Park Benefits Topic

timf
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Can someone explain to me why you would choose a hitters park or a pitchers park versus a neutral park. What factors determine what type of park you select and do you see any actual benefits with your teams from one style park as opposed to the other?

2/21/2010 12:59 PM
schuyler101
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personally i think baserunning efficiency is very important in pitcher's parks...in a depressed offensive environment baserunning becomes more important...

the inverse is true in hitters parks, i would rarely steal if i was in coors, and would turn down baserunning aggressiveness, bunting, and hit and run (although i usually have the latter 2 pretty low no matter what)

in hitters parks i would like to have a great DP combination, more hitting should equal more baserunners which should equal more DP opportunities...
2/21/2010 5:11 PM
tecwrg
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If you have really good hitters but only weak or average pitching, then you might want to play in a hitters park and try to win those 10-8 games.

If you have really good pitchers and defense but only average hitting or little power, then you might want to play in a pitchers park and try to win those 3-2 games.
2/21/2010 5:11 PM
plague
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If you are going to stay in a world long term I would suggest getting a park in the style that is most fun to you. Don't get a park to fit your current team.
2/21/2010 5:56 PM
zbrent716
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Quote: Originally posted by tecwrg on 2/21/2010If you have really good hitters but only weak or average pitching, then you might want to play in a hitters park and try to win those 10-8 games.If you have really good pitchers and defense but only average hitting or little power, then you might want to play in a pitchers park and try to win those 3-2 games.

... or, if you have really good hitters but only weak or average pitching, then you might want to play in a pitcher's park. Your really good hitters can overcome the pitcher's park somewhat and your weak/average pitching will overperform and keep your opponents down.

If you have really good or great pitchers and defense but only average hitting, then you might want to play in a pitcher's park. Coors can add tremendously to the productivity of even average bats, but the truly really good/great pitchers will be effective in any park over the long term. Plus, with more (potential) hits taking place your really good or great defense has the potential to have a greater impact.
2/21/2010 5:57 PM
MikeT23
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Quote: Originally Posted By plague on 2/21/2010If you are going to stay in a world long term I would suggest getting a park in the style that is most fun to you. Don't get a park to fit your current team


This is the correct answer. Build your team to fit your park. Don't change your park to fit your team.
2/21/2010 5:58 PM
soxfan121
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Errors can really exacerbate things in a hitter's park, so defense is my #1 priority in places like COL, DUR and HAR.

I'm finding that contact rating is pretty important in a run scarce environment; putting the ball in play allows for the chance that SOMETHING happens on offense.

In general, getting the best pitching available is good strategery in any park.
2/21/2010 6:00 PM
schuyler101
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2/21/2010 6:13 PM
schuyler101
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Quote: Originally posted by tecwrg on 2/21/2010If you have really good hitters but only weak or average pitching, then you might want to play in a hitters park and try to win those 10-8 games.If you have really good pitchers and defense but only average hitting or little power, then you might want to play in a pitchers park and try to win those 3-2 games.

this i do not like though...i think it's too simplistic and not entirely true, the exact opposite could be argued, as zbrent has...

the Diamondbacks in RL play in one of the best hitting environments in baseball and their 2001 WS winning team was based on 2 of the best pitchers in baseball...
2/21/2010 6:15 PM
MikeT23
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Don't most MLB teams try to acquire the best pitching possible regardless of their park?
2/21/2010 6:23 PM
pirateswin2
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as a pirates fan I would say , no they don't always try to aquire the best pitchers possible
2/21/2010 6:37 PM
MikeT23
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I thought the Pirates got contracted in the 90s.
2/21/2010 6:40 PM
jdbkaput
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I'm a great fan of pitchers' parks.

One, they help maximize the number of innings thrown by your best pitchers. An ace who might throw 220 innings in a hitters' park like Wrigley or Coors will throw 250 in Burlington or Wichita.

Two, they help keep your low-durability hitters in the lineup. While the park will hurt both offenses equally on balls in play, the decreased number of plate appearances will keep your best players in the lineup more often.

Third, the value of errors and walks is magnified in pitchers' parks because hits are less common. It's easier to build your team around high-walk, good-defense position players and pitchers with great control.

Hitters' parks are the opposite: batting eye and defense are less important for hitters, while for pitchers L/R and quality of pitches are more important.
2/21/2010 7:23 PM
dwoolery
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I agree with jd. I've had success in Tacoma with pitchers with high control but mediocre splits paired with superior defense. I don't want to give away baserunners with walks and let the defense and park try to overcome average splits.

On offense I prioritize batting eye and contact for the same reasons, try to let the opposing pitcher give me an extra chance or two throughout the game.
2/21/2010 10:09 PM
soxfan121
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Quote: Originally posted by jdbkaput on 2/21/2010Hitters' parks are the opposite: batting eye and defense are less important for hitters, while for pitchers L/R and quality of pitches are more important.

Wrong. Baserunners are the key thing in a hitter's park, and allowing extra basreunners due to poor defense is the worst thing you can do in a hitter's park. The second worst thing is not put enough guys on base to take advantage of the increased hits.

I see some Tacoma experience - which "hitters park" did you play in?
2/22/2010 5:19 AM
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