Bring in the Fences?
by jbox on May 17, 2007 10:08 PM PDT
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PrintUT: Fences may be altered at Petco
Let me preface this by saying that the Padres really just need to make a decision and stick with it. Everytime the offense goes in the tank, we can't keep second guessing Petco. On the other hand maybe our pitchers are getting away with too many mistakes in our park. Either way, both teams have to play in the same park with the same ground rules. It's fair. Once a decision is made, the Padres, the Execs and the fans are just going to have to live with it.
Myself, I like a balanced offense and defense. If the Padres can figure out a way to make Petco Park a non-issue in the outcome of a game then I say we bring in the fences. That's my opinion. If they could do some study where they figure out how many home runs the average ballpark gives up and then make Petco like that, then I give it the thumbs up. I just don't want to pull out my conversion chart everytime I hear a Padres stat. "Well Adrian Gonzalez hit 30 home runs, that's 38 in any other park".
I'm not sure what that study would entail. Do we even know what is keeping the ball from going out? Is it that there is too much moisture in the air? Is it the wind currents? Is it the size of the field? Is it the shape of the field? Shouldn't we try to figure this out before we start messing with the fences? Let's put up some of those tin rooster weather vanes, weather balloons and those Doppler radar contraptions. Let's get some scientists and professors out here from UCSD and SDSU. John Moores has given those schools enough money, let's start pulling some favors. Have them cruise in with a bunch of interns and weather equipment. Make it a competition between all the universities in San Diego.
It seems fans want to see more home runs whether it's bringing in the fences or bringing in a power hitter. I think the idea of getting a power hitter is a pipe dream. I'm guessing there are only about ten major league hitters that could hit 30 or more home runs a year playing in Petco. Those 10 players are going to be really expensive and are not going to want to come here to watch their power numbers dry up. So it seems like a better idea just to get well rounded players and make the field play like other fields.
I guess the other question is, are we sacrificing home runs but getting a more exciting and entertaining game overall? Are there more extra base hits with the vast alleys? Is that more exciting for the average baseball fan? Are we at a disadvantage when we travel because too much focus is put on pitching and defense? If we bring in the fences will more fans come to the games and increase attendance and profits?
Hopefully a final decision will be made in the upcoming off season, so that 30 years from now we aren't still talking about tweaking the ballpark. I'll be fine with any decision they make, it is kind of nice to have something quirky about your ballpark. You can also talk about it like it's some living entity that swallows home run balls.
We've voted before, but let's vote again in the comments section.
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Altering Petco Park....
The team that has been built, the minor league system being built...all have been put together with Petco Park in mind. Now after four seasons at Petco, management is going to just completely change the entire business plan?
The bitching and moaning about Petco Park has become exhausting. Enough. I can never understand this view that the difficulty hitting homeruns at Petco only affects the San Diego Padres. The fences aren't rolled forward 30 feet between innings for the visitors. Remember last Saturday night against the Cardinals? Pujols at the plate with the bases loaded. He hit a bomb. His first thought was that it was going to be a second-deck grand slam. Instead, it died at the warning track and should (thanks, Terrmel) have been an out. It works both ways.
What worries me about Alderson's comment is that he's obviously floating an idea out there to see what the reaction will be. This looks to me like something that comes down to making a change to sell more tickets because the "fans" want to see more homeruns and scoring. Well, screw that. I'm a Padre fan. I appreciate great pitching and defense. I want to see my guys win...not just hit a bunch of homeruns.
I blame Phil Nevin and Ryan Klesko for this entire thing.
Nevin & Klesko
Even so, they shouldn't have bitched som uch
Nevin & Klesko
What's wrong with selling more tickets
People like to see home runs, they are exciting. The park would still be fair, if the fences are moved in. Both teams would have an equal shot at hitting a home run, just like they do now. There might just be more of them.
I'd be all for forgetting this argument too, but it's just not going to go away, ever! You're sick of the bitching and moaning, I'm sick of it too, and by moving in the fences maybe it would stop... maybe. I don't think it will otherwise.
Were you okay with them moving in the fence last year?
Petco
What this says to me is that it is not just the park and it's dimensions that are stiffling the offense at Petco. Have you ever watched a day game at Petco? The ball sure flies out of there. Remember the game last year where we got into a slugfest with the Cardinals, and the record for longest homerun at Petco park was set like three times? I would say weather has a big effect here. But, like jbox says, we don't know the how or why of the weather. What if we move all the fences in, and after all the downtown construction finishes, everything changes and we are left with a Phillies or Rangers-like ballpark? Do we really want that?
