RFK stadium...pitcher/hitter friendly???

[stumpak]

Look at the old numbers-it was a slight pitcher's park back in the day accoridn to ballpark factor, but that may be meaningless considering that this is a relative statistic and that RFK would be compared to a totally different set of ballparks in 2005.

[budman]

How many years do the nationals have to play at RFK before they move into their new stadium??

Has anybody seen what their new uniforms will look like? And does anyone know of any other major uniform changes for this year. My favorities have to be the Padres camo...

[stevethumb]

what park were some veteran all stars playing in quite a few years ago (80's ??) when luke appling (around 70 yo at the time) hit a HR down the LF line which was something like 257 ft from home plate..the nationals aren't playing there are they ? anybody remember this ? Tavish, maybe

Yeah, it was at RFK but it used a different field configuration than how the normal stadium is set-up. He was hit it off of Warren Spahn in the Oldtimers game.

thank you, tavish, i have only been here a few months but i know who to turn to for historical advice..

[eftda]

How many years do the nationals have to play at RFK before they move into their new stadium??

Has anybody seen what their new uniforms will look like? And does anyone know of any other major uniform changes for this year. My favorities have to be the Padres camo...

Welcome to the café Budman.
From What I've heard, the uniforms will be the same as the senators old ones, but with Nationals on them.

Could you send a link for the Padres new uniforms

[JDD]

I am guessing the park will be neutral, and they will play there for two years.

If the Expos had better pitchers (and some are fine, don't get me wrong) then I would say we could expect lower numbers... but I would bet on a Neutral park, and I would not go WAY out of my way to draft any Nationals hitters.

[LCBOY]

what park were some veteran all stars playing in quite a few years ago (80's ??) when luke appling (around 70 yo at the time) hit a HR down the LF line which was something like 257 ft from home plate..the nationals aren't playing there are they ? anybody remember this ? Tavish, maybe

Yeah, it was at RFK but it used a different field configuration than how the normal stadium is set-up. He was hit it off of Warren Spahn in the Oldtimers game.

It was the Cracker Jack Old Timer's Game in 1983 I believe. It took oae Luke about 5 minutes to circle the bases. It was a classic moment. And he was not a power hitter in his playing days!

[Scott Boras Client]

Player projections for Wilkerson and Vidro in new Shandler book assumed out loud that it would be hitter heaven for some reason. Not sure why.

[Heimush]

Player projections for Wilkerson and Vidro in new Shandler book assumed out loud that it would be hitter heaven for some reason. Not sure why.

This is from baseballforecaster.com -Shandler update:

Page 96: Jose Vidro comment.
Page 97: Brad Wilkerson comment.
Page 131: John Patterson comment.
Back when were writing these comments, there was early speculation that RFK Stadium might be a hitters's park. Since that time, more recent analyses have shown otherwise, so discount the implications in these comments.

[BKeller]

In an interview on the Nationals' website, Tony Tavares confirmed the following dimensions: 330/385/410. He projected that it would most likely be a pitchers' park. The fact that someone remembered the dimensions accurately from the 60s is amazing to me!

Excerpt from http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/NAS ... p&c_id=was


Tavares: It has a soccer pitch in there. You have to convert that to a baseball field. Right now, it looks like a football field in dimension.

The field will be 330 down the left- and right-field lines, probably 385 in the power alleys and 410 in dead center field. That's the way it is programed right now.

Dugouts have to be increased in size. We have locker rooms that have to be completely redone. Batting cages and foul poles haves to be added. The stadium doesn't have a backstop. The lighting system has to be adjusted. We are talking about putting up additional lighting towers. The reason for that is, your focus for soccer games vs. for a baseball game is significantly different.

MLB.com: It looks like the stadium is going to be a pitcher's park.

Tavares: You never know that until you get into the wind currents and find out how the ball carries. But I'm inclined to say it will be a pitcher's park.

[Pacman]

Too bad the Nationals dont have any pitchers

Don't forget about Livan. He was one of my better starters last season.