Reds on the Road

[Kc61]

Some pitching ERA comps --

Harang home 3.72 road 4.91. (Harang's 2-9 really makes a big difference in team record)

Cueto home 3.60 road 7.28. (Huge difference)

Cordero home 1.23 road 4.85 (Wasn't he better at home with the Brewers too?)

Burton home 1.06 road 4.91.

[mth123]

Bigger parks on the road mean larger OF expanses -- and the Reds OF does not cover a lot of ground.

This is my theory as well. Bigger parks hurt the HR dependent offense while also hurting the pitching by virtue of the range challenged defense. I think it shows up most in OF playing deeper in the bigger parks and more balls falling in for hits. A larger (but still not large enough) percentage of those dinks and dunks get caught in Cincy because the OF doesn't have to play as deeply.

But that is all purely observation which may be skewed. I'm not sure the stats support those assertions. I'm not sure I have enough confidence in defensive stats for it to matter to me anyway.

[mbgrayson]

....or maybe it's just the good vibes that come from the fans cheering for you instead of against you....(except when we play the Cubs at GABP...)

[Spring~Fields]

The primary ERA suspects -  Starters
Non-Active MLB
NAME		IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	K/9	P/GS	WHIP	ERA
Josh Fogg	28.1	39	31	7	10	17	5.40	68.8	1.73	9.85 
Matt Belisle	29.2 	47 	24 	4 	6 	14 	4.25 	86.0 	1.79 	7.28 

Active MLB 
NAME		IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	K/9	P/GS	WHIP	ERA
B. Arroyo	73.2 	95 	47 	13 	30 	71 	8.67 	98.9 	1.70 	5.74 
Johnny Cueto    74.2 	77 	42 	16 	23 	70 	8.44 	97.9 	1.34 	5.06 
Aaron Harang    94.0 	105 	45 	14 	20 	82 	7.85 	103.6 	1.33 	4.31
Homer Bailey     6.1 	4 	2 	1 	4 	1 	1.42 	89.0 	1.26 	2.84 
E. Volquez	75.0 	49 	11 	3 	38 	91 	10.92 	103.1 	1.16 	1.32 

The primary ERA suspects -  Relievers
Non-Active MLB
NAME		IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	K/9	P/GS	WHIP	ERA
Todd Coffey	15.1 	18 	11 	3 	6 	5 	2.93 	0.0 	1.57 	6.46
Kent Mercker    13.2 	13 	5 	1 	8 	6 	3.95 	0.0 	1.54 	3.29 

Active MLB
NAME		IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	K/9	P/GS	WHIP	ERA
Mike Lincoln	28.1 	26 	16 	5 	7 	23 	7.31 	0.0 	1.16 	5.08 
D. Weathers	21.2 	24 	10 	4 	13 	15 	6.23 	0.0 	1.71 	4.15 
J. Affeldt	28.1 	28 	12 	5 	12 	31 	9.85 	0.0 	1.41 	3.81 
F. Cordero	27.2 	16 	9 	3 	18 	31 	10.08 	0.0 	1.23 	2.93 
Jared Burton	31.2 	33 	10 	3 	10 	35 	9.95 	0.0 	1.36 	2.84 
Gary Majewski    3.1 	3 	1 	0 	1 	2 	5.40 	0.0 	1.20 	2.70 
Bill Bray	17.1 	16 	5 	0 	10 	17 	8.83 	0.0 	1.50 	2.60 
Danny Herrera    1.0 	0 	0 	0 	1 	2 	18.00 	0.0 	1.00 	0.00 
Totals	       570.0	593	281	82	217	513	8.10	97.3	1.42	4.44

Home/Away - Stats  	
Non-Active MLB
Josh Fogg	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
Overall		14.1 	23 	24 	22 	6 	7 	.359	13.81
As reliever	14.0 	16 	9 	9 	1 	3 	.286	5.79
Home		11.1 	15 	14 	14 	5 	5 	.326	11.12
Away		17.0 	24 	19 	17 	2 	5 	.324	9.00

By Opponent	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
vs. CHC 	2.0 	7 	9 	9 	1 	2 	.538	40.50 
vs. MIL 	5.0	4	3	1 	1 	0 	.200	1.80  
vs. ATL 	6.0	13	11 	11 	2 	4  	.419	16.50 
vs. HOU	        2.0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	2 	.250	0.00  
vs. LAD 	3.0 	1 	2 	2 	1  	2 	.100	6.00  
vs. PHI 	4.0 	5 	6 	6 	2 	3 	.357	13.50 
vs. STL		4.2 	4 	0 	0 	0 	1 	.235	0.00 
vs. SDG		1.2 	3 	2 	2 	0 	0	.429	10.80

By Stadium	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
Turner Field 	2.2 	6 	5 	5 	0 	2 	.429	16.88 
Great American 	11.1 	15 	14 	14 	5 	5 	.326	11.12  
PETCO Park	1.2 	3 	2 	2 	0 	0	.429	10.80 
Wrigley Field 	2.0 	7 	9 	9 	1 	2	.538	40.50 
Miller Park	5.0 	4 	3 	1 	1 	0 	.200	1.80 
Busch Stadium	4.2 	4 	0 	0 	0 	1	.235	0.00  
Dodger Stadium 	1.0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.000	0.00 

