Coors Field in Denver debuted in 1995.
The center-field fence is 415 feet from home plate, and home runs must clear the wall at 347 feet in left field, 350 feet in right, 390 in left-center and 375 in right-center.
The Rocky Mountain Oysters, which sound delicious, are located in Section 144. The buffalo hot dogs and brats, which sound even better, can be purchased in Section 146.
OK, who are we fooling? You and I both know Coors Field was built for fantasy baseball owners who love offense.
The Colorado Rockies' website says the ball travels "9 percent farther at 5,280 feet than at sea level." Even better, according to the site: "It is estimated that a home run hit 400 feet in sea-level Yankee Stadium would travel about 408 feet in Atlanta and as far as 440 feet in the Mile High City."
As we explained in our analysis of the most hitter-friendly parks in fantasy baseball, the numbers back up the above paragraph.
Coors Field's ranking in ESPN.com's Park Factor (which we explained further in the hitter-friendly park analysis) has been among the top 10 in both runs and home runs -- the stats that are the most relevant to fantasy owners -- since 2001, which is as far back as you can go while doing Park Factor research.
Coors' Park Factor ranking among major-league parks in runs since 2001: 2, 1, 5, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 1, 1. (That's a top-three finish in every year but one, seven top-two finishes, four No. 1 rankings and 10 consecutive top-five finishes.)
Coors' Park Factor ranking in home runs since 2001: 2, 1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 5, 3, 9, 2. (That's seven top-five finishes and five top-three rankings.)
To illustrate just how hitter-friendly Coors is, we researched the Rockies' home and road batting numbers the last five seasons.
The results were more startling than a collection of Barry Bonds the Pittsburgh Pirate and Bonds the San Francisco Giant (literally and figuratively) pictures.
Since 2006, the Rockies' home and road batting numbers are as follows:
- Home: 406 games played; 13,780 at-bats; 4,010 hits; .291 average; 476 home runs; 2,176 RBI; 2,288 runs; 5.6 runs per game.
- Road: 405 games; 13,958 at-bats; 3,407 hits; .244 average; 375 homers; 1,623 RBI; 1,706 runs; 4.2 runs per game.
In 178 fewer at-bats, the Rockies scored 582 more runs at home, hit 101 more homers and batted 47 points better. The latter number was the most surprising -- it's as if the Rockies turn into a lineup full of Brandon Inges when they hit the road.
The Rockies' home and road batting averages the last five seasons, beginning with 2010:
- Home: .298, .287, .278, .298, .294.
- Road: .226, .235, .249, .261, .247.
Finally, their home-run and RBI totals since 2006, with 2010 listed first:
- Home: 108 and 460, 98-438, 92-393, 103-460, 75-425.
- Road: 65 and 281, 92-322, 68-321, 68-363, 82-336.
Does that mean you should overrate a Rockies batter on draft day? Absolutely not.
What it does mean: Remember the above numbers when you're setting your lineup, especially during weeks in which the Rockies are scheduled to play all of their games at home or all of their contests on the road.
Even their best hitters -- fantasy studs Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki -- aren't immune to the Away From Coors Field Factor.
In 2010, Gonzalez's breakout season (one that vaulted him to No. 2 overall heading into the 2011 fantasy drafts), he had the following huge discrepancies at Coors Field and on the road:
- Home: 300 at-bats, 70 runs, 26 homers, 76 RBI, .380 average, 1.161 OPS.
- Road: 287 at-bats, 41 runs, eight homers, 41 RBI, .289 average, .775 OPS.
Basically, he was a beast at home and Stephen Drew, with better stolen-base numbers, on the road. The only thing he did better on the road was steal bases (16, compared to 10 at Coors Field).
If that's not convincing enough, check out Tulowitzki's home-and-away numbers over a much longer period -- his stats since 2007, his first full season in the big leagues:
- Home: 987 at-bats, 184 runs, 51 homers, 194 RBI, .314 average.
- Road: 1,012 at-bats, 158 runs, 40 homers, 138 RBI, .272 average.
He's still pretty darn good on the road -- 600 at-bat norms of 94 runs, 24 home runs and 82 RBI -- but with a Ryan Howard-esque batting average.
At home, however, Tulowitzki is phenomenal -- 600 at-bat averages of 112 runs, 31 homers and 118 RBI.
Would I bench Tulowitzki if Colorado was scheduled to play seven road games in a week? Of course not.
Would I bench Jose Lopez, Ian Stewart or Chris Iannetta? You bet.
That, ladies and gents, is the power of Coors Field. Now who wants a buffalo brat?
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More fantasy baseball tips:
- ANALYSIS: How to assign value in rotisserie formats, How to manage your fantasy team in the playoffs
- COMMISSIONERS: How to run a fantasy baseball league
- DRAFTING: Five things you can learn from a mock draft, How to prepare for a draft in one hour, Draft horror stories
- KEEPER LEAGUES: How to choose the best keepers
- SAVES: Should you punt saves in fantasy baseball?
- TRADING: How to make effective trades
- WAIVER WIRE: Five tips on how to manage the waiver wire
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