Citizens Bank Park as Institution of Higher Learning

Someone has sold the Phillies pitching staff on the concept that if they can win in Philadelphia, they can win anywhere.

How many times have we heard blanket statements like “The Phillies can never win at Citizens Bank Park?” For the first time in its short history, the Phils are calling BS. This year’s rotation has adapted and excelled here, even embracing CBP as a place where pitchers learn the skills necessary to win regardless of age, stuff and setting. Home runs are down and even Brett Myers, who cursed the park in the past, has been lights out at home.

Something's changed. There's something older and wiser about this group, particularly the pitching staff. They suddenly get the point that a pitcher who keeps it on the ground and doesn't overthrow will stay out of trouble. This point surfaced yesterday during Cole Hamels’ post-game press conference, when the young starter implied that pitching in Philadelphia has given him an edge. There’s also evidence that CBP may not even be the bandbox everyone thinks it is.

“Because the Park Factors show that CBP is a slight HR favorite park (although the wind patterns this year -- winds from the north -- suppressed HR more than in past years), doubles and triples are more difficult to hit there than HRs or singles. It's also possible that the OF angles create a slight optical illusion making the fences look shallower than they are. Many teams come in and salivate at the dimensions, but then that messes with their games. A great example was a few years ago when the Texas Rangers came to town, ran out of batting practice balls, yet their players flailed away in actual games.” - MPN

Comments

[Knight]

As previously posted, the park factor for CBP is 1.029, 15th in the league.

CBP may be a bandbox in comparison to Dodger Stadium, but that's because Dodger Stadium is 29th at a meager 0.842. The only stadium more pitcher friendly is the cavern known at Petco.

[BJG]

My thoughts are with Charlie Manuel in his time of hardship...

If you haven't heard yet, it is being reported that Charlie's mom, June Manuel, passed away today, two days after suffering from a heart attack:

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/Heartbreaking_news_for_Charlie_Manuel.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillies_zone/Charlies_Mom_Dies.html

[GM-Carson]

From previous thread:

I wanted the Phils to win today and then go on to win the World Series, but that was for me. Today I want the Phils to win for Charlie.

[Dan]

If Myers stays out of his first innng troubles today, I expect the Phils to play with an early lead this afternoon.

Billingsley keeps the ball down in the strike zone much like Derek Lowe. Utley has proven he is a great low ball hitter, and I think he was seeing Lowe pretty well last night and hoping he would keep a sinker up just a bit more. When he did he pounded it. Billingsly may have better stuff overall then Lowe, but he is also subject to missing his pitches. Our offense has been known to thrive on that "if" they stay patient and wait for it.

If Myers can get a feel for the strike zone early I think we play with an early lead and try to hold it.

[sdphillie]

Petco is something else with decently high walls, all pretty far away from the batters box. Doesn't matter, the Phils still cranked a couple out, and Burrell's game winner (Friday game?) looked almost identical to last night's.

Our WS Championship magic number is now 7.

[Mike]

I mentioned this a few threads ago but I think Billingsley will get rattled by the crowd a bit. I saw his press conference on the LA post-game show last night and he sounded terrified about pitching in front of the rabid crowd.

Very sad news about Charlie's mom too. I'm sure they're going to go out and give one hell of an effort for him today.

[Bubba]

I hope the park and the crowd get into Billingsley's head big time.

Prayers for Charlie & his family.

Win it all, Phils.

[phargo]

Nice post, Jason.

I learned last night how to turn a triple into a double by standing there and gaping at it before you run...I hate it when showing up the pitcher comes back to bite me in the butt.

sdphillie, I have to confess I was a bit sad to learn that "sd" is San Diego, not Sotuh Dakota (the second best Dakota).

Almost time! Go Phils!!!

[clout]

From previous thread comparing Boston media market to Philadelphia:

rmp: Such comparisons are meaningless. You have to look at fan base. Red Sox country extends from central New York state through all of New England except for one third of Connecticut. The Phillies fanshed isn't nearly as large.

[Greg S.]

Reverse Beerleaguer jinx on Howard tonight. 2 for 15 this postseason, 0 for 8 at home. This guy is actively hurting the team.

:)

[DPatrone]

My thoughts and prayers for Charlie and his family. Let's win it for him today.

[clout]

MPN: You hit on a key point that needs to be emphasized whenever this issue comes up: How CBP plays is TOTALLY dependent on atmospheric conditions, which are always changing. Wind patterns, as you note, are important and so is temperature and humdity. When the temp is in the 80s with high humdity, the balls fly out of CBP like nowhere else, including Coors. When it is cool, in April and the fall, CBP plays like a neutral to slightly pitcher-biased park. I'd love to see lifetime HR stats by month at CBP since it opened. sophist?

[Bobby D]

Is there not one good looking female Phillie fan? The camera guy is always scanning the crowd for a hot girl and it doesn't look like he can find one.

[MPN]

clout: Absolutely right. I mentioned that in another post on the same thread that Jason took that from. The waving pennants at CBP are almost as telling as the flags at Wrigley, but hot and humid definitely turns the place into a launch pad.