New Stadiums and Team Records

by sdp on Apr 3, 2009 12:50 PM EDT Comment 8 comments

Lots of Mets and Yankees fans are grabbing their crotches as to what the excitement of a new stadium could do to the season, as if the excitement and joy of a new home could spill over and propel their team to greatness. Yada yada. Going back twenty years, here is how teams have fared in their first season in a new park:

1989 Blue Jays - Rogers Centre (SkyDome) - 89-73 : Lost ALCS
1991 White Sox - U.S. Cellular Field (Comiskey Park) - 87-75
1992 Orioles - Oriole Park at Camden Yards - 89-73
1994 Indians - Progressive Field (Jacobs Field) - 66-47
1994 Rangers - The Ballpark in Arlington - 52-62
1995 Rockies - Coors Field - 77-67 : Lost LDS
1996 Braves - Turner Field - 103-59 : Lost WS
1998 Diamondbacks - Chase Field (Bank One Ballpark) - 65-97
1999 Mariners - Safeco Field - 79-83
2000 Tigers - Comerica Park - 79-83
2000 Astros - Enron Field (Minute Made Park) - 72-90
2000 Giants - AT&T Park (Pac-Bell Park) - 97-65 : Lost LDS
2001 Brewers - Miller Park - 68-94
2001 Pirates - PNC Park - 62-100
2003 Reds - Great American Ballpark - 69-93
2004 Phillies - Citizens Bank Park - 86-76
2004 Padres - Petco Park - 87-75
2006 Cardinals - Busch Stadium - 83-78 : Won WS
2008 Nationals - Nationals Park - 59-102

The evidence is pretty much split. Some teams fared well in a new stadium, others not so much. If the Mets and/or Yankees are really good this year, it won't have anything to do with players being giddy over a new home.

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kind of a wash without knowing what the teams were like the season before their new stadiums open.

by yondaime4 on Apr 4, 2009 12:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not exactly.

We’re looking at a control here, which is a team having a new stadium. That is the only thing necessary in the analysis. Does a new stadium help a team win? Without knowing the makeup of the teams before their new stadiums opened, the numbers still have value as they demonstrate that winning depends on the makeup of the team—not having a new stadium. Thus, a new stadium has nothing to do with whether or not a team wins.

Oh, Bobby.

by sdp on Apr 4, 2009 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think they’re excited that a new stadium will help their team win, I think they’re excited because they got rid of the old dumps. Am I missing something here? Seems logical to be excited about a new stadium.

by Weldon on Apr 4, 2009 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs