/613   ..... 18/4/1/7
OF Chapmn 634pa 320/371/540  ....... 20/5/1/4

Pitchers                  HR/9+/OAV#/WHIP#/BB#/ERC#

Sp Gomez 293 IP      205….213…1.08…..2.71…..2.26

SP Braxton 230 IP    137….216….0.98…1.85…2.01.
SP Lisenbee 255 IP   161….233…1.19….2.88….2.72
SP Bonham 105 IP    200….219…0.92….1.09…..1.77

SP Russo 125 IP       141….201….1.02….2.90….2.11

RP Marberry 267 IP  227….241….1.16…..2.44…2.71
RP Hadley 189 IP      235….210….1.26…..4.51…2.76
RP Burke 79 IP        229……215…1.16…..3.50…2.58

We are not great HR hitters. I think we excel in BA and maybe doubles, so I’m thinking about Shibe or Sportsmans, but am I thinking about this in the right way?  Our pitchers include some guys who dont give up many HRs, but cant say that about all of them....how to analyze??
11/29/2011 12:49 PM
I like to look at HR/9 for your pitchers.....I am just guessing but your pitchers may give up more HR than you think. I'd go with Polo Grounds. Let us know what you pick when you decide. good luck!
11/29/2011 1:30 PM
I think we excel in BA and maybe doubles

Thats the key. You need to know what you excel in. Look at the 'team rankings' page in your leagues.

Also note that while the park factors are pretty straight forward for the most part, the singles factor is the only factor that increases batting average.
11/29/2011 1:38 PM
I wish I had a better idea. I don't see a ton of power, but your best 2 sluggers are lefty, so I would avoid Comiskey. Doubles are solid, but mostly 5s and 6s isn't great. I do see a lot of singles in your offense, so I might go with Shibe and let the chips fall where they may for XBH. The only problem with that is that your OAVs are kind of high for a 120mil league.

As you have some lefty starters at the top end (Gomez/Brax), I think I'd go with Sportsmans. Your doubles are OK, and your lefty power bias on offense and defense will be well served.
11/29/2011 1:41 PM
I doubt that it changes the analysis, but this will be in a theme league (which is why it is the way it is) so others will face similar team construction challenges.

I'm glad there isnt an obvious good answer that I had missed! 

But, reading what y'all said, I am thinking about Griffith.  Bigger negative effect on HR - and I think my team is rather weak on HR hitting.  Gehrig at 8, Selkrik at 7 but only 309 PA, Dimag at 6 (less than a full season 563) and Dickey at 5.  Triples are rare enough that I doubt + or - matters.......

IF our doubles are actually strong, then I would lean toward Polo Grounds - but I dont know whether 5's and 6's merit that view.

11/29/2011 4:06 PM
Basic questions for ballpark selection:
Will you hit more HR than you give up? If so, choose a +HR park. If no, choose minus. If you don't know, somehing near neutral.
Are doubles way above average? If so, a big + for 2B. slighlty above average doesn't mean much. if below average then -2B.
Is this an extreme triples team? choose an extreme 3B park. otherwise 3B is less significant, there just aren't many triples.
choosing 1B involves several factors. High average low OAV teams do better in +1B parks. Fatigue is a major factor, if you expect fatigue problems then choose a pitchers ballpark no matter what. Speed teams do better in pitchers parks because speed is more valuable in low scoring games. minus 1B parks are somewhat favorable for teams with very high walks and low BB/9, but if you're close to average this factor is insignificant.

all things considered i'd probably choose Shibe for the batting average  with middling power and no fatigue not much speed or high walks. The team has no reasl extremes so I would say ballpark selection is less important than if you had an extreme team. You'd be ok at most of those choices.
11/29/2011 4:14 PM (edited)
rbow, I have been reading every thread on stadium choices (including a couple I started) that I can find, because i consider that my biggest weakness, and your post is the most informative one I have read thus far. I wish I had read this before I changed stadiums in my theme league. I would have site mailed you for advice.
11/29/2011 8:32 PM
FYI, I posted a very similar thread for a similar theme league (perhaps the same one)... I'll bump it up for you.
11/30/2011 11:32 AM
i liked your thread so much that I blatantly ripped off your format for posing the question - well done!
11/30/2011 1:14 PM
I think you have to look at who is in your league as well.  You might take a ton of HR hitters, but if you are in a league with a bunch of experienced owners who all know to pick low HR/9 pitchers, that can neutralize that attack regardless of the park you pick.  I typically lean towards parks with a high +singles rating.  High averages play a lot more consistently in SIM leagues than power does, in my experience anyway. 
11/30/2011 1:44 PM

Slightly off topic, but I'm curious about people's thoughts on Griffith Stadium. I used that ballpark once and had horrible luck with it.  I'd like to try it again; I read they knocked it down on my birthday, so feel a little connection to it. Plus Mantle hit his long HR there.  I used players who hit significant numbers of triples and HRs and had decent range in the OF defensively.  I had guys like Ott, Manush, and Mantle really struggle offensively in that park.  My pitchers were deadballers.  Anyone ever have success in Griffith Stadium?

12/2/2011 10:34 PM
Help me learn to pick a ballpark? Topic

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