Prince Fielder spent his last 7 seasons playing in Miller Park in Milwaukee. In 2012 Prince Fielder will be playing for the Tigers until 2021. Fielder will be 28 in may and has 230 home runs and a career .390 on base percentage to his name. Lets see how a change in ball park will fare for Prince Fielder.
Miller Park is actually bigger than Comerica Park to right field. The dimensions of Miller Park from left field to right field are the following: 344, 371, 400, 374, 345. In Comerica Park the dimensions from right to left are the following: 345, 370, 420, 365, 330. The right field line and the right field power alley are significantly closer for Fielder so his power numbers may go up.
Fielder gets hits to all fields, but 52% of his home runs were hit to right field. Fielder played in every game last year and hit 24 home runs at Miller Park so that means he hit about 12 home runs to right field in Miller Park.With the walls being about 10-15 feet closer in right field, when Fielder pulls the fly out on the track it will now be gone. Fielder did hit 10 home runs to center field, so that is 26% of his home runs. Center field is 20 feet deeper in Comerica Park so Fielder may try to pull the ball more in the upcoming seasons.
The other thing that people often look over when evaluating a player switching leagues is the ballparks he will be playing in on the road. Fenway Park is 302 feet to the right field foul pole, Yankee Stadium is 314 feet to the right field foul pole, Camden Yards is 318 to the score board in right field, in the Rogers Centre its 328 feet to right field and in Tropicana Field it is 322 feet to right field. All the ballparks in the American League East are small and so when Fielder and the Tigers are on the road and playing east coast teams watch out.
The average dimensions to right field and right center in the National League are 333 feet and 380 feet respectively and in the American League they are 324 and 372 respectively. The average height of the fences are smaller as well. In the American League the fences are 1 foot shorter than in the National League. Its not a big difference, but there is one. These are just the little things that factor into Fielder having a great 2012 season. You can expect at least 40-45 home runs from him.
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