McCovey Chronicles: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:

Around SBN: MLB Hot Stove: blogging the rumors, trades, signings Bar-right-arrows

Changing Ballpark Dimensions

Dodgersstillsu128511964064062500_tiny by homerdrew415 on

Outside of Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent, the Giants have had a serious power shortage ever since they moved out of Candlestick.  Now the Giants probably won't change the park's layout but almost anything would improve the HR total. 

I have my thoughts on this but I'm more interested in yours, so as a starter question, do you like the current layout of the 3rd Street Yard?  I like the layout, but worry that long term the FA hitters aren't going to want come here unless we over pay for them. 

Pitchers seem to like it but will a pitching dominant team mean a world series?  Would slight park adjustments make it closer to what seems to dominate the ball parks of the rest of the country (outside the NL West)?

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

0 recs | Comment 184 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

To be fair I would be open to having random trenches dug in the outfield as well.

Maybe jungle tripwire or something fun like that.

Down in Front Meat!

by homerdrew415 on Oct 23, 2008 2:03 PM PDT   0 recs

I think this had been said many times..

Our park factors have consistently been around 1 for HR and runs. There is nothing wrong with the park.

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

proud father of the newly acquired Brandon Crawford..

by Azmanz on Oct 23, 2008 2:21 PM PDT   0 recs

according to that chart, its never been above 1 for homers and the only 2 times its been close (over .9) were the two years without Bonds (2005, 2008). Tt averaged under .8 for homers over the last 7 years. its also only been above 1 for runs twice as well, though the average is close to 1 at .96. In recent years, though, it has been much closer to 1 than in the earlier years in the park. Not surprisingly, it is a great yard for hitting doubles and triples.

Bonds stands alone.

Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal

by nostocksjustbonds on Oct 23, 2008 4:02 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Honestly

Players who complain about the park layout are the biggest pussies in the world.

Seriously, It’s a fucking baseball park. They are all basically the same, and if the wall being 20 feet farther in some spots keeps you from hitting as many ZOMG HOMRUNZ you probably aren’t that great of a player anyway.

So man the fuck up and play some baseball.

The Giants power drought is because of the players, not because of the park. If Rich fuckin Aurilia can hit 37 HR’s in this park in 2001, it’s not the park.

Eugeniooooooo!!!!

by FairweatherFan on Oct 23, 2008 2:25 PM PDT   0 recs

So bullshit speculation is how you argue your counterpoint? Shirley, you aren’t serious.

"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler

by JRPhillips on Oct 23, 2008 3:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I started out assuming you were referring to steroids or something to that effect… I’m now thinking you’re talking about something else… Like they were such good hitters, Aurilia got better by osmosis?

FWIW, Kent wasn’t displaying his typical power or hitting ability in 2001.

"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler

by JRPhillips on Oct 23, 2008 3:49 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Actually, I think it was implied that hitting in front of those guys ensured plenty of fastballs.

Zooperstars, they quack me up!

by Goofus on Oct 23, 2008 3:55 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It was

I just wanted to throw out “osmosis.” If that’s wrong, I don’t want to be right.

"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler

by JRPhillips on Oct 23, 2008 4:02 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

LO "freakin" L :-)

My adopted son Matt Downs. Lost in the wilderness of mediocrity.

by nvsfg on Oct 23, 2008 4:11 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I like osmosis coming out of the bullpen.

Zooperstars, they quack me up!

by Goofus on Oct 23, 2008 4:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

who are you calling shirley?

Rafael Rodriguez: More tools than Home Depot.

by BrianBokake on Oct 23, 2008 3:55 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

no, no, no

It’s “Stop calling me Shirley”

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Oct 23, 2008 4:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think it’s, “I AM serious. And don’t call me Shirley.”

