baseball_2006-02-21   <- Talks   <-  Sean Forman   <-  You Are Here

   / /

What kind of park is Citizen's Bank Park?

• In 2004, The Phillies finished third in the NL in runs scored and had the fourth highest ERA in the league, so it must have been a hitter's park. In 2005, The Phillies finished second on runs scored and had the 7th highest ERA. Just how bad is it as a hitter's park?

• Can't just look at the Phillies hitters and pitchers.

• The proper way to do this is to compare home and road runs scored and other stats for both the home and road teams.

  In 2004

  	Phillies		Opponents
  Stat	Home	Road	Home	Road	Factor
  Games	81	81
  At Bats	2755	2888	2887	2740
  Hits	732	773	750	738
  Home Runs	113	102	115	99
  Runs	424	416	396	385
  Strikeouts	542	591	565	505
  R/9inn	5.46	5.17	4.89	4.96	1.02
  BA	.266	.268	.260	.269	0.98
  HR/AB	.0410	.0353	.0398	.0361	1.13
  SO/AB	.1967	.2046	.1957	.1843	1.01

  In 2005

  	Phillies		Opponents
  Stat	Home	Road	Home	Road	Factor
  Games	81	81
  At Bats	2720	2822	2839	2614
  Hits	764	730	752	627
  Home Runs	94	73	107	71
  Runs	427	380	395	331
  R/9inn	5.26	4.65	4.83	4.26	1.132
  BA	.281	.259	.265	.240	1.094
  HR/AB	0.0345	0.0259	0.0377	.0272	1.36

• It does increase the number of home runs hit.

• It has a very small effect on overall run scoring.

• It is harder to get a hit in the ballpark and strikeouts are slightly higher as well.

• Phillies had second best road ERA.

• My opinion, Phillies play in the best hitters park in the NL East. Florida, Shea, and RFK are all terrible hitters parks.

• Interleague play also affected home/road splits. Boston and Texas at home. Oakland and Seattle on the road.

/