Suppresses power and average from both sides of the plate, particularly righthanded average. Overrated as a hitter s park, it treats lefthanded hitters much better than their counterparts. Home plate is being moved back seven feet, which moves fences back, but also reduces foul ground territory. Giants pitchers allowed a league-best 3.78 runs per game at home in the field s 2000 debut. Over the past three years, the Marlins and their opponents have a .259 batting average at Pro Player compared with .275 on the road.
Pitchers get lots of help from an oversized foul territory.
Suppresses batting averages, particularly for lefthanded hitters. The team moved from a great hitter s park at the Kingdome to a pitcher s paradise in mid-1999. The Mariners and their opponents batted .249 at Safeco vs. .286 on the road, and home run numbers are down from the old dome, too. Tons of popups get gobbled up in foul ground. Speaking of large foul areas, the stadium is still the premier A.L. pitcher s park, though Safeco is not far behind.