With the 2023 MLB season approaching, for the first time since 2019, Major League Baseball is looking to begin a regular season at the end of March. No more COVID delays, ballpark travel restrictions or lockouts. We start on time (hopefully!) and play 162 games for everyone.
But just as some things are returning to normal, we’re seeing big changes in other parts of baseball we’ve grown accustomed to. It has a mild to massive impact on the game every year.
Other major changes come in the form of new dimensions in various ballparks. How Parks plays for both pitchers and hitters is a key variable for every fantasy trying to put together a team and his DFS manager. How will these parks factors affect play this year and which stadiums are adopting the changes?
First, let’s take a look at some of the changes that have been made to various ballparks around Major League Baseball and see what changes to expect.
Comerica Park (Detroit)
In early January, the Detroit Tigers announced significant changes to their outfield wall, from center field to right field foul pole. those changes, According to MLB.com becomes:
• Centerfield wall moved from 422 feet to 412 feet and lowered from 8.5 feet to 7 feet.
• The right-center field wall above the out-of-town scoreboard will be reduced in height from 13 feet to 7 feet.
• The right wing wall is lowered flush from 8.5 feet to 7 feet.
These are relatively large-scale changes, affecting many left-handed hitters in the Tigers’ lineup and visiting lineups. The iconic tall centerfield wall no longer holds many balls in the park.
Looking at these changes the first thing I found was Riley GreenThe young prodigy did more than hit .362 with five homers in 93 games last season. Austin Meadows When Akil Badu Also a left-hander who can benefit from these outfield changes.
We haven’t drafted a pitcher for the Tigers this year. Eduardo Rodriguez throw some darts Alex Lange if he is near. But these new outfield dimensions can wreak havoc on pitchers who tend to give up left-handed power.
Photo credit: Ilitch News Hub
Rogers Center (Toronto)
The changes the Blue Jays have announced to the outfield are more extensive, but far more subtle than what we’ve heard from Detroit. Proposed changes for this year that is:
- Left field line: 328 feet (unchanged), wall 14 feet 4 inches (previously 10 feet)
- Right wing line: 328′ (unchanged), 12’7″ wall (previously 10′)
- Left center: 368 feet (previously 375 feet), walls 11 feet 2 inches (previously 10 feet)
- Right center: 359 feet (previously 375 feet), walls 14 feet 4 inches (previously 10 feet)
- Left center power array: 381 feet (previously 383 feet), wall 12 feet 9 inches (previously 10 feet)
- Right middle power array: 372 feet (previously 383 feet), walls 10 feet 9 inches (previously 10 feet)
- Center Field: 400′ (unchanged), 8′ wall (previously 10′)
Knocking the ball out of a Toronto park seems a little harder if you choose to pull it down either line. Come.
Where we seem to see an increase in attack is in the power array, which has been shortened all around, including right-center 16 feet. To offset that, the walls are taller in these areas, but that’s more likely than some scrapers hitting home runs just above the shortened fences, and we’ve seen doubles off the walls a few times. It means that it is likely.
We definitely need time to see how these changes work. In Detroit, we know that the aggressive environment has an opportunity to rise across the board. It’s not very clear here, but none of these changes will lower the asking price of a Blue Jays stud being drafted this year.
Photo credit: Toronto Blue Jays
Why are park elements important to fantasy?
Stadiums in Toronto and Detroit are great examples of how park elements can be evaluated and given an edge in fantasy baseball. There are several ways to do this.
- Lineup utilization in daily leagues and DFS
- Use park factors to rate pitchers based on how they have historically played to their dominant hand
- Use Perk Factor as a tiebreaker between surrounding players in late round draft situations
More and more fantasy sites now offer weekly leagues, but with the option of Friday/midweek swaps for injuries, lineup adjustments, or other shifts. Another bench player who might face the second best pitcher at the Great American Ballpark, or a stream pitcher who might face the Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum (second-home run park percentage lowest).