BA/OPS Home/Away
HOME: .326 / 1.135	AWAY: .324 / .875
VS. LEFT: .377 / 1.016	VS. RIGHT: .271 / .934	

Home/Away - Stats  
Non-Active MLB
Matt Belisle	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA  
Overall		29.2 	47 	27 	24 	4 	6	.353	7.28  
As Starter	29.2 	47 	27 	24 	4 	6	.353	7.28 
Home		4.0 	12 	7 	5 	1 	1	.545	11.25 
Away		25.2 	35 	20 	19 	3 	5 	.315	6.66 

By Opponent	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
vs. ATL		5.1 	8 	2 	2 	0 	0  	.333	3.38  
vs. LAD		10.0 	19 	10 	8 	1 	1 	.396	7.20  
vs. NYM		5.0 	7 	6 	5 	0 	3  	.350	9.00  
vs. SDG		4.1 	8 	5 	5 	2 	1  	.400	10.39  
vs. SFO		5.0 	5 	4 	4 	1 	1  	.238	7.20 

By Stadium	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
Dodger Stadium	6.0 	7 	3 	3 	0 	0  	.269	4.50  
Shea Stadium	5.0 	7 	6 	5 	0 	3 	.350	9.00  
Turner Field	5.1 	8 	2 	2 	0 	0  	.333	3.38  
AT&T Park	5.0 	5 	4 	4 	1 	1  	.238	7.20  
Great American	4.0 	12 	7 	5 	1 	1  	.545	11.25  
PETCO Park	4.1 	8 	5 	5 	2 	1  	.400	10.39 

BA/OPS Home/Away
HOME:	.545 / 1.383 	AWAY: .315 / .825
VS. LEFT: .296 / .831	VS. RIGHT: .419 / 1.019 

Home/Away - Stats 
Non-Active MLB
Todd Coffey	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA  
Overall		15.1 	18 	11 	11 	3 	6  	.300	6.46
Home 		10.0 	8 	2 	2 	0 	4 	.242	1.80  
Away 		5.1 	10 	9 	9 	3 	2  	.370	15.19 

By Opponent	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
vs. LAD		2.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	2  	.167	0.00  
vs. MIL		3.1 	3 	1 	1 	1 	2 	.273	2.70  
vs. CHC		1.2 	3 	1 	1 	1 	0	.333	5.40  
vs. PHI		3.2 	3 	1 	1 	0 	0	.214	2.46  
vs. PIT		1.2 	3 	4 	4 	1 	1	.375	21.60  
vs. SFO		1.0 	2 	3 	3 	0 	1	.400	27.00  
vs. ARI		2.0 	3 	1 	1 	0 	0	.429	4.50 

By Stadium	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
Wrigley Field	1.2 	3 	1 	1 	1 	0	.333	5.40
AT&T Park	1.0 	2 	3 	3 	0 	1	.400	27.00
Miller Park	1.0 	2 	1 	1 	1 	0	.400	9.00
PNC Park	1.2 	3 	4 	4 	1 	1	.375	21.60
Great American	10.0 	8 	2 	2 	0 	4	.242	1.80

BA/OPS Home/Away
HOME: .242 / .619 	AWAY: .370 / 1.211
VS. LEFT: .227 / .593	VS. RIGHT: .342 / 1.053 

Home/Away - Stats 
B. Arroyo	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA  
Overall		73.2 	95 	53 	47 	13 	30	.316	5.74
Home		33.0 	39 	23 	20 	6 	14	.305	5.46  
Away		40.2 	56 	30 	27 	7 	16	.324	5.98 

By Opponent	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
vs. PIT		11.0 	9 	4 	3 	0 	6	.214	2.46 
vs. STL		6.0 	6 	3 	3 	1	3	.240	4.50  
vs. SDG		6.1 	7 	2 	2 	0 	1	.269	2.84  
vs. FLA		11.2 	12 	4 	4 	2 	5	.273	3.09  
vs. ARI		5.0 	4 	4 	2 	1 	3	.222	3.60  
vs. MIL		5.2 	8 	5 	4 	1 	3	.381	6.35  
vs. ATL		1.1 	7 	7 	7 	1 	1	.778	47.25  
vs. HOU		3.2 	10 	8 	8 	0 	1	.500	19.64  
vs. LAD		5.0 	9 	5 	3 	0 	3	.39	15.40  
vs. NYM		8.0 	4 	1 	1 	0 	2	.148	1.13 	 
vs. PHI		9.0 	19 	10 	10 	7 	2	.413	9.00 

