Oriole Park at Camden Yards – Pitcher’s Park?

Over the past few years, we’ve become accustomed to Oriole Park at Camden Yards generally being considered a ballpark that favors offense.

According to ESPN’s MLB Park Factors, which compares the rates of stats at home versus the road, Camden Yards has ranked no lower than 12^th since 2007 in terms of runs scored. Ratings above 1.000 indicate a favorable ballpark for hitters, while pitchers have the advantage in those below 1.000.

Here are the runs scored ratings for Camden Yards since 2007:

• 2013 – 1.057 (10^th highest in MLB)
• 2012 – 1.173 (5^th)
• 2011 – 0.995 (12^th)
• 2010 – 1.112 (5^th)
• 2009 – 1.037 (11^th)
• 2008 – 1.051 (10^th)
• 2007 – 1.109 (6^th)

The recent trend looks like it will come to an abrupt end in 2014. This year, Camden Yards isn’t in the top 10 or top 15. In fact, it’s not even sniffing the top 20. Through August 17, the home of the Birds is dead last in Major League Baseball.

It’s not surprising to see the Coors Field at the top of the list, a spot it’s held three of the last four seasons. With the exception of coming in 15^th in 2013, Safeco Field finished 30^th, 26^th, and 29^th the previous three seasons.

For Camden Yards to drop from 10^th to 30^th in one season fairly noteworthy.

So far in 2014, there have been 457 runs scored at Camden Yards (of which 231 belong to the Orioles), or 3.81 per game. Using that number as an average for the remaining games left in the season would result in a total of 617.

The fewest runs scored in a season at Camden Yards are 566 in the strike-shortened 1994 season. Next, is the 672 in 1992, which it appears 2014 will come in behind.

At the moment, teams are hitting a collective .249 at Camden Yards this year, which would be the lowest in the stadium’s history, behind the .251 put up in both 1992 and 2001. This year’s .310 on-base percentage would also be the lowest, looking up at last season’s .318. Of the 23 seasons played at Camden Yards, just three have yielded a slugging percentage south of .400. The current mark is .393, well below 2005’s .411.

As John Lackey took the opportunity to remind us when the St. Louis Cardinals were in town, Camden Yards has seen its share of home runs in recent years. The last time Camden Yards wasn’t in the top 10 of ESPN’s Park Factors for home runs was 2005, when it came in 15^th. This season, it’s 21^st.

So, is Oriole Park at Camden Yards making the shift to becoming a pitcher-friendly park? Data from the last decade or so would probably lead you to say no and that 2014 is an aberration. That may very well be the case. However, it looks like for 2014 we will be able to refer to Camden Yards as a run suppressor, which doesn’t happen often.