MLB Thu, Jul 22, 2004
Bank scam: Phony fence nets over
Ryan Stetson
There’s a secret behind the over’s stellar 26-19 record when the Philadelphia Phillies' are playing in front of their home crowd at Citizens Bank Park. And all you have to do is look out to the left field wall for the answer.
Since the Bank opened, Phillies pitchers have been suspicious of the park’s dimensions. Apparently, these guys know 369 feet when they see it.
Philadelphia recently moved the 369-foot panel of the park’s wall over three spots toward dead center – where it should have been all along. After a little work with the tape measure, now Philadelphia says the panel’s in the right spot - 369 feet from home plate. But what about where it was before? Just 351 feet from the dish.
"College parks are bigger than that," one pitcher told the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"I haven't taken batting practice yet, but I could hit one out of here," Phillies lefthander Rheal Cormier added.
Maybe that explains why baseballs are flying out of the Bank faster than you can say Placido Polanco. A total of 144 jacks have been smacked at Citizens Bank Park so far this year, more than any other field in the bigs. U.S. Cellular Field is second with 140 homers while no other park has yielded more than 129 dingers.
"They're going to have a tough time getting pitchers to come here in a few years," another Phillies pitcher said recently.
Still, as much as the Phillies pitchers gripe about the short porch in left, it hasn’t boosted their numbers at home. Philadelphia’s team ERA is 4.20 at home and 4.46 on the road.
Meanwhile, Philly’s offense puts up about 5.1 runs and 1.5 home runs per home game, and 5.1 runs and 1.1 dingers per road game.
But there is a noticeable difference when you check out the Phillies’ over/under record. On the year, the over is just 43-44 when Philadelphia takes the field, but when the Phillies are at home, the over is a stellar 26-19.
The Phillies said they had put the 369 panel in its original spot because it would have been too close to an advertisement on the wall near if it was closer to left-center.
Philadelphia hosts the Chicago Cubs Friday. Oddsmakers have the Phillies at +130 with an 8 ½-run total that should have over-backers salivating again.
Bank scam: Phony fence nets over
Ryan Stetson
There’s a secret behind the over’s stellar 26-19 record when the Philadelphia Phillies' are playing in front of their home crowd at Citizens Bank Park. And all you have to do is look out to the left field wall for the answer.
Since the Bank opened, Phillies pitchers have been suspicious of the park’s dimensions. Apparently, these guys know 369 feet when they see it.
Philadelphia recently moved the 369-foot panel of the park’s wall over three spots toward dead center – where it should have been all along. After a little work with the tape measure, now Philadelphia says the panel’s in the right spot - 369 feet from home plate. But what about where it was before? Just 351 feet from the dish.
"College parks are bigger than that," one pitcher told the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"I haven't taken batting practice yet, but I could hit one out of here," Phillies lefthander Rheal Cormier added.
Maybe that explains why baseballs are flying out of the Bank faster than you can say Placido Polanco. A total of 144 jacks have been smacked at Citizens Bank Park so far this year, more than any other field in the bigs. U.S. Cellular Field is second with 140 homers while no other park has yielded more than 129 dingers.
"They're going to have a tough time getting pitchers to come here in a few years," another Phillies pitcher said recently.
Still, as much as the Phillies pitchers gripe about the short porch in left, it hasn’t boosted their numbers at home. Philadelphia’s team ERA is 4.20 at home and 4.46 on the road.
Meanwhile, Philly’s offense puts up about 5.1 runs and 1.5 home runs per home game, and 5.1 runs and 1.1 dingers per road game.
But there is a noticeable difference when you check out the Phillies’ over/under record. On the year, the over is just 43-44 when Philadelphia takes the field, but when the Phillies are at home, the over is a stellar 26-19.
The Phillies said they had put the 369 panel in its original spot because it would have been too close to an advertisement on the wall near if it was closer to left-center.
Philadelphia hosts the Chicago Cubs Friday. Oddsmakers have the Phillies at +130 with an 8 ½-run total that should have over-backers salivating again.