By Stadium	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
Great American	33.0 	39 	23 	20 	6 	14	.305	5.46  
Turner Field	1.1 	7 	7 	7 	1	0	.778	47.25  
PNC Park	5.0 	6 	3 	2 	0 	2	.286	3.60  
Busch Stadium	6.0 	6 	3 	3 	1 	3	.240	4.50  
Dodger Stadium	5.0 	9 	5 	3 	0 	3	.391	5.40  
Shea Stadium	8.0 	4 	1 	1 	0 	2	.148	1.13  
Dolphin Stadium	4.2 	7 	4 	4 	2 	2	.333	7.71  
CitizensBankPark4.1 	10 	5 	5 	3 	2	.476	10.39  
PETCO Park	6.1 	7 	2 	2 	0 	1	.269	2.84 

BA/OPS Home/Away
HOME:	.305 / .900	AWAY: .324 / .905
VS. LEFT: .350 / 1.002 	VS. RIGHT: .286 / .818 

Home/Away - Stats 
Mike Lincoln	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA  
Overall		28.1 	26 	17 	16 	5 	7	.245	5.08
Home		11.1 	8 	6 	5 	0 	1	.195	3.97  
Away		17.0 	18 	11 	11 	5 	6	.277	5.82 

By Opponent	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
vs. ATL		2.2 	1 	2 	2 	0 	1  	.125 	6.75 
vs. HOU		1.1 	2 	1 	0 	0 	0  	.333	0.00 
vs. PHI		3.1 	2 	1 	1 	0 	0  	.167 	2.70 
vs. PIT		4.0 	3 	1 	1 	0 	1  	.200	2.25 
vs. SDG		1.1 	2 	2 	2 	2 	0  	.333	13.50 
vs. STL		1.0 	3 	0 	0 	0 	0  	.600	0.00 
vs. MIL		3.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0  	.100	0.00 
vs. CHC		2.1 	2 	1 	1 	0 	1  	.250	3.86 
vs. LAD		2.1 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.125	0.00 
vs. NYM		2.0 	3 	4 	4 	2 	2  	.333	18.00 
vs. SFO		2.0 	2 	1 	1 	1 	0  	.286	4.50 
vs. FLA		2.1 	4 	4 	4 	0 	2  	.364	15.43 
vs. ARI		0.2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0  	.000	0.00 

By Stadium	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
PETCO Park	1.1 	2 	2 	2 	2 	0	.333	13.50 
Shea Stadium	2.0 	3 	4 	4 	2 	2  	.333	18.00 
Wrigley Field	1.0 	2 	1 	1 	0 	1  	.500	9.00 
PNC Park	2.0 	2 	1 	1 	0 	0  	.250	4.50 
Great American	11.1 	8 	6 	5 	0 	1  	.195	3.97 
Busch Stadium	1.0 	3 	0 	0 	0 	0  	.600	0.00 
Miller Park	2.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0	.143	0.00 
CitizensBankPark1.1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.000	0.00
Turner Field 	0.2 	1 	2 	2 	0 	1  	.500	27.00
Dodger Stadium	2.1 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0	.125	0.00
Dolphin Stadium	1.1 	1 	0 	0 	0 	2	.200	0.00
AT&T Park	2.0 	2 	1 	1 	1 	0	.286	4.50

BA/OPS Home/Away
HOME: .195 / .496 	AWAY: .277 / .887
VS. LEFT: .227 / .710	VS. RIGHT: .258 / .754

Home/Away - Stats
Johnny Cueto	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA  
Overall	        74.2 	7	7 	47 	42 	16 	.265	5.06 
Home 	        45.0 	36 	20 	18 	9 	12  	.216	3.60  
Away 	        23.2 	33 	24 	21 	5 	8  	.337	7.99 

By Opponent	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
vs. CLE		6.0 	3 	3 	3 	3 	2  	.136	4.50  
vs. MIL		13.1 	10 	5 	4 	2 	2  	.213	2.70   
vs. ATL		7.0 	4 	2 	2 	2 	1 	.167 	2.57 
vs. CHC		6.0 	6 	3 	3 	1 	2  	.261	4.50  
vs. HOU		7.0 	8 	5 	5 	1 	2  	.286	6.43  
vs. LAD		5.0 	7 	4 	2 	0 	3  	.350	3.60  
vs. NYM		4.2 	8 	6 	6 	2 	3  	.381	11.57  
vs. PIT		11.0 	14 	8 	7 	2 	4  	.311	5.73  
vs. STL		1.2 	8 	7 	6 	0 	1  	.615 	32.40 
vs. ARI		7.0 	1 	1 	1 	1 	0  	.045	1.29 

By Stadium	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
Dodger Stadium 	5.0 	7 	4 	2 	0 	3 	.350	3.60  
Shea Stadium 	4.2 	8 	6 	6 	2 	3 	.381	11.57  
Miller Park 	6.1 	5 	2 	2 	1 	0 	.227	2.84  
PNC Park 	6.0 	5 	5 	5 	2 	1 	.227 	7.50 
Great American 	45.0 	36 	20 	18 	9 	12 	.216	3.60  
Busch Stadium 	1.2 	8 	7 	6 	0 	1 	.615	32.40 