In Draft, perk factors also help you make quick decisions between two otherwise similar players. Consider the following example: In the NFBC League, Andrew Benintendi (OF51, ADP 218.9) and Ramon Laureano (OF52, 219 ADP) were selected within one slot of each other in the January draft. Here’s a comparison of carriers:
| player |
career PA |
career OBP |
career SLGMore |
career OPS |
carrier exit velocity | Career Hard Hit % | Predicted lineup # |
| Andrew Benintendi | 3163 | 0.352 | 0.431 | 0.782 | 88.7 mph | 36.3% | 2nd place |
| Ramon Laureano | 1640 | 0.324 | 0.444 | 0.768 | 88.8 mph | 39.1% | 2nd place |
While there are some distinct points that distinguish them (experience being the main one), there are many similarities. If you need more on-base percentage, go for Benintendi. If you don’t like steel, Laureano might be on your side.
But all things being equal, Andrew Benintendi A move to the White Sox and guaranteed rate field might tip the scales his way when you’re pressed for time and faced with a decision.
Rate guarantee field: Park factor average over 3 years:
Run – 8th place
Home Run – 2nd Place
OBP-11th
Overall – 7th place
Oakland Coliseum: Park factor average over 3 years:
Run – 28th place
Home Run – 29th
OBP – 28 days
Overall – 28th
Certainly there are many other factors involved and this is just considering them in a vacuum. can be a useful tie breaker.
best aggressive park
According to Statcast data for Baseball Savant, the top three offensive perks in each category for 2020-2022 are:
| run | hit | singles | doubles | home run | strikeout | whole |
| Coors Field | Coors Field | Coors Field | Fenway Park | Great American Ball Park | Coors Field | Coors Field |
| Great American Ball Park | Fenway Park | Kauffman Stadium | Coors Field | Rate guarantee field | Kauffman Stadium | Great American Ball Park |
| Fenway Park | Kauffman Stadium | Fenway Park | Kauffman Stadium | dodger stadium | PNC Park | Fenway Park |
point: We knew the Coors and Great American Ball Park were a hitter’s paradise, but Fenway and Kaufman, though not homers, were a very friendly offense overall. The two new stadiums finished second in home runs last year and he finished third. Guaranteed Rate Field (White Sox) and Dodger His stadium is now big enough to hit a lot of home runs.
Best Pitcher Park
According to Statcast data for Baseball Savant, the top three pitcher-friendly parks in these categories for 2020-2022 are:
| run | hit | singles | doubles | home run | strikeout | whole |
| T-Mobile Park | T-Mobile Park | yankee stadium | T-Mobile Park | Comerica Park | T-Mobile Park | T-Mobile Park |
| Petco Park | Petco Park | T-Mobile Park | city field | Oakland Coliseum | Tropicana Field | Oakland Coliseum |
| Oakland Coliseum | Tropicana Field | american family field | Petco Park | Kauffman Stadium | Petco Park | Petco Park |
point: Looking for a reason to throw in an extra dollar or two George Kirby Also Logan Gilbert this year? T-Mobile Park looks like a park pitcher’s dream. Yankee Stadium is a power array that allows for a lot of home runs and doubles, so it might only be rated this high in singles. The Padres pitcher also gets a bump given how weak he’s played on Petco Park’s offense, and I think it’s also made clear why the Tigers are moving up and down the fence for his 2023. .
Things to watch out for in 2023
In addition to the dramatic impact the fence will have on Comerica Park and Rogers Center, there are a few things to note about the park factor this season.
The main thing fantasy managers will be looking at early in the season is how the new shift rule will affect hitters who push hard on one side of the field. The rule that the defensive team must have his two infielders on either side of second base now applies, but in 2023, due to the production of even more hits and runs. Will the spacious outfield be open?
Two parks with huge outfields are Coors Field and Oakland Coliseum. From the top, we know that these perks are very different in how they play offense, but with the no-shift rule, will both see spikes in runs and hits?
In essence, will the no-shift rule be the trend to raise all aggressive boats in 2023?
We wish you the best of luck this season and hope that baseball will be flying around the park again.