Quote:
Originally Posted by Syd Thrift
The HR rate is cut in half compared to the pre humidor era, sure, but the extra hits are actually *not* attributable to just the big outfield. Due I’m sure in part to the fact that breaking pitches rather famously don’t break as much in Denver as they do at sea level, K rates are consistently about 90% of the norm through the rest of the league (an effect that unfortunately OOTP does not track).
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No doubt about breaking pitches being less effective at Coors.
As with anything, many factors combine to create reality. And it's not always easy to untangle every thread.
But I'm arguing, and yes mostly on the basis of observation and anecdote (so I make no pretense of having hard data to back this up) that one of those factors is the great many bloop singles that drop into the vastness of the Coors field outfield without the opportunity for any fielder other than those with tremendous range being able to reach them and convert them into outs.
So to clarify-I am not arguing that all of these extra hits (not just bloop singles, but also line drives into the gaps for extra bases, which admittedly I didn't mention until now)- are ONLY because of the vast outfield spaces. I'm merely arguing that this is one, not insignificant, factor.
And I totally accept that I may not be correct about this. But I'm not without Coors Field observational experience.