BA/OPS Home/Away
HOME: .216 / .704 	AWAY: .331 / .963
VS. LEFT: .244 / .789 	VS. RIGHT: .280 / .834 

Home/Away - Stats  
Aaron Harang	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA  
Overall		94.0 	105 	48 	45 	14 	20	.284	4.31
As reliever	4.0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	1	.143	0.00
Home		46.0 	45 	20 	19 	7 	10  	.256	3.72  
Away		42.2 	49 	20 	19 	5 	10  	.293	4.01 

By Opponent	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
vs. PHI		13.0 	15 	5 	5 	1 	4 	.283	3.46  
vs. PIT		4.0 	10 	6 	6 	1 	0 	.526	13.50  
vs. CLE		7.0 	8 	1 	1 	0 	1 	.276	1.29  
vs. MIL		16.0 	9 	2 	2 	1 	0 	.164	1.13 
vs. CHC		13.0 	15 	8 	8 	2 	4 	.288	5.54  
vs. STL		6.0 	7 	3 	3 	0 	3 	.318	4.50  
vs. SDG		9.1 	12 	5 	5 	2 	3 	.308	4.82  
vs. SFO 	7.1 	8 	3 	2 	0 	1 	.296	2.46  
vs. FLA 	7.0 	7 	4 	4 	3 	2 	.280	5.14  
vs. ARI 	6.0 	3 	3 	2 	2 	2 	.136	3.00 

By Stadium	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
Wrigley Field 	6.0 	8 	5 	5 	2 	2 	.320	7.50  
Dolphin Stadium 5.1 	11 	8 	7 	2 	4 	.407	11.81  
AT&T Park 	7.1 	8 	3 	2 	0 	1 	.296	2.46  
Miller Park 	8.0 	5 	1 	1 	0 	0 	.185	1.13  
Great American 	46.0 	45 	20 	19 	7 	10 	.256	3.72  
CitizensBankPark6.0 	9 	3 	3 	1 	1 	.333	4.50  
PETCO Park 	9.1 	12 	5 	5 	2 	3 	.308	4.82  
Busch Stadium 	6.0 	7 	3 	3 	0 	3 	.318	4.50 

BA/OPS Home/Away
HOME: .256 / .753 	AWAY: .309 / .852
VS. LEFT: .271 / .720	VS. RIGHT: .293 / .866 

Home/Away - Stats  
D. Weathers	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA  
Overall		21.2 	24 	11 	10 	4 	13  	.276	4.15
Home		10.2 	11 	8 	7 	3 	7 	.250 	5.91 
Away 		11.0 	13 	3 	3 	1 	6 	.302	2.46 

By Opponent	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
vs. CHC		4.0 	4 	0 	0 	0 	1 	.250	0.00  
vs. LAD		-0.1 	2 	1 	1 	0 	2 	.667	27.00  
vs. NYM		1.0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.400	0.00  
vs. PHI 	2.1 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.250	0.00  
vs. PIT 	2.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	2 	.125	0.00  
vs. SDG 	2.0 	1 	1 	1 	1 	1 	.167	4.50  
vs. FLA 	3.2 	3 	3 	2 	1 	1	.214	4.91  
vs. ARI		1.1 	0 	1 	1 	0 	3 	.000	6.75  
vs. CLE 	2.0 	3 	1 	1 	1 	0 	.375	4.50  
vs. MIL 	2.0 	5 	3 	3 	0 	2 	.500	13.50  
vs. ATL		1.0 	1 	1 	1 	1 	1 	.200	9.00 

By Stadium	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
Dodger Stadium 	-0.1 	2 	1 	1 	0 	2 	.667	27.00  
Wrigley Field	2.0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	1 	.250	0.00  
Shea Stadium	1.0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.400	0.00  
Dolphin Stadium	2.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.143	0.00  
Miller Park 	1.1 	3 	1 	1 	0 	0 	.500 	6.75 
Great American	10.2 	11 	8 	7 	3 	7 	.250	5.91  
CitizensBankPark1.1 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.250 	0.00 
PETCO Park	2.0 	1 	1 	1 	1 	1 	.167	4.50  
PNC Park 	1.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	2 	.250	0.00 

BA/OPS Home/Away
HOME: .250 / .876 	AWAY: .302 / .842
VS. LEFT: .219 / .623 	VS. RIGHT:  .309 / .997 


Home/Away - Stats
J. Affeldt	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA  
Overall		28.1 	28 	13 	12 	5 	12 	.257	3.81
Home 		13.0 	17 	8 	7 	4 	8 	.315	4.85  	
Away 		15.1 	11 	5 	5 	1 	4 	.200	2.94 