"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler

by JRPhillips on Oct 23, 2008 4:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

JRPhillips FTW

There amass been plenty of articles written this spring about the stud shortstop Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum , as well as the fluid young outfielders and thirteen basemen Kevin Frandsen.
comics | art | Nattowear | McFAQ I & II

by Natto on Oct 23, 2008 4:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

3rd times the chram

I see the future, and it is Pablo

by CB30 on Oct 25, 2008 12:32 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

“Who’s scruffy looking?”

The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."

by WalrusMan on Oct 23, 2008 8:20 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Who is Shirley?

I thought Homerundrew posted that?

Proud father of Eric Surcamp!

by The Thrill on Oct 26, 2008 12:59 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

What, like a butler?

by satyricrash on Oct 23, 2008 3:31 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

like that guy who hit behind him

who hit 73 homers. what was his name again?

Bonds stands alone.

Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal

by nostocksjustbonds on Oct 23, 2008 3:32 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

+2

an additional +1 for parroting me

Down in Front Meat!

by homerdrew415 on Oct 23, 2008 3:33 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

from what I can tell, we posted at the same time.

In any event, I thought your original implication was fairly obvious.

Bonds stands alone.

Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal

by nostocksjustbonds on Oct 23, 2008 4:03 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

GOTV

Eugeniooooooo!!!!

by FairweatherFan on Oct 23, 2008 5:38 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

GOTV?

Yeah TV is awesome, you’re right.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Oct 24, 2008 11:34 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

honestly

aren’t you one of many who is always complaining about Dodd Stadium?

by thehondohurricane on Oct 23, 2008 7:02 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Me?

You will never hear me bring up park effects as either an excuse or a reason for anything meaningful.

Good players are good players. I could care less about Dodd.

Eugeniooooooo!!!!

by FairweatherFan on Oct 23, 2008 8:49 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The NL West have the most extreme parks in the bigs.

AZ and COL both have extreme hitters park, always top 5 where SD and LAD are always bottom 5 with ATT right smack in the middle.

proud father of the newly acquired Brandon Crawford..

by Azmanz on Oct 23, 2008 2:31 PM PDT   0 recs

Arizona seems to be up and down so I'm not inclined to call it a HR hitters paradise (see center field)

And while Coors was a launching pad, recently it’s become more of a death by a thousand cuts doubles & triples haven…or at least it seems that way to someone who watches however many games the Gigantes play there.

Down in Front Meat!

by homerdrew415 on Oct 23, 2008 3:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I just had the craziest thought ever!

You know how both competing teams play a game in the same stadium? Well, that means the dimensions of the ballpark don’t really favor one team over the other, in terms of hitting! What favors one team more than the other is… Drum roll please… Better hitting!

So obviously, bringing in the fences is the only solution that will possibly make the Giants winners again. It’s as Anne as the nose on Plain’s face.

"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler

by JRPhillips on Oct 23, 2008 2:34 PM PDT   0 recs

this

Giants! Giants! HELP US GOD!

by j14 on Oct 23, 2008 2:35 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Both teams play in the same stadium

But the Giants play at 3rd & King 81 times a year. I’d imagine at a minimum it’s a bit demoralizing to hit a blast 419 feet and have it be caught

Down in Front Meat!

by homerdrew415 on Oct 23, 2008 3:24 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

My impression is that it’s even more demoralizing for opponents. I’m looking at YOU, Adan Dunn!

Zooperstars, they quack me up!

by Goofus on Oct 23, 2008 3:56 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

morale: the #1 imagined problem facing the giants offense

Brian Sabean figures that if he buys enough bottles, one of them is bound to have lightning in it.

by jasomack on Oct 24, 2008 9:17 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

We’ve already gone over this topic already in the past few weeks. It’s not happening. Mays Field is fine the way it is.

