Sitting out for the batting title...

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

I don't really see how that factors into anything like a batting title. The Astros stadium is 436 to center. Does that mean Altuve's titles are suspicious?

The theory seems simple enough, if outfielders have a fixed range but more real estate to cover in a given park than another one, more balls will fall in? What's the logical flaw there?

[packs]

The flaw is assuming space has something to do with the probability a baseball will land where someone isn't. Having space does not dictate where a ball goes. Also the outfield is not so significantly larger than any other stadium, nor is it the largest. Winning a batting title requires you to do more than hit a ball into the outfield.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

The flaw is assuming space has something to do with the probability a baseball will land where someone isn't. Having space does not dictate where a ball goes. Also the outfield is not so significantly larger than any other stadium, nor is it the largest. Winning a batting title requires you to do more than hit a ball into the outfield.

I am still missing it. Suppose you had only two outfielders. Teams obviously would hit for a higher average than against three outfielders as more balls would fall in, no? So isn't having three outfielders who have to cover more real estate just an extension of the same concept albeit on a lesser scale? Maybe it isn't enough of a difference to matter, but that is a different question than the basic concept.

[packs]

Getting a hit requires you do more than put a ball in play. Winning a batting title requires you to get hits at a higher rate than anyone else. If all you had to do was hit the ball into the outfield in Colorado to get a hit he'd be battling his own teammates for the title and a Rockie would win every year. But that doesn't happen.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

Getting a hit requires you do more than put a ball in play. Winning a batting title requires you to get hits at a higher rate than anyone else. If all you had to do was hit the ball into the outfield in Colorado to get a hit he'd be battling his own teammates for the title and a Rockie would win every year. But that doesn't happen.

I was only talking about the general proposition that batting averages seem higher at Coors, not about the extent to which it factored into this particular batting title.

[packs]

I just don't think the difference in size is enough to truly factor into averages if you're saying the park is easier to get a hit in. That's my point. Extend the outfield 1000 feet and sure. But that's not how it stands. And like I said Houston has the largest field and Altuve has 2 titles. I don't believe the park played a major role in those titles though.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I was only talking about the general proposition that batting averages seem higher at Coors, not about the extent to which it factored into this particular batting title.

Can't we just prove this one way or another with metrics?

But seriously... I think there is something there, just that we can't be certain to what extent (as you noted). Too small, too many home runs. Too large, (maybe) too many base hits? Taken to the extreme though, you will obviously hit a point of diminishing returns as the size of the playing surface expands. If it was 1000 down the line to left and right, and 1400 to center, I doubt you would need your outfielders positioned at 600 out from home plate to effectively cover the entire playing surface.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Fangraphs probably does have analyses of park effects.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I am still missing it. Suppose you had only two outfielders. Teams obviously would hit for a higher average than against three outfielders as more balls would fall in, no? So isn't having three outfielders who have to cover more real estate just an extension of the same concept albeit on a lesser scale? Maybe it isn't enough of a difference to matter, but that is a different question than the basic concept.

Baseball doest care about having uniform fields like the other sports.

Just think about how many home runs certain players hit than would be outs in other ballparks. In football thought i would think kicking a 65 yard field goal in mile high isnt the same as kicking a 65 yarder in atlanta as well....always these unfair advantages but the record books don't care...unless you are on steroids.