By Opponent	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
vs. CLE 	-0.1 	3 	2 	2 	0 	0 	.750	54.00  
vs. ATL 	2.2 	5 	3 	3 	0 	3 	.455	10.13  
vs. CHC 	4.1 	4 	1 	1 	0 	1 	.235	2.08  
vs. HOU 	1.0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.000	0.00  
vs. LAD 	4.2 	4 	1 	1 	1 	1 	.222	1.93  
vs. NYM 	2.0 	1 	0 	0	 0 	0 	.143	0.00  
vs. PHI 	3.0 	3 	1 	1 	1 	1 	.250 	3.00 
vs. PIT 	3.0 	4 	4 	4 	3 	1 	.308	12.00  
vs. STL 	1.1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.000	0.00  
vs. SDG 	2.0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.286	0.00  
vs. SFO 	1.0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	2 	.000	0.00  
vs. FLA 	2.0 	1 	1 	0 	0 	1 	.143	0.00  
vs. ARI 	1.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	2 	.333	0.00 

By Stadium	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
Wrigley Field 	2.2 	2 	1 	1 	0 	0 	.200	3.38  
Dodger Stadium 	2.2 	2 	1 	1 	1 	0 	.200	3.38  
Shea Stadium 	2.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.143	0.00  
Dolphin Stadium 2.0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1 	.000	0.00  
Turner Field 	1.0 	3 	3 	3 	0 	1 	.600	27.00  
AT&T Park 	1.0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	2 	.000	0.00  
PNC Park -0.1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.000	0.00  
Great American 	13.0 	17 	8 	7 	4 	8 	.315	4.85  
CitizensBankPark-0.1 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.500	0.00  
PETCO Park 	2.0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.286	0.00  
Busch Stadium 	1.1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	.000	0.00 

BA/OPS Home/Away
HOME: .315 / .996 	AWAY: .200 / .527
VS. LEFT: .295 / .872 	VS. RIGHT: .231 / .687 

Home/Away - Stats
Non-Active MLB
Kent Mercker	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA  
Overall	        13.2 	13 	5 	5 	1 	8	.265	3.29
Home 	        8.1 	4 	1 	1 	1 	2 	.160	1.08  
Away 	        5.1 	9 	4 	4 	0 	6 	.375	6.75 

By Opponent	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
vs. MIL 	2.1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1  	.000	0.00
vs. ATL 	2.1 	3 	1 	1 	0 	3  	.333	3.86  
vs. CHC 	1.0 	2 	1 	1 	0 	0 	.400	9.00  
vs. HOU 	2.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0  	.167	0.00  
vs. LAD 	1.0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0  	.333	0.00  
vs. PHI 	1.1 	1 	1 	1 	1 	1  	.250	6.75  
vs. PIT 	1.0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1  	.000	0.00  
vs. SFO 	1.0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	1  	.400	0.00  
vs. ARI 	1.0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0  	.000	0.00  
vs. STL 	0.2 	3 	2 	2 	0 	1  	.750	27.00  

By Stadium	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	AVG	ERA
Turner Field 	1.1 	2 	1 	1 	0 	3  	.333	6.75  
Miller Park 	1.1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1  	.000	0.00  
Wrigley Field 	1.0 	2 	1 	1 	0 	0  	.400	9.00  
AT&T Park 	1.0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	1  	.400	0.00  
Great American 	8.1 	4 	1 	1 	1 	2  	.160	1.08  
Busch Stadium 	0.2 	3 	2 	2 	0 	1  	.750	27.00 

BA/OPS Home/Away
HOME:  .160 / .502 	AWAY: .375 / 1.000
VS. LEFT: .333 / .956 	VS. RIGHT: .226 / .642 



Indirectly contributing suspects - position defense
Catcher Fielding stats 
NAME		GS	E	FPCT	RF	ZR	PB	CERA
Paul Bako	42	3	.992	8.98	1.000	3	3.91 
David Ross	17	2	.985	8.00	1.000	3	5.38 
J. Valentin	5	0	1.000	9.37	1.000	1	5.40
Totals		5	5	.991	8.76	1.000	7	4.44

Third Basemen Statistics
NAME		E	FPCT	RF	ZR
Encarncion	9 	.933 	2.20 	.777
Ryan Freel	1 	.889	2.18	.571
Juan Castro	0	1.000	18.00	.800
J. Hairston Jr.	0	 .000	0.00	.000
Andy Phillips	0	1.000	1.61	.667
Totals		10	.934	2.23	.763
 
First Basemen Statistics  
NAME		E	FPCT	RF	ZR
Joey Votto 	8	.982	8.90	.874
S. Hatteberg	1	.987	7.70	.909
J. Valentin	0	1.000	10.95	1.000
J. Keppinger	0	1.000	9.00	1.000
Totals		9	.984	8.76	.881

Second Basemen Statistics
NAME		E	FPCT	RF	ZR
B. Phillips	1	.996	4.67	.837 
Juan Castro	0	1.000	13.50	1.000 
J. Hairston Jr.	0	1.000	4.05	1.000 
Ryan Freel	0	1.000	6.75	.833 
Totals		1	.997	4.72	.843

Shortstop Statistics
NAME		E	FPCT	RF	ZR
J. Hairston Jr.	3	.958 	3.60	.744 
Paul Janish	2	.956 	5.38	.829 
J. Keppinger	1	.992	3.57	.806 
Juan Castro	0	1.000	2.50	1.000 
Totals		6	.976	3.77	.802