There amass been plenty of articles written this spring about the stud shortstop Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum , as well as the fluid young outfielders and thirteen basemen Kevin Frandsen.
comics | art | Nattowear | McFAQ I & II

by Natto on Oct 23, 2008 2:40 PM PDT   0 recs

Christ, must we really discuss this stupid dead issue again?

you say:

Outside of Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent, the Giants have had a serious power shortage ever since they moved out of Candlestick.

which you are completely wrong about.
In 2002 the Giants became the first team in NL history (I think) to have 6 players hit 15 or more HRs, including power hitting studs like David Bell who hit 20. In 2002, the Giants were 2nd in the NL in HRs in a year where Bonds hit a fairly modest 46. This is after leading the NL in HRs in 2001 (the year Bonds hit 73 of course) and being 3rd in the NL in 2000.

The Giants have not had “a serious power shortage” since moving into the new park. What they have had is a complete lack of power hitters the last several years.

Now can we please drop this discussion and move on to Cain for a power hitter trade proposals?

by FluLikeSymptoms on Oct 23, 2008 2:41 PM PDT   0 recs

Matt Cain for Prince Fielder! We get a power hitter and only give up on pitching!

"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler

by JRPhillips on Oct 23, 2008 2:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

and then we could move the fences in to 250 feet and watch Fielder hit 100 home runs!!!

by FluLikeSymptoms on Oct 23, 2008 2:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

imagine the power hitter we could trade him for after that!

by FluLikeSymptoms on Oct 23, 2008 5:46 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Lets move the fences in to 250 feet and watch Cain give up 100 home runs!

OMG he sucks…

Tim Lincecum is Baseball's Chuck Norris

by Azantor on Oct 23, 2008 11:40 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The years you mention also happen to be years where Kent & Bonds were hitting in the line up

And if you have power hitters in front of you, you’re going to come up with runners on base when they get walked. Conversely you’re going to see better pitches if they are hitting behind you.

Down in Front Meat!

by homerdrew415 on Oct 23, 2008 3:25 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

So then, then problem isn’t that it’s hard to hit homers at AT&T…it’s that the Giants don’t have any good hitters.

GOOD THING MOVING IN THE FENCES WILL SOLVE THAT PROBLEM

Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com. It's not being updated right now. Hope for more at your own risk.

by groug on Oct 23, 2008 3:39 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

ummm those are both HOF players

Kent (as much as I dislike him) is going to end up being the best power hitter at 2B in ML History, and Bonds is the greatest HR hitter of all time.

Down in Front Meat!

by homerdrew415 on Oct 23, 2008 3:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

nahh

Utley has 160 HR at age 29. He’s just entering his prime.

Mischievously implosive purple pitching staff.

by SloIsLonelyForTheOrange on Oct 23, 2008 3:50 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

and kent kinda got off to a late start…

Brian Sabean figures that if he buys enough bottles, one of them is bound to have lightning in it.

by jasomack on Oct 24, 2008 9:56 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

So we don’t need Hall of Fame caliber players, we need a smaller park.

"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler

by JRPhillips on Oct 23, 2008 3:51 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

logic

ftw!

Rafael Rodriguez: More tools than Home Depot.

by BrianBokake on Oct 23, 2008 3:58 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Of course we need HOF players

It’s just easier to get by with less pop in your line up (IE Anyone who plays in Philly) if you have a slightly (notice the word) smaller park

Down in Front Meat!

by homerdrew415 on Oct 23, 2008 5:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It's beer!

Hooray beer!

The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."

by WalrusMan on Oct 23, 2008 8:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

BTW..

I drink it because I don’t trust the water system.

The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."

by WalrusMan on Oct 23, 2008 8:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I miss those ads

I see the future, and it is Pablo

by CB30 on Oct 25, 2008 12:34 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

OK..

the years that he mentioned had Kent & Bonds in the lineup. THEY ARE GOOD HITTERS. Subtract them, and you have the team you have now. THEY ARE NOT GOOD HITTERS. Hence, HR shortage.

The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."

by WalrusMan on Oct 23, 2008 8:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo… I’m a little confused, are you making the argument that we need to bring in the fences, or that we need to better control the weather?

"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler

by JRPhillips on Oct 23, 2008 8:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

No..

