OK.. here we go… Seven games that decide seven months and over 2,500 previous contests to determine baseball’s champion. So, what do you need to know about these ballparks in order to get the most out of the Series.
- Homers. Lots and Lots of Homers: these are Earl Weaver stadiums, the perfect place to get a couple guys on base and wait for the 3 run homer. The Yankees hit 136 of the 237 homers (57%) hit in new Yankee Stadium in 2009, while the Phils hit 108 of the 207 (52%) at Citizens Bank Park. As much of a hitter’s parks as CBP is, the Phillies hit even more on the road (116)
- Baserunners: The Yanks have a home OBP of .368 and an OPS of .858. They’ve held their opponents to 40 less points of OBP, and 130 less in OPS. The phillies have a home edge as well, but it’s nowhere near as pronounced, nor their numbers quite as gaudy. These two teams combined for 1,252 walks this year, meaning nearly 8 per game in total… and that leads us to…
- Long games: The average Yankees / Angels game in the LCS was just shy of 4 hours, with no game being completed in under 3 hours. The Yankees stadium policies allow you to bring your own water in a factory sealed bottle only. I think you can pack a snack, and with the price of World Series tickets these days, you might need to. Phillies games were about a half an hour shorter on average, with 2 games just barely eclipsing the 3 hour mark.
Playoff baseball isn’t really about the stadium, the way a regular season game can be… it’s really about the game on the field, and the energy in the stands. I’ll be interested to see how Yankee Stadium III holds up as a World Series venue. My last playoff visit to New York was for Game 7 against the Red Sox in 2004, and that was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. I’m hoping that the new park can shake some of its sterility tonight with some playoff magic of its own.
If any of you are going, please leave a comment, and let us know how your World Series experience stacked up against previous visits.
