Posts Tagged ‘Wild Thing’
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April Farm Report: A Master and His Bard - Part 2May 2nd, 2008
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In continuing my quick and dirty April farm report for the Red Sox, it’s now time to assess the organization’s Single-A affiliates.
Ah yes, the lower levels of the minor leagues, where young high-ceiling prospects either thrive towards a quick promotion from obscurity or languish into the doldrums of baseball mediocrity.
A quick note before we proceed: Lancaster’s Clear Channel Stadium is a joke.
Now, let me explain. You see, the park sits 2,500 feet above sea level with high winds … no, rather, a jet stream … consistently blowing straight out to right field all day, every day. In terms of park factors, we’re talking about the (pre-humidor) Coors Field Effect times ten here.
Don’t believe me? OK, chew on this: last season, a series between Lancaster and Lake Elsinore produced not only a 30-0 game but a total of 95 hits (!), 83 runs (!!), and 23 home runs (!!!) in all during the three-game set. Yikes.
Therefore, as a result, the stadium is a hitter’s paradise and a pitcher’s worst nightmare, Freddy Krueger style. And it’s also not limited to just Lancaster as most parks in the California League favor the batsmen over their counterpart atop the mound. So, keep that in mind.