Rogers Centre Ballpark Affect

[fmradioguy]

The biggest story I find not being discussed enough this season has been the ballpark affect at Rogers Centre. Fans and the media often talk about the inconsistency of the team's offence when home and away stats clearly show the problem is with Rogers Centre, for whatever the reason.

 

At home, the Jays team OPS is 22nd in the majors. On the road, the Jays have the 5th highest OPS in the majors. Even the pitching staff is suffering at home with the 2nd fewest runs allowed at Rogers Centre but behind 6 other AL pitching staffs on the road (though AL teams are doing quite well on the road in general.)

 

Thoughts?

[L54]

I’m not smart enough to know about all the nuances when it comes to ballpark factors but it’s clear the new configurations are suppressing offense. Next year will again bring new variables when they shrink foul territory. So who knows what will happen

[BatFlip]

I’m not smart enough to know about all the nuances when it comes to ballpark factors but it’s clear the new configurations are suppressing offense. Next year will again bring new variables when they shrink foul territory. So who knows what will happen

 

 

This isn't based on anything, but I struggle to see how shrinking the foul territory is going to have a meaningful impact on offense in the stadium. Maybe I'm clueless on the amount of outs that will be impacted by the change.

[L54]

This isn't based on anything, but I struggle to see how shrinking the foul territory is going to have a meaningful impact on offense in the stadium. Maybe I'm clueless on the amount of outs that will be impacted by the change.

 

I mean I didn’t think the current dimensions would turn the Rogers Centre into Comerica but it did. Maybe the foul territory won’t have much impact but we just don’t know

 

I will be disappointed if the RC turns into a pitchers park. I was listening to a podcast (I think it was Rates and Barrels) and they said you need three years of data to really know how a park will play. Well now it’ll be three years starting next year before we know if that’s true

[BatFlip]

Yeah I’d be choked if this becomes a pitchers park. Will be Interesting to see how it plays next year.

[Laika]

Shrinking the foul territory could have a decent effect

 

I think the outfield renos changed the way air circulates or something

[connorp]

The biggest story I find not being discussed enough this season has been the ballpark affect at Rogers Centre. Fans and the media often talk about the inconsistency of the team's offence when home and away stats clearly show the problem is with Rogers Centre, for whatever the reason.

 

At home, the Jays team OPS is 22nd in the majors. On the road, the Jays have the 5th highest OPS in the majors. Even the pitching staff is suffering at home with the 2nd fewest runs allowed at Rogers Centre but behind 6 other AL pitching staffs on the road (though AL teams are doing quite well on the road in general.)

 

Thoughts?

 

Am I reading it wrong? Are pitchers suffering if they’re giving up fewer runs?

[InsideThePark]

On the road the Jays are hitting as well as they did last year. At home they're hitting much worse with way less HR than last year.

 

On the road the Jays pitching is actually worse than last year. At home it's way better.

 

Following numbers are from 2 weeks ago when I did the math, likely haven't changed much

 

Hitters:

2022 Jays at home: .261/.326/.434/.760, 102 HR

2023 Jays at home: .247/.323/.398/.721, 77 HR

 

2022 Jays on the road: .266/.331/.428/.759, 98 HR

2023 Jays on the road: .265/.335/.432/.767, 95 HR

 

Pitchers:

2022 at home: .248/.306/.411/.717, 102 HR

2023 at home: .227/.303/.386/.689, 91 HR

 

2022 on the road: .245/.309/.387/.696, 78 HR

2023 on the road: .251/.313/.416/.729, 92 HR

 

I don't know what the did with Rogers Center that made it a pitchers park and notably very difficult to hit homeruns specifically but it's happened. OBP isn't that much different as a whole. Average has dropped some but slugging is way down across the board as if there's way less HR as a whole. The walls alone shouldn't do it. Is the air circulation all different compared to last year and having some affect. It feels like we've been way worse with the bats and way better pitchers this year but it might just be perception because of the altered home ballpark.

[fmradioguy]

Am I reading it wrong? Are pitchers suffering if they’re giving up fewer runs?

 

Let me try that again.

 

The Jays staff is 2nd in fewest runs in the AL allowed at home but 7th away, which would seem to indicate, at least to some degree, that opposing offenses are also affected. In theory, maybe not having homefield advantage could actually benefit the Jays in the playoffs. I'd like to find more detailed stats for visiting offenses this season.

Edited October 1, 2023 by fmradioguy

[connorp]

The Jays staff is 2nd in fewest runs in the AL allowed at home but 7th away, which would seem to indicate, at least to some degree, that opposing offenses are also affected. In theory, maybe not having homefield advantage could actually benefit the Jays in the playoffs. I'd like to find more detailed stats for visiting offenses this season.

 

Well, if Toronto pitchers benefit, that means it’s still home field advantage. Just boring baseball

[connorp]

I’m sure all the closet TB fans here enjoy it though

[John_Havok]

Effect….

[thatoneguy]

It certainly has been a less entertaining product at home this year.

[fmradioguy]

Well, if Toronto pitchers benefit, that means itÂ’s still home field advantage. Just boring baseball

 

Perhaps. The statement was really based on the idea that you can't give up fewer than zero runs but offense is theoretically limitless. So does Rogers level the playing field for visiting staffs as well? That's why I think games in Toronto are going to come down whoever does the best job of grinding out runs and playing defensively sound ball. While the defense isn't as much of a concern with the Jays, grinding out runs is not something we've seen the 2023 version of this team do very well. On the road, their particular offensive game may play better.

[Stangstag]

Shrinking the foul territory could have a decent effect

 

I think the outfield renos changed the way air circulates or something

 

Yep really hard to determine when there will be more variables next season too. I don’t think we’ll ever get a true answer