Expert: Steve L - 6/10/2005

Question
What makes a hitter's park? For instance, I know that Colorado is a major hitter's park, but I don't know why. I thought maybe bigger parks since there was more space to cover and more area available for hits; however, I recently heard an announcer say  (during a game with a lot of hits) that the park was playing "small". Can you tell me what makes a hitter's park and why? Thanks!

Answer
Smaller parks are generally considered to better hitter's parks (e.g. Ebbets Field was, and so are Wrigley Field and Fenway Park.)

Several factors make a hitter's park:

- Relatively short outfield fences (around 300 feet down the lines, and less than 350 feet in the power alleys)
- Limited foul territory, making it harder for fielders to catch foul pop ups and allowing batters to stay alive longer.
- Good background in the outfield stands, making it easier for batters to see the ball coming out of the pitcher's hand

As for Colorado, I think the major reason why it's considered a hitter's park is the higher altitude and thinner air that allows balls to be hit farther.

The easiest to understand view of the effects altitude have on a ball hit in Coors Field came from Major League Baseball, "The ball still travels 9% farther at 5,280 feet than at sea level. It is estimated that a home run hit 400 feet in sea-level Yankee Stadium would travel about 408 feet in Atlanta and as far as 440 feet in the Mile High City."