Right Fielder Statistics
NAME		E	FPCT	RF	ZR
K. Griffey Jr.	4	.958	1.70	.848 
J. Hairston Jr.	0	1.000	1.89	1.000 
Ryan Freel 	0	1.000	3.48	1.000 
Norris Hopper	0	1.000	2.57	.750 
Jay Bruce	0	1.000	2.36	.917 
Totals		4	.966	1.82	.861
Left Fielder Statistics
NAME		E	FPCT	RF	ZR
Adam Dunn	4	.962	1.88	.861 
J. Hairston Jr.	0	1.000	.901	1.000 
Ryan Freel	0	1.000	1.17	.857 
Norris Hopper	0	1.000	3.18	1.000 
Jay Bruce	0	.000	0.00	.000 
Totals		4	.966	1.78.	.867

Center Fielder Statistics
NAME		E	FPCT	RF	ZR
C. Patterson	2	.979	2.80	.928 
J. Hairston Jr.	0	1.000	2.60	1.000 
Ryan Freel	0	1.000	2.73	.865 
Norris Hopper	0	1.000	1.57	1.000 
Jay Bruce	0	1.000	2.03	.933 
Totals		2	.988	2.64	.916

Pitcher Statistics
NAME		E	FPCT	RF	ZR
D. Weathers	1	.500	0.42	1.000 
Mike Lincoln	1	.900	2.86	1.000 
F. Cordero	1	.8001	1.30	1.000 
Josh Fogg	1	.833	1.59	1.000 
Matt Belisle	1	.875	2.12	.500 
Homer Bailey	1	.750	4.26	1.000 
Johnny Cueto	1	.944	2.05	.900
B. Arroyo	0	1.000	2.81	1.000 
Aaron Harang	0	1.000	1.72	1.000 
Kent Mercker	0	1.000	0.66	.000 
J. Affeldt	0	1.000	2.86	1.000 
Gary Majewski	0	1.000	2.70	1.000 
Todd Coffey	0	1.000	3.52	1.000 
E. Volquez	0	1.000	2.16	1.000 
Bill Bray	0	1.000	1.04	1.000 
Jared Burton	0	1.000	2.84	1.000 
Danny Herrera	0	.0000	.00	.000
Totals		7	.950	2.12	.974

[Spring~Fields]

I'd be interested in people breaking this down more precisely, if they have the information. Why this disparity?

Kc

I tried to look and find answers yesterday, though I looked at so much information, after awhile I could not see the forest for the trees.

I did see where several of the pitchers had had some of those blowout type of days that would boost their ERA skyward, but that does not answer the disparity question. It left me wondering what the teams truer ERA is without the extreme off day or inning by a given pitcher. Excluding a Fogg, Belisle, Coffey, Lincoln type days etc.

[Kc61]

Kc

I tried to look and find answers yesterday, though I looked at so much information, after awhile I could not see the forest for the trees.

I did see where several of the pitchers had had some of those blowout type of days that would boost their ERA skyward, but that does not answer the disparity question. It left me wondering what the teams truer ERA is without the extreme off day or inning by a given pitcher. Excluding a Fogg, Belisle, Coffey, Lincoln type days etc.

Thanks for trying. Sometimes, when these kinds of disparities happen, there are a handfull of players whose numbers are dramatically affected by the home/road difference. With the Reds, a good sign is that the numbers of Cueto and Burton have been much better at home. Since these are young pitchers, we can reasonably expect that they will improve on the road. On the offensive side, Hairston's numbers are much better at home than on the road (BA .450 to .231), which could be important since he was the leadoff guy when he was in there.

I would also like to check out the team's defense home vs. road. I wonder if there's a big difference.

[RedsManRick]

Are you guys trying to figure out why the Reds have such a poor record on the road so far this year, or figure out why the Reds are such a poor road team? They aren't the same question and trying to answer them has different implications.

I think the answer to the former is pretty obvious: as a team, they've hit and pitched like crap on the road. You can pretty easily pinpoint poor road performances by specific players and there you go.

The answer to the 2nd question is based on the presumption that the Reds road record so far is a fair representation of a skill called "ability to play good baseball on the road". Now, teams do tend to win more at home than they do on the road. It happens across sports and team quality. That's not in dispute. But the scale of that effect, as observed to date in the 2008 season for the Reds is off the charts.

The problem here, as is often the case, is the ridiculously small sample size. No amount of pouring through data in an academically rigorous manner will tell you that those poor performances are based on anything but random variation. It's not an answer you're likely comfortable with; we all like to have reasons to explain things. And while there might be an explanation, you won't find it in the on-the-field data. Not yet. Not for a long time. Single season variations in home/road splits, just like R/L are quite dubious, subject to wild fluctuations even over 100s of at bats.

Again that's not to say that the Reds aren't really a poor road team. There could be explanations ranging from poor accommodations, travel arrangements, etc. However, no examination of the game data will reveal it. It's important to differentiate between what we've observed so far (our sample) and the underlying condition we're trying to measure/establish. The Reds current road record is nothing but a bit of evidence suggesting an underlying condition, a fundamental inability to play well on the road, bit it is not the condition itself. We've observed so few games that it is quite easily possible that the Reds are a .500 road team who have gotten just 11 heads in 35 flips instead of the "expected" 17 or 18. No amount of data teasing can tell us either way.

