How Trusted is Park Factor?

[sturg1dj]

I ask this because right now some of the numbers do not make sense.

according to the multi-year Comerica Park and AT&T park are both hitters parks. This season AT&T park has the same Park Factor (103) as the new Yankee Stadium.


this doesn't make sense to me.

[tigers527]

I always wondered that too, but I guess the phrase, "hitters park" is more indicative of BA over SLG?

The spacious CoPa has been a "hitters park" for at least 5 years (since the canyon), I have to guess its such not cause of how easy it is to homer there.

[dominik]

I think you must differentiate it more. PF is a good indicator, but some parks are built asymmetrically and favor rightys over lefties or so.

For really evaluating this you would have to consider this also.
For example in yankee stadium(the old) it was easy to hit HRs to RF but extremely hard to hit them in CF.

Is there a stat that does take this into consideration?

[abolishthedh]

In reply to the previous post, there isn't such a modification to my knowledge. Furthermore, I don't know how there could be such a modification. A great deal of data would have to be entered into that adjustment, from Project Scoresheet or something. Such data is held by the clubs for scouting and for player development, but it isn't for use by the public. Such data exists for public use, but working it into Park Factor could make PF too much for mainstream fans, at least IMO.

There should always be room for debate, though. For example, what if George Brett had been a Yankee? He was a spray hitter and hit well to all fields. However, having seen him play countless times while living here in Missouri, I can say when he was hot, Brett pulled the ball to right a whole lot more. He also tended to hit his homers to rightfield. His real power was to right, and not across all fields. Had Brett been a Yankee, I believe he would have had well over 400 homers.

Park Factor settles some issues, but not all issues are meant to be settled.