Ask a stupid question that can be answered about baseball

[clydepepper]

Okay, Frank - I have one for you:

Assuming that, for the few late afternoon or 'twilight'- scheduled games, there would be a natural advantage, at least for a portion of that game, for batters if home plate was facing east and for pitchers if home plate was facing west due to the direct sunlight and the glare that accompanies that.

Presuming, based on that previous assumption, that a truly neutral ballpark would be sure to have home plate face either directly north or south, why isn't there are rule to so assure that all parks are designed to fit this north-south detail?

That might not exactly qualify as a 'stupid' question, but it is one I have pondered for a while.

[MrSeven]

Rule 1.04. It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitchers plate to second base shall run East-Northeast.

That would contradict your thinking completely.

http://www.fangraphs.com/tht/lost-in...k-orientation/

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by MrSeven

Rule 1.04. It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitchers plate to second base shall run East-Northeast.

That would contradict your thinking completely.

http://www.fangraphs.com/tht/lost-in...k-orientation/

This desirability would seem moot for enclosed domed stadia. However this would depend on whether you consider the meaning of moot to be debatable or irrelevant.

Miller Park has a retractable roof, but is not enclosed from the setting sun due to windows, that can create "very unusual" shadows on the field of play in late afternoon games.

I believe the home plate-2B axis runs NW-SE in Milwaukee, which is also unusual.

You'd think this could result in a home field advantage for the "Brew Crew", if they only could figure out what that advantage is.

[MrSeven]

The layout of stadiums is by far one of the most interesting aspects of MLB baseball in my opinion.

So many unique quirks at each park.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by MrSeven

The layout of stadiums is by far one of the most interesting aspects of MLB baseball in my opinion.

Some many unique quirks at each park.

Absolutely!! I picked up a couple of books, 'Lost Ballparks' and 'Ballparks Yesterday & Today,' which go over all the cool aspects of the old time stadiums. Very cool stuff! (And anything that could make Shea Stadium seem like a monument on par with Mt. Rushmore is fine by me.)

[Butch7999]

S'funny -- when we were young, and some ignorance was excusable and even expected, we were embarrassed to admit we didn't know something.
Now that we're old and actually know a few things, we no longer have much compunction about asking a stupid question. So here goes:
How many different baseball cards (not multiple examples of the same card) have sold for more than $100,000.?
Don't need an exact number, a (ahem) ballpark figure will do.

[Butch7999]

Apologies, we somehow got the idea that this thread was for stupid questions about anything related to baseball.
Judging by the lack of response to our question above, we evidently broke the Stupid meter.

[samosa4u]

How come Joe DiMaggio won 9 world championships and Ted Williams won none?