[UKFlounder]

Some thoughts from Jayson Stark on this topic in general

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/column...t&lid=tab1pos1


Some things in life don't make a whole lot of sense. And by that, we don't mean just the ongoing fame and fortune of Whoopi Goldberg.

We mean stuff like this:

• The Braves are 25-11 at home -- but 7-21 on the road. That's a gap of .444 winning-percentage points, which would be the biggest home/road discrepancy in modern baseball history if it holds up all year.

• The Red Sox are 26-6 at home -- but 14-20 on the road. That's a gap of .401 percentage points, which would be the largest home/road split in American League history.

Biggest Home/Road ERA Disparities
Team Home Road
Rays 2.81 5.00
Pirates 3.76 5.99
Twins 3.63 5.51
Brewers 3.27 5.02
Padres 3.41 5.01

• Tampa Bay has the best ERA in baseball at home (2.81) -- but the same pitchers have a 5.00 ERA when they leave the scenic state of Florida.

• The Tigers have a .287 batting average at home, the third-best in the American League -- but the same hitters turn into an entire roster full of Humberto Cotas on the road (where their team average is .235).

And we could cite numbers like that for another hour -- in a season in which just three teams in the entire sport (Angels, Phillies, Cardinals) have a winning record away from home. But instead, let's just ask:

What the heck is up with that?

Now granted, if you take a long, hard look at baseball -- for which Fenway Park doesn't seem as if it could possibly have been designed to house the same sport as Tropicana Field -- you could certainly understand why home teams would have a gigantic advantage.

Except that it's never really worked out that way.

Until this year.

This year, road teams went into Monday with a combined record of 401-511. That works out to a mind-boggling winning percentage of just .421. If that lasts all season, we'll see the lowest winning percentage by road teams (and, by a remarkable coincidence, the highest by home teams) since 1931, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

So we ask again: Why? We've been collecting theories from players, GMs and other great baseball minds. Now let's examine whether they're real or folklore:

1. No more greenies
You never want to explain anything in baseball by attributing it to the pharmaceuticals industry. But face it: This is one development that's impossible to ignore.

"There's an 800-pound gorilla in every clubhouse, and it's greenies and steroids," one GM said. "The travel these days wears everyone out. Day games after night games. Coast-to-coast trips. How do you think these guys got through it before? Greenies have been in the game for probably 50 to 60 years. So now you take them away, and you don't think it takes a toll on teams when they're traveling?"

In a world in which these players change time zones as regularly as they change wrist bands, this is as logical a theory as we've heard. But why would it be showing up this year? Didn't baseball's ban on amphetamines actually take effect last year?

"Because I don't think guys were totally off greenies last year," the same GM said. "But this year, they've scared the living hell out of these guys. They know they're checking. They know the tests could come any time. They know Major League Baseball is trying to play gotcha. So what doctor wants to sign his name to this stuff now? Even if these guys want to use it now, where are they going to get it and who are they going to get it from?"

Good question. Valid question. And it makes as much sense as any theory out there.

Biggest Home/Road OPS Disparities
Team Home Road
Cubs .887 .720
Tigers .832 .671
D-backs .833 .675
Astros .824 .675
Braves .826 .720

2. The young and the winless
The next most prevalent theory we've heard is another one that makes sense in a lot of ways: Young teams have more trouble winning on the road than veteran teams.

It's a theory that works this year in particular because, when you compare the sport this season to the sport in seasons past, not much is different -- except this:

Never in recent history have more teams decided it was time to go young.

So the Joey Vottos, Blake DeWitts and Geovany Sotos of the world are getting their shot -- while the Kenny Loftons and Sammy Sosas and Mike Piazzas can't get a job.

But how does that apply to this particular topic? Hey, use your imagination.

The official explanation, as laid out by one GM, is that young players have a tougher time establishing a "routine" on the road and then sticking to it. The unofficial explanation is, well, that young players sometimes have other agendas on the road beyond, say, getting their proper rest.

We heard that theory a lot two years ago, when one of the youngest clubs in the big leagues (Tampa Bay) went 3-33 on the road after July 1. But does it work this year?

Sure -- until you examine the facts.

We looked at the five youngest teams in baseball -- the Diamondbacks, A's, Twins, Marlins and Rangers. We compared them to the five oldest teams in baseball -- the Astros, Mets, Phillies, Red Sox and Cubs.

Oops. The five youngest teams had a higher road winning percentage through Sunday (.453) than the five oldest teams (.426). And one of the AL's worst road records belonged to its oldest team (Boston) while one of its youngest teams (the Angels) had the best road record in the whole darned sport (21-12).

So while we hate it when the facts get in the way of a good theory, it looks like it happened to this one.

3. There's no place like home
So maybe we're attacking this backward. Maybe this isn't about the road teams at all. Maybe it's really about the home teams.

