Miller Park = Hitters Park?

[Dragonbait]

I keep hearing how Miller Park is a hitters paradise...

 

In this SI piece by Cliff Corcoran about the MVP race, he uses the term quite abit to make a case against Prince on MVP.

 

It got me wondering... what exactly about Miller park makes it a hitters park... There's really no short porch, i.e. Minute Maid (Air Tran section is in a bit)

Is it the lack of foul territory?

 

I've always considered MP to be Neutral.

[umphrey]

I always thought it was just slightly above average in the hitters favor because all the distances are pretty much middle of the road but most days the ball carries a little better than an extremely hot and humid environment. Day games used to be extremely pitcher friendly because of the shadows, but they seem to have eliminated that this year.

[PrinceEatMeat]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/parkfactor

 

Based on this, Miller Park is 7th in terms of hitters parks this year. However, in previous years it was always middle of the pack or more towards a pitchers park. So I'd probably say that it overall is in the middle. Although, this is probably slightly skewed this year based on how bad we've played on the road.

[rluzinski]

I just emailed Corcoran for an explanation. Miller Park gives up an above average number of HR's but is otherwise un-hitter friendly. Evens out to be a neutral park. Perhaps for power hitters like Prince, it is a good park to play in.

[topper09er]

Miller Park's multi-year park factor is 103 which means it is slightly hitter friendly with 100 being a neutral park and < 100 being pitcher friendly. This year it is much higher at 112 so far but that is because these things tend to fluctuate from year to year. FYI Coors Field in 1999 had a multi-year park factor of 127 which is the highest ever, even the Baker Bowl in Philadelphia was around 110 even though it was only 280' to the RF line and 300' in RC.

 

These things tend to even out because a short porch = more HRs but lower BABIP, and long fences allow less HR but more balls to fall. Coors Field is crazy because it has a huge OF but HRs still happen very frequently because of the thin air.

 

Here is a very long winded explanation of park factors if anyone cares

http://www.baseball-refer...m/about/parkadjust.shtml

[ELCABALLO45]

How many shots at Fielder can one article take? Geez. I always figured Miller Park to be neutral overall, with it being favored to the home run a little bit.

 

I also think having Braun, Fielder, Hart, Weeks and Kotsay (I kid) play 81 games a year helps with it being slightly above average in homers as well.

[rluzinski]

"I also think having Braun, Fielder, Hart, Weeks and Kotsay (I kid) play 81 games a year helps with it being slightly above average in homers as well."

Park Factors compare production on the road to their production at home, so it doesn't matter if they hit more overall HRs.

[TheCrew07]

Braun 6 HR on the road, 10 at home.

 

Fielder 8 HR on the road, 14 at home.

 

Weeks 8 HR on the road, 7 at home.

 

Hart 2 HR on the road, 8 at home.

 

Lucroy 2 HR on the road, 5 at home.

 

McGehee 1 HR on the road, 4 at home.

 

I realize many people think that home/road splits are completely random, but the Brewers are certainly doing their best to make it look like Miller Park is hitter friendly.

[TooLiveBrew]

Best & most succinct way to describe MP: HR park, but neutral overall offensive park. At least that's basically what it's been since it opened iirc.

[logan82]

Braun 6 HR on the road, 10 at home.

 

Fielder 8 HR on the road, 14 at home.

 

Weeks 8 HR on the road, 7 at home.

 

Hart 2 HR on the road, 8 at home.

 

Lucroy 2 HR on the road, 5 at home.

 

McGehee 1 HR on the road, 4 at home.

 

I realize many people think that home/road splits are completely random, but the Brewers are certainly doing their best to make it look like Miller Park is hitter friendly.

Most hitters probably hit better at home unless they play in an extreme pitchers park.

[rluzinski]

Braun 6 HR on the road, 10 at home.

 

Fielder 8 HR on the road, 14 at home.

 

Weeks 8 HR on the road, 7 at home.

 

Hart 2 HR on the road, 8 at home.

 

Lucroy 2 HR on the road, 5 at home.

 

McGehee 1 HR on the road, 4 at home.

 

I realize many people think that home/road splits are completely random, but the Brewers are certainly doing their best to make it look like Miller Park is hitter friendly.

Well, I hope people aren't using half a season to make those kinds of claims. That would be foolish. And has Logan pointed out, you have to also adjust for better production at home.

[Dragonbait]

Just a quick bump....

 

rluz.... did you ever get an answer to your email?

[pingman]

the roof makes Miller Park hitter friendly.....when it's open there's a jet-stream affect blowing out.....when it's closed there's no wind but it's still friendly with those short dimensions....

 

the bias is obvious when looking at the Brewers hitting stats:

 

HOME: #1 in NL in homers (63), average (.279), OBP (.351) and slugging (.466)

 

ROAD: #6 in homers (40), #13 in average (.234), #15 in OBP (.289) and #14 in slugging (.360)

[Ennder]

It isn't a big hitters park. It is a good HR hitters park which plays into the teams strengths but overall it is pretty close to neutral.

[rluzinski]

Just a quick bump....

 

rluz.... did you ever get an answer to your email?

Of course not. I guess it's easier to make assertions than it is to back them up with evidence.