You’ve all heard the terms and know what they mean, but I’m here to show you what it means when a player calls a “pitchers park” home vs. taking most of their cuts in a “hitters park”.
Below you’ll find the rankings based on how many balls flew out of each field last year and I’ve also included the HR hit per game.
*Please note that the New York Yankees moves into their new stadium this year.
American League Ballparks
Team Name & Ballpark Name
1) Chicago White Sox U.S. Cellular Field 2.76 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ The Cell In 2008: Thome, Jim 468 Ft. On 06/04/08
2) Baltimore Orioles Oriole Park at Camden Yards 2.55 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Camden In 2008: Giambi, Jason 450 Ft. On 05/28/08
3) Texas Rangers Ameriquest Field 2.52 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Ameriquest In 2008: Hamilton, Josh 468 Ft. On 05/12/08
4) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Angels Stadium 1.90 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Angels Stadium In 2008: Rodriguez, Alex 466 Ft. On 08/09/08
5) New York Yankees Yankee Stadium 1.98 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Yankees Stadium In 2008: Rodriguez, Alex 469 Ft. On 06/30/08 Note: The New York Yankees will be playing in their new stadium in 2009!
6) Cleveland Indians Jacobs Field 1.90 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Jacobs In 2008: Cabrera, Miguel 440 Ft. On 09/19/08
7) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Angels Stadium 1.90 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Angels Stadium In 2008: Rodriguez, Alex 466 Ft. On 08/09/08
8) Tampa Bay Devil Rays Tropicana Field 1.90 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recoded @ Tropicana In 2008: Gross, Gabe 466 Ft. On 08/06/08
9) Boston Red Sox Fenway Park 1.81 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Fenway In 2008: Drew, J.D. 460 Ft. On 07/26/08
10) Minnesota Twins Metrodome 1.70 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ The Metrodome In 2008: Thames, Marcus 454 Ft. On 09/05/08
11) Seattle Mariners Safeco Field 1.67 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Safeco In 2008: Napoli, Mike 441 Ft. On 09/23/08
12) Oakland Athletics McAfee Coliseum 1.54 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ McAfee In 2008: Pena, Carlos 451 Ft. On 08/13/08
13) Toronto Blue Jays Rogers Centre 1.54 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Rogers Centre In 2008: Wilkerson, Brad 447 Ft. On 05/20/08
14) Kansas City Royals Kauffman Stadium 1.52 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Kauffman In 2008: Dye, Jermaine 466 Ft. On 07/10/08
National League Ballparks
Team Name & Ballpark Name
1) Cincinnati Reds Great American Ball Park 2.64 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ The GAB: Dunn, Adam 465 Ft. On 05/05/08
2) Houston Astros Minute Maid Park 2.39 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Hit @ Minute Maid In 2008: Berkman, Lance 472 Ft. On 06/08/08
3) Philadelphia Phillies Citizens Bank Park 2.33 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Citizens In 2008: Ludwick, Ryan 449 Ft. On 07/08/08
4) Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field 2.30 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Wrigley In 2008: Dunn, Adam 485 Ft. On 07/10/08
5) Milwaukee Brewers Miller Park 2.21 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Miller In 2008: Branyan, Russell 460 Ft. On 05/31/08
6) Colorado Rockies Coors Field 2.15 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Coors In 2008: Hawpe, Brad 482 Ft. On 06/30/08
7) New York Mets Shea Stadium 2.15 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Shea In 2008: Betemit, Wilson 465 Ft. On 06/29/08
8) Florida Marlins Dolphins Stadium 2.10 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Dolphins In 2008: Weeks, Rickie 459 Ft. On 05/07/08
9) St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium 1.99 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Busch In 2008: Votto, Joey 452 Ft. On 09/28/08
10) Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Park 1.88 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ PNC In 2008: LaRoche, Adam 440 Ft. On 09/17/08
11) Washington Nationals Nationals Park 1.85 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Nationals In 2008: Howard, Ryan 445 Ft. On 05/21/08
12) Atlanta Braves Turner Field 1.78 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Turner In 2008: Ramirez, Hanley 449 Ft. 06/04/08
13) San Diego Padres PETCO Park 1.68 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Petco In 2008: Morneau, Justin 444 Ft. On 06/26/08
14) Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium 1.48 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ Dodger In 2008: Ludwick, Ryan 441 Ft. On 05/23/08
15) San Francisco Giants AT&T Park 1.48 Home Runs Per Game
Longest Home Run Recorded @ AT&T In 2008: Thames, Marcus 455 Ft. On 06/17/08
Best Park:
U.S. Cellular Field is clearly the place that you want your players to call “home”. Hitters from around the league can’t wait to play at “The Cell” because it's no bigger than a child's sandbox!
Worst Park:
On the opposite side of the spectrum, you can see that it’s difficult for hitters to pad their stats in San Francisco’s AT&T Park. AT&T Park ranks dead last in Home Runs per game because weather conditions can be tough (windy) & the Giants roster has less power than "The Great Blackout" Of 1965.
Best Change Of Address: Mark “Big Tex” Teixiera
Most people thought Big Tex’s power numbers would take a major hit when he was traded to Atlanta midway through the 2008 season, but he proved to all of us that he could hit the big fly in any stadium by pounding out 33 home runs last season. The Yankees porches in both corners of their new stadium are shorter than most high school ballparks (318 In Left Field & 314 In Right Field) and that type of distance will make it much easier for Big Tex to clear the fences in '09. Not too mention that he will be well protected in a lineup that possesses other Bronx Bombers that can hit for both power & average like superstar Alex Rodriguez & Xavier Nady. Expect Teixiera to hit anywhere from 35 to 40 home runs in his first season with the Yankees!
Worst Change Of Address: “Mad” Milton Bradley
The volatile veteran outfielder’s change of address from humid Texas to Chicago’s Windy City will take a big toll on his numbers. Milton was a beast in 2008 by hitting 22 home runs with a slugging percentage of .563. Milton’s a high risk/ high reward pick in this year’s All American Home Run Derby because there are so many challenges he’s going to have to face during his first year with the Cubbies.
April & May are notoriously cold months in Chicago, the Wrigley faithful are known to “pressure cook” anyone on the team that’s performing below expectations and the Chicago media will be all over him regarding his past instances with teammates, fans & umpires during his tenure in the league.
I absolutely love “Mad” Milton’s passion, his hunger to win and that he plays as hard as any player that has ever played the game. What I don’t like is that he’s playing in a hostile environment with fans that are more desperate for a championship than Bernie Madoff is for a pardon for wolfing Wall Street out of $50 billion. The Wrigley Boo Birds will be out in full force if he tanks & that type of negative response could turn this pit bull against his owners at some point in the season. In short….proceed with caution & expect "Mad" Milton to hitno more than 15 to 20 Home Runs at most this season!
The All American Home Run Derby Starts 04/05/2009