Posted by Crump123 on 3/2/2012 8:30:00 AM (view original):
Park is irrelevant for any position as far as i know, doesn't make any difference in that case.
Actually this is incorrect. Range/ballpark combos don't work the way you would expect them to in HBD, i.e. "if you play in a park with a large outfield, ala Portland, you'll need a CF with more range." Actually it is just the opposite. The more the ballpark leans toward offense (think Colorado and Santa Fe) the more opportunities there are for fielders to make plus plays. Take a 90-90-60-60 CF out of Portland and put him in Santa Fe (assuming pitching staff is the same, as well as LF and RF) and you will see him double the number of plus plays he'll accumulate.
Also, note that Range Factor (RF) is dependent not only upon range, glove, arm strength and arm accuracy, but also upon the pitching staff (L/R, GB/FB, splits, strikeouts), the ballpark ratings, as well as the defensive players beside you. A SS with great range will have a greater RF when he plays alongside a 3B with poor range than he would if he played beside a 3B with great range.