It's Not a Bandbox, But A Sandbox

An interesting stat from Buster Olney about the Yankee sandbox (what one player called it), AKA Coors Field East:

 

"After five homers were hit in the Yankees' win over the Twins on Monday, there have now been 63 homers in 17 games in new Yankee Stadium: 32 by the Yankees, 31 by the Yankees' opponents. Last year, the Yankees' pitchers allowed 68 for the entire season, and the Yankees' hitters mashed 92, for a total of 160. So at the current rate, there will be more homers hit in new Yankee Stadium by July 17 -- the first home game after the All-Star break -- than there were during the entire 2008 season in old Yankee Stadium."

 

Some of it is certainly due to bad pitching on both sides, but with the weather still not warm and the ball still flying out of there, I think it's official that the Yankees play in a homerun park. Not that it's the worst thing in the world. With A-Rod Back in the lineup, the Yankees will probably sport the best 1-9 in baseball once Posada returns. Imagine a 7-8-9 of Cano, Swisher and Melky.

And the one big difference is this team--unlike the team who plays in the real Coors Field--hits on the road as well. At home, according to Baseball-Reference, they're .277/.368/.863 with 91 runs and 65 XBHs (32 HRs) and at home they are .267/.337/.792 with 114 runs and 79 XBHs (27 HRs). Granted they have played 4 more games on the road, but those states are pretty similar. Add in that they've actually had a higher batting average of balls in play on the road than at home (.297 vs .287), and maybe the wind tunnel isn't the only thing that's helping the Yankees score.