A Different BLT

[DOUGHBOYS]

We look at the inventory of players (Childs reference) and we judge each player. Some of us use certain stats. Some of will go from what is seen. Some will use factors such as ball park, lineup positioning, and team. Some of us are equally swayed by each of these items.
For the purpose of this post, lets focus on the last item; Ball park, lineup positioning, and team...or BLT.

Some players are very comfortable with their BLT. They sink their teeth into all the factors. Felix Hernandez has been safely enclosed by a big stadium in a weak league. Team is what lets him down. Pitchers use their teams hitting as a support for wins. In this case, Felix support is made of balsa. And to make matters worse, his ball park is getting smaller and his league is getting more loaded with hitters. The strong supporters of Felix will say he doesn't need these outside factors because his stuff is so good. The rest of us know better. Even slight changes to a pitchers surroundings can uptick an E.R.A. or other categories.

Justin Upton only hit six homers on the road last year. Six! He could say that he wasn't wanted in Arizona, but he enjoyed the BLT there. Still, there are those who will say that Upton can hit the ball out of any park, including Jellystone Park. And some stats back that up. Aside from Chase Field, over the last three years, Upton has hit more homers at PetCo Park than any other ball park. When thinking about that, it makes sense. Padres pitchers are not that good. They are simply protected by an over sized ball park. For a man of Upton's power, that protection just isn't there. Upton goes from good lineup to good lineup. What he may miss most is the bad pitching that has existed in the NL West. The Giants are the only team who has had a good top to bottom staff during Upton's time. The Dodgers have had Kershaw and blah blah. The Padres have been talked about in being bad, but protected by the big bully, PetCo Park. And the Rockies are like the Royals in the American League. Any pitcher that succeeds is a surprise.
The main concern for Upton will be the better pitching in the NL East. Even the Mets have a good staff. He'll have to make Miami pitching his bitch.

Sometimes we get fooled by ball parks and teams.
Coors Field is a great excuse to draft one player over another. There are a few problems with this thinking. I had some Colorado players last year for that very reason.
But, their organization got in the way. In my opinion, the way the Rockies coddled their players more than offset any field advantage. They were the type of organization that would keep a kid home from school with a splinter.
Only one player from the Rockies had even 500 at bats last year and that was the oft hurt Carlos Gonzalez. Only four players even had 400 at bats.Dexter Fowler sat out the last two weeks of the season to protect his .300 average.
We used to call teams like this 'light in the loafers', but I guess that is not politically correct any more.
And speaking of politically correct and the wussification of America...
We all like those Geico commercials, right?
Remember the one with Maxwell the Pig on lovers leap with the girl who wants to 'pass the time with him' ?
Can you believe some activists are protesting the commercial because it promotes beastiality?
Seriously!
These folks must have thought in their minds to begin with!
Holy cow!
Never a thought in my mind.
I swear to God that folks would condemn Jesus for wearing a robe now.
Have we....aw never mind, these types of people ain't worth the typewritten word.

What players are in the perfect parks?
Robbie Cano for one.
A spacious left and left center field for a lot of hits to fall. A short right field fence for balls that are pulled.
Troy Tulowitzki is in the perfect park. Unfortunately that park also must have the perfect whirlpool where Tulo spends most of his time.
Ian Kinsler would not have his power numbers if it weren't for his ball park and would probably fall two to three rounds in drafts in a more neutral park.

What players are in parks that don't fit them?
David Wright!
I'd love to see Wright play for the Yankees one year. He goes oppo so well and his pulled hits would be a little better off as well. Wright signed a long term contract. A death sentence of sorts to what could have been.
Prince Fielder
Fielder can shorten any ball park. Milwaukee and Detroit have not deterred or detoured his home runs at all.
Still, just one year in Arlington or Yankee Stadium could give him a chance to break Roger Maris home run record.
Joey Votto
Ok, take off your fantasy thinking caps. Votto is not a power hitter per se. His park helps his power along while taking away some average. Just one year, I'd like to see Votto in a big ball park like PetCo, just to see how high his average could be.

Lineup positioning is important as well. One thing that bothers the hell out of me is somebody saying that Howie Kendrick will see a lot of fastballs in front of Albert Pujols or any hitter who hits in front of a big hitter.
What?
What are these guys thinking?
Put yourself in the pitchers shoes.
Are you going to give more fastballs and 'give in' a little more to somebody hitting in front of a big slugger?
Miguel Cabrera had a triple crown year last year. The poor players that hit in front of him were horrible. Jim Leyland gave Brennan Boesch every chance to succeed there, but Boesch was seeing every pitchers best stuff and he ended up having a brutal year.
If going with this method, take the player AFTER the big hitter. Josh Hamilton really helped Adrian Beltre.
David Wright helped Duda, then Ike Davis.
Aramis Ramirez has had a resurgence after Braun.
We know that Morneau follows Mauer and we know that Mauer has had more than a dozen also-rans in front of him.
For me, moving to a slot in front of a good hitter is not necessarily a good thing.

In closing this, I'm going to get picked off base here in going a little off track. I was talking about ball parks and it made me think of those that are pleasing to my eye and one which are not.
I'm an old school guy so Fenway and Wrigley hold a special place for me.
That Miami park looks like a pawn shop exploded in an island country and with the remains, they built a ball park. There are just so many odd colors that it seems more at home in a Jolly Rancher bag of candy than belong in a Big League ball park.
My favorite parks to look at are the Giants and Orioles. The perfect mix of old and new. The Giants big glove and water behind right field makes it special. The warehouse in Baltimore and the parks style is perfectly eye pleasing.
The Pirates ball park also comes to mind as well.

Now, you'll have to excuse me. All of a sudden, I've got a terrific hankering for a BLT.