After all, why wouldn't the Red Sox (26-6) and Cubs (26-8) have the best home records in each league, for instance, considering the funky parks they play in?

"We should be winning at Wrigley," said the Cubs' Mark DeRosa. "Every single day, we have over 40,000 fans cheering us on, rain or shine. Wrigley Field should be the definition of home-field advantage."

Biggest Home/Road Batting Avg. Disparities
Team Home Road
D-backs .285 .214
Cubs .309 .254
Tigers .287 .235
Braves .298 .247
Astros .288 .245

And it should. But (A) it hasn't always been -- in part due to issues that weren't the fault of Wrigley, its ever-impassioned occupants or its storied crop of ivy. And (B) whether Wrigley has a special magic or not, how would it help us explain the home record of the rest of the sport?

"Maybe teams are adjusting the fields to the strength of their clubs," suggested Astros pitcher Brian Moehler. "For years, Wrigley Field used to have high grass in the infield. Now the grass is lower. I can't speak for the Cubs, but maybe that plays into the strengths of their infielders."

Hmmm. We have no doubt that sort of thing goes on. We also agree that it influences a given game here and there, or a given team here and there. But can it possibly explain home-team records across the sport, or account for a dramatic difference between this year or last year? Most of the other folks we polled didn't think so.

"I have always thought," said White Sox GM Kenny Williams, "that outside of Boston, New York and Minnesota -- yes, Minnesota, due to the House of Horror Dome -- there are no great advantages for home teams in baseball."

"The Braves are 25-11 at home," another AL executive said. "And there is nothing about that park or those fans that would give them an advantage."

Yeah, we're afraid so. If there were something about the increasingly quirky ballparks that now dot our landscape that would give the home team a special edge, it would have shown up before this year. Wouldn't it? We would have seen home winning percentages spiking upward and creeping toward history over the past 10 years. Wouldn't we?

Sure we would. But that isn't what's been happening. As The Elias Sports Bureau's Steve Hirdt told our buddy Buster Olney recently, home winning percentages have held steady for years. And only once in the 76 seasons since 1931 has there been any other season in which road win percentage dipped below even .430. That was in 1978, when it hit .427.

So compelling as it might be to theorize that home is where the heart -- and the advantage -- is, there's not a ballpark-related reason on earth it should be a massively bigger advantage this season than last season, the season before or the 20 before that.

4. It's a different game
All right, here's a theory nobody can deny: Most teams employ different strategy when they play at home than when they play on the road. The rules don't just allow it, they practically dictate it.

"Some of it must be bullpen [use]," suggested Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "At home, managers are using closers and set-up guys in tie games more. It's hard to do that on the road."

So if home teams are using their best relief pitchers more often at home than on the road, that could help explain this. Possibly.

To check this out, we looked at four prominent closers -- Mariano Rivera, Billy Wagner, Brad Lidge and Francona's closer, Jonathan Papelbon. Turned out that all but Rivera have pitched more often at home than on the road. Then again, their teams have better records at home than on the road. So put that in the "effect" column, not the "cause" column.

Some of it must be bullpen [use]. At home, managers are using closers and set-up guys in tie games more. It's hard to do that on the road.
--Red Sox manager Terry Francona on the disparity of home and road records

Then we looked at how many tie games they'd pitched in. Turned out they entered a total of 11 tie games at home, to just four on the road. Multiply that across the sport, and theoretically, closers would have pitched in somewhere around 50 more tie games at home than away from home.

So we're definitely onto something here -- except for one thing:

This is nothing new.

It might explain, to some small degree, why home teams have a better record than road teams. But it doesn't explain, best we can tell, why that record is so much better than last year. Or any other year since the dawn of modern relief pitching. Which leaves us one final conclusion …

5. It's just one of those random years
We surveyed 15 people in baseball for this column. They tossed out lots of fun theories. Besides the ones named above, the others included:

• Lousy scheduling.

• Crummy weather in the northern half of our great land.

• More parity/mediocrity, creating a greater edge for the home teams.

• And even such amusing, tongue-in-cheek suggestions as "food in the visiting clubhouses is becoming healthier," which "may have shaken many teams' routines."

But by far the most popular theory was one we hate to admit to, but also the one most likely to apply:

It's a fluke.

"It's a statistical anomaly," the Astros' Brad Ausmus said.

"It's a statistic waiting to be corrected in the second half," Nationals GM Jim Bowden said.

"I'm not sure there is a magic bullet," Pirates GM Neal Huntingdon said.

And we've come to this conclusion: They're right. According to ESPN's research department, there have been four other seasons since 1931 when home teams actually had a higher winning percentage over the first two months than they did this year. That record then declined over the rest of the season in every one of those years.

Why? "Because this game will always prove that it's completely unpredictable," Padres pitcher Randy Wolf said. "Just when you think you've seen it all or figured it out, it will throw something completely unusual at you."

And friends, it looks as if baseball has done it again -- unless The No Greenie Effect is more powerful than anyone ever realized.