The Poster Child for the Coors Field Effect

Thursday April 30, 2009

The Poster Boy for the Coors Field Effect

Matt Holliday was considered one of the top hitters in baseball at the end of 2008.

He was coming off his 2nd straight MVP type year hitting .321/.409/.538/.947 with 25 home runs while playing for the Colorado Rockies.

For his 5 year career with the Rockies he was hitting an astounding .319/.386/.552/.938

Today he hit his first home run of the 2009 campaign. Something Changed. What was it?

Answer - The place he plays his home games!

In the off season Holliday was traded to the Oakland A's who play their home games in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

To date he is hitting .243/.293/.329/.622 in an A's uniform.

You may be saying its early, he will come around. You are probably right, Holliday will hit better as the season goes along.

The question is how much better?

The answer to that question lies in his home and away splits as a Rockie.

At Coors Field Holliday was a Pujols-like player, a baseball god in plum colored hose, hitting .353/.419/.638/1.057 with one hr every 16.54 at bats.

On the road as a Rockie, Holliday was more like a David Eckstein hitting a workmanlike .280/.346/.451/.797 with one hr every 30.39 at bats.

The Coors effect was much in evidence.

So what can we look forward to Holliday improving to in 2009?

Well, his road numbers for his career are probably a great guide. The ballparks in the AL West are very similar overall to the ballparks he played in on the road in the NL West overall.

So, if you had to project today what Holliday's numbers at seasons end will look like I would go with .280/.340-.350/.450/.790-.800 with 19-20 home runs.

As a Rockie we heard a lot of people on ESPN and Fox Sports saying Holliday would be in line for a $20 million per year contract when he is eligible for free agency following the 2009 season. Just about every sports magazine was singing his praises.

What will they be saying and writing after this season is over?
Is a .280 hitter with mediocre power really worth $20 million?

Not in my book.

In my eyes Holliday is the poster child for the Coors Field Effect.

I have had my say. Now what do you think?

Is Matt Holliday the Poster Child for the Coors Field Effