Monday, May 08, 2006

get-hitters parks

It's clear that some ballpark configurations favor pitchers, and some favor hitters, but is it possible that some ballparks are more conducive to batters being hit by pitches than others? If there are pitchers parks and hitters parks, couldn't there also be get-hitters parks?
In 1989, Toronto opened Skydome. It's been renamed Rogers Centre, even though Roger demanded to be traded from the Blue Jays to the Yankees years ago, but whatever the name, it had seen 993 batters get hit through the 2005 season. Gary Sheffield became the 1,000th batter hit at Skydome/Rogers Centre on April 19th of this season. During the span of Craig Biggio's career, no park has hosted more HBPs, and even more surprisingly, Craig Biggio has never played there. On average, a batter has been plunked at Skydome once every 101.5 plate appearances, while the overall league average during the same span has been one HBP per 126.7 plate appearances.
On the other end of the spectrum, among parks that are still in use Wrigley Field has seen batters drilled at the lowest rate, with just one per 152.9 plate appearances, despite Craig Biggio's contribution of 12 HBPs at Wrigley.

Top 5 Parks by plunks per plate appearance, 1988-2005 (minimum 75,000 plate appearances):
ParkHBPPAPA/HBP
Skydome/Rogers Centre993100835101.5
Joe Robbie Stadium / Pro Player Stadium / Dolphins Stadium73878273106.1
Fenway Park955110197115.4
Stade Olympique83497472116.9
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum / UMAX Coliseum / Network Associates Coliseum898107379119.6


Bottom 5 Parks by plunks per plate appearance, 1988-2005 (minimum 75,000 plate appearances):
ParkHBPPAPA/HBP
Jack Murphy Stadium/Qualcomm Stadium55195483173.3
Wrigley Field722110423152.9
Dodger Stadium712106409149.5
Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field61890819147.0
Shea Stadium763107667141.1


Top 5 Parks by plunks per plate appearance, 1988-2005 (no minimum plate appearances):
ParkHBPPAPA/HBP
RFK Stadium94598663.7
Tokyo Dome433082.5
PNC Park3723090483.1
Tropicana Field6005026883.8
Citizens Bank Park1341250893.3


Total plunks by park, 1988-2005:
ParkHBPPAPA/HBPHBP (Biggio)
Skydome/Rogers Centre993100835101.50
Fenway Park955110197115.40
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum / UMAX Coliseum in 1997 / Network Associates Coliseum898107379119.61
Royals Stadium/Kauffman Stadium881108693123.43
Yankee Stadium858107382125.21
Busch Stadium II857109430127.713
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome846108654128.40
Stade Olympique83497472116.94
Shea Stadium763107667141.17
Joe Robbie Stadium/Pro Player Stadium/Dolphins Stadium73878273106.16
Wrigley Field722110423152.912
Dodger Stadium712106409149.57
Veterans Stadium71097765137.76
Oriole Park at Camden Yards70283971119.61
Anaheim Stadium / Edison Field / Angel Stadium of Anaheim69489663129.20
Comiskey Park II/U.S. Cellular Field67789656132.42
Coors Field6596787610315
The Ballpark in Arlington/Ameriquest Field65574321113.54
Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field618908191477
Astrodome60572248119.492
Tropicana Field6005026883.80
County Stadium59076978130.55
Three Rivers Stadium556784191413
Jacobs Field55570632127.30
Kingdome55267378122.10
Jack Murphy Stadium/Qualcomm Stadium55195483173.37
Tiger Stadium50771192140.40
Candlestick/3com Park48572011148.54
Enron Field/Astros Field/Minute Maid Park3953708493.950
Bank One Ballpark/Chase Field39546745118.33
Turner Field39455194140.13
PNC Park3723090483.15
Safeco Field31840360126.90
Comerica Park29537258126.30
Miller Park29231091106.56
Arlington Stadium27235882131.90
Pacific Bell Park/SBC Park/AT&T Park26436723139.10
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium22552746234.41
Cleveland Stadium22035832162.90
Great American Ball Park2001888894.42
Citizens Bank Park1341250893.31
Memorial Stadium11023659215.10
RFK Stadium94598663.70
Mile High Stadium9310994118.20
Comiskey Park I9317500188.20
PetCo Park9011905132.32
Exhibition Stadium (Toronto)527767149.40
Estadio Hiram Bithorn (San Juan)34338999.70
Tokyo Dome433082.50
Aloha Stadium12142140
Cashman Field (Las Vegas)15385380
Estadio Monterrey (Monterrey, MEX)0329n/a0



(Park split data from Retrosheet.org)

posted by pbr @ 12:38 PM   5 comments

5 Comments:

At 5/08/2006 12:51:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Two of the top five featured Pedro Martinez as the ace of the staff for at least a few years. Coincidence? I think not.

Look for Shea to move out of the bottom five by the end of Petey's contract.

 
At 5/08/2006 01:15:00 PM, Blogger pbr said...

are you trying to say these numbers have more to do with the pitchers who played at each park than the parks themselves? That's just crazy talk.

Also, Pedro doesn't really hit people that much anymore now that he doesn't have to see the Devil Rays, and has fewer games against the Yankees. And, even if he did hit a lot of people, the Shea Stadium numbers would be balanced by out by Tom Glavine who never hits anyone. Glavine seems like he's always painting the outside corner. His house must look funny.

 
At 5/08/2006 08:46:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Before we get there, how does Mr. Biggio fare on Mother's Day? And how does his mother feel about his regular HBP habit?

Yan Desjardins

 
At 5/08/2006 11:26:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Right now the numbers may be skewed by Jays' outfielder Reed Johnson, who has been getting hit at at least his usual pace. He's been hit 7 times so far this season, 2 more than the rest of the field, made all the more impressive by the fact that Johnson doesn't even play everyday.

In fact, twice this April, Johnson was hit three times in one game.

 
At 5/09/2006 01:06:00 PM, Blogger pbr said...

Yan, Craig Biggio has played 14 games on Mother's Day, batting just 0.228 with 2 HBPs. I can only assume that his mother hopes he'll bring those numbers up this year.

And Dave, Reed Johnson's numbers are all the more impressive considering he's been plunked on the road more often than at home - even though he plays in such a get-hitters park.

 

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