Like I have mentioned before, last year we had one of the best road offenses in the league, so I am not sure that our focus on pitching and defense is hurting us on the road. So far this year has been a little different story, but we will have to see how that will play out. I think we just don't have the ideal team for Petco yet. We are getting there though. Obviously Adrian isn't affected too much by the Petco factor, there have to be other players out there like that.
I just don't see the advantage right now of bringing in the fences. We have three winning seasons in a row, looking towards a fourth, and are winning consistently at home. Why turn it into a slugfest? Unless it really starts hurting us, leave it be.
Petco
And what if you do move the fences in and, uh, nothing dramatically changes? Does the discussion get revisited again? "We didn't move them in far enough. Hmmm. Maybe we need just another couple feet. We'll look at that in the off season."
Ridiculous. Just get over it. Leave it alone.
by Winfield's Ghost on May 18, 2007 8:09 AM PDT reply actions
Totally agree
I'm pretty much saying, if we're going to do it, let's do it this year and do it right. Then just say that's it, no more changes until Petco is dust.
I just don't think it's sac religious to move in the fences. The way Petco is playing now was not their initial intention. They wanted it a pitching friendly park, but they over did it. So if you can, then fix it.
Remember they brought the fences in at Jack Murphy too.
Murph
The problem, for me, in moving the fences again is that it's going to be tough to take anyone at their word when they say "That's it. We're done." Because it seems like they've already said that twice - once, when the park opened and then again after moving the CF fence.
by Winfield's Ghost on May 18, 2007 9:09 AM PDT up reply actions
True
perfect ballpark
Oh thank goodness!
I have no where near the baseball smarts as most of the people who write here but I am so relieved to hear some of my favorite bloggers whose opinions I totally respect, to also be against this move.
I don't understand how it can possibly help. The away team will not notice? The (old) park dimensions will be in their head and they won't be able to knock it out too?
I lurrrve the pitchers game. I love the stolen bases, the doubles and triples, the manufacturing of runs and the diving stops/catches. The home run ball is great too but not ALL the time. It is one of the reasons I don't like to watch the jankees play... there can be a beautiful game going on only to be entirely negated by one swing of the bat. It reminds me of the circus where people line up to swing the hammer and make the bell ring; there is no art in that!
I realize that the people that count the money rely much more on the casual fan and will always cater to the firework show that they want to see... isn't that how we got in this whole steroid mess is the first place?
I have a question for those more connected than I... It seems to me, run scoring in general has been higher this year than of recent. Is this true or am I just paying more attention?
i think the problem lies in
When the Padres go 0 for a trillion and then the Reds leave town. The next team comes in fresh, and our hitters are still lamenting over the 0 for...then try and overcompensate and start beating balls into the ground.
2005 (Pads outhomered by 19%)
Visiting team HRs: 64
Home team HRs: 54
2006 (Pads outhomered by 23%)
Visiting team HRs: 92
Home team HRs: 75
2007 (argument breaks down, Visitors outhomered by 200%!)
Visiting team HRs: 5
Home team HRs: 15
2007 may be the year it proves that we shouldn't mess with the fences...or maybe it is just a function of a much deeper and consistent pitching staff, not to mention filthy bullpen.
However, if you look hard at 2006 and 2005, when you look at the disparity in our "home park" with home runs, either our team was not built for power, therefore you shouldn't expect it, or our hitters despite the fact that we play in the same park as our visitors, are noticably "affected", and on a homestand are much more vulnerable to dry streaks whereas a visiting team can "escape" Petco only having to endure one series.
I for one am not in favor of moving fences in, but to me, seems very unfair that an enviromnent would play a factor in ones stats so dramatically.
What if Hank Aaron played in Petco his whole life, would he be the Home Run king? Would we be adjusting his numbers such that he would be the "projected" Home run King in another ball park.
Maybe we should template ballparks like they do in NASCAR for parity.
I dont know, you can't win either way.
What if...
NOW we need Richard...!
Homeruns
Once again, I point to last years team and their great road offense(I should just put that in my sig), and would have to say that Petco didn't seem to affect them overall, besides surpressing their offensive numbers at home. But it did the same thing for opponents. Homeruns are not the only way to score runs.
My favorite what if...how many homeruns would Ted Williams have hit if he played in Yankee stadium with it's short right field instead of Fenway with it's huge right field. The guy would have hit 1000 homeruns!
I am with Drama and Osbug on this
As a bit of a geek though - I do like the idea of the weather study!!
My opinion
Awesome
Don't just move the fences...
Or even better, have them move very very slowly like a minute hand so that at the end of 2 1/2 hours they're all the way back and then start coming in again if the game starts going long.
Top of the 19th
Fences
how about take the wrigley approach
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