Yesterday I took a look at how the upper three levels of the system home ballparks played. Today I will look at how the three lower level home ballparks play.
Dayton Dragons
Fifth Third Field Dimensions – 320 feet (LF) – 400 feet (CF) – 320 feet (RF)
Batting Average
Fifth Third Field didn’t do much for averages. The averages on infield hits was higher across the board, but that is just purely coincidence. In the outfield left and right field slightly suppressed hits, but both was less than 1% and to center the average was exactly the same.
Isolated Power
While the averages didn’t see much action, Fifth Third Field did boost power. The isolated power to left field by 23% and to center field by 35%. To right field the difference was negligible with just a 2% boost in isolated power.
Overall Power
Left field boosted doubles by 15% and boosted home runs by 39%. Center Field was rather interesting as it boosted doubles, triples and home runs across the board. Doubles were boosted by 12% and home runs by 59%. Triples to center, which are more a function of luck than anything else, were boosted by 57%. Right field really suppressed doubles to the tune of 26.5%. Home runs were boosted though by 63%, with 31 home runs hit to left field at home while only 19 were hit on the road. Due to the much lower sample size (there are fewer lefty hitters around), the small gains do make up large portions of increase.
Overall Factors
Dayton’s Fifth Third Field has historically been one of the more hitter friendly parks in the Midwest League and it played out that way again in 2013 as it boosted power once again. It didn’t do much for batting average, but it really bumped up the home runs.
Billings Mustangs
Dehler Park – 329 feet (LF) – 410 feet (CF) – 350 feet (RF)
Batting Average
The average to left field didn’t see much of a difference, but to center and right field Dehler Park was suppressed. In center field average was suppressed by 10% and in left field it was suppressed by 8%.
Isolated Power
Dehler Park suppressed power across the board in 2013. To left field isolated power was suppressed by 10%. In right field it was suppressed by 21%. In center field though is where the biggest issue came to play as isolated power was suppressed 44%. Last year the park suppressed power to center and left, but right field boosted power.
Overall Power
Dehler Park yielded fewer doubles and homers to each portion of the field than the road did. Triples to both left field and to right field were boosted in Dehler Park though.
Overall Factors
The Pioneer League is very well known as a hitters paradise thanks to some small parks and several parks that are high in elevation. Dehler Park is about the only park in the league that is pitcher friendly and it has been that way since it opened, but this year in particular it played as a pitchers park to all parts of the field.
Arizona League Reds
Batting Average
To left field and center field the differences were just a few points, making up less than 1% in either direction. Right field did suppress average some, though it was only by 4%. Infield hits were boosted across the board though.
Isolated Power
Power was suppressed to both left and right fields, but it was boosted to center. To left field isolated power was suppressed by 17%. To right field isolated power was suppressed by 16%. To center field though isolated power was boosted by 20%.
Overall Power
Left field boosted doubles but really held back home runs as there were 68% more hit on the road than at home. . Doubles to left field were suppressed by 32%, but home runs were the same. Center posted the same doubles numbers, but there were 9 home runs to center at home and just 3 on the road.
Overall Factors
The Arizona Rookie League is a hitters league in general, though it is mostly due to the defenses that the level sees rather than boosted offensive output because of the various parks in the league. Goodyear plays as a pitcher friendly park in the league, but it isn’t at an extreme level.
Tomorrow I will be back to wrap things up on the system as a whole.
click here for the entire 2013 park factor series.