We need to drink beer.

The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."

by WalrusMan on Oct 23, 2008 8:52 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

No...

We need to drink better beer.

SFDugout.com is BACK! See the Top 50 Giants Prospects!

by BruteSentiment on Oct 23, 2008 11:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I made some awesome redneck black & tans tonight

Guiness and COORS LIGHT FTW!

Eugeniooooooo!!!!

by FairweatherFan on Oct 23, 2008 11:54 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

-5000

#1 JUDY STEFFES FAN
My favorite pie is (name of pie flavor)
Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Oct 24, 2008 5:16 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I feeling like buying all the world’s Guiness, so that you can never do that again.

Also, then I’d have all the world’s Guiness.

The Denker bus is now bound for San Diego. Those who were passengers on it are now angrily stranded at a gas station in Modesto, CA. Not much about baseball here .

by oldjacket on Oct 24, 2008 8:25 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree.

Might as well just pee into your Guinness if you’re putting Coors in it.

#1 JUDY STEFFES FAN
My favorite pie is (name of pie flavor)
Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Oct 24, 2008 8:44 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

har har

Beer snobs FTL.

Eugeniooooooo!!!!

by FairweatherFan on Oct 25, 2008 6:08 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Main point of the arguement is

1. We need better hitters
2. Knowing that the Giants won’t produce these better hitters by draft, trade, or FA, they should do something to give themselves a better shot of winning.
3. I’m hoping it will be pitching but I’m realistic enough to think that something field wise will be changed.

Down in Front Meat!

by homerdrew415 on Oct 23, 2008 11:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

But the other team’s hitters will still be better than ours. There’s still a talent gap that will lead to losses.

Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com. It's not being updated right now. Hope for more at your own risk.

by groug on Oct 23, 2008 11:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Here's the crux of your point:

You don’t think the Giants can get better hitters, so you think they should fuck up the park to inflate home run totals for the home team. Never minding the fact that the visiting team will enjoy the same benefits as the home team, thus eliminating any sort of competitive advantage the Giants may have enjoyed.

It all goes back to the same damn counter-argument. The Giants need better hitters. They don’t need to muck up the ballpark so you can see the water cannons fire off a couple more times a year.

"He called the sh** POOP!" -- Adam Sandler

by JRPhillips on Oct 24, 2008 12:34 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Do you have a better idea

assuming the Gigantes can’t/won’t obtain better hitters in the draft, trade or FA?

Down in Front Meat!

by homerdrew415 on Oct 24, 2008 8:35 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Build the team as you can.

This ballpark isn’t going to play as a power ballpark without amazing hitters in the first place. So you build a doubles team. We have big gaps so if you hit it there, you get a double, in RC you get a triple. Build to that. Have OF that can learn the wall, learn the gap, learn how to position yourself.

Beauty in that is that on the road a few of your doubles turn into HR, but otherwise your doubles stay. And then you still have a good defensive OF on the road.

The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."

by WalrusMan on Oct 24, 2008 8:58 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think you meant to say “Speed and Defense” !
….ducks :-)

You are correct however. The Giants should take advantage of the quirks at AT&T. These guys are a professional baseball team after all.

A friend of mine is a lifelong Dodger fan, and he has immeasurable hate for Randy Winn due to the way he has learned to play the RF wall at the phone booth.

My adopted son Matt Downs. Lost in the wilderness of mediocrity.

by nvsfg on Oct 24, 2008 11:08 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think my love for Randy Winn has something to do with how much Diamondback and Dodger fans hate him.

The Denker bus is now bound for San Diego. Those who were passengers on it are now angrily stranded at a gas station in Modesto, CA. Not much about baseball here .

by oldjacket on Oct 24, 2008 11:27 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Randy Winn. Professional Baseball Player.

Photobucket

My adopted son Matt Downs. Lost in the wilderness of mediocrity.

by nvsfg on Oct 24, 2008 11:42 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs