Batting Park Factor
Encyclopedia
Batting Park Factor, also simply called Park Factor or BPF, is a baseball statistic
that indicates the difference between runs scored
in a team's home and road games. Most commonly used as a metric in the sabermetric
community, it has found more general usage in recent years. It is helpful in assessing how much a specific ballpark
contributes to the offensive production of a team or player.
The formula most commonly used is:
In this formula
, all runs scored by or against a team at home are divided by all runs scored on the road. Parks with a Park Factor over 100 are those where more overall runs are scored when the team is at home than are scored when the team is away. While some variation can be attributable to fluctuations in offensive and defensive performance, PF accounts for the production of both teams in each park and, correspondingly, is very useful in determining which actual ballparks are "hitter friendly" and which are "pitcher friendly". One criticism is that Park Factor does not account for differences in pitching
between teams. An above average pitching staff may distort their home stadium's Park Factor by making it seem more pitcher-friendly than it really is.
In place of Runs scored and allowed, the formula can easily use home run
s, hits or any other statistic to further analyze the park factor of an individual park.
Baseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
that indicates the difference between runs scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in a team's home and road games. Most commonly used as a metric in the sabermetric
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
community, it has found more general usage in recent years. It is helpful in assessing how much a specific ballpark
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
contributes to the offensive production of a team or player.
The formula most commonly used is:
In this formula
Formula
In mathematics, a formula is an entity constructed using the symbols and formation rules of a given logical language....
, all runs scored by or against a team at home are divided by all runs scored on the road. Parks with a Park Factor over 100 are those where more overall runs are scored when the team is at home than are scored when the team is away. While some variation can be attributable to fluctuations in offensive and defensive performance, PF accounts for the production of both teams in each park and, correspondingly, is very useful in determining which actual ballparks are "hitter friendly" and which are "pitcher friendly". One criticism is that Park Factor does not account for differences in pitching
Pitch (baseball)
In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. The term comes from the Knickerbocker Rules. Originally, the ball had to be literally "pitched" underhand, as with pitching horseshoes. Overhand throwing was not allowed until 1884.The biomechanics of...
between teams. An above average pitching staff may distort their home stadium's Park Factor by making it seem more pitcher-friendly than it really is.
In place of Runs scored and allowed, the formula can easily use home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, hits or any other statistic to further analyze the park factor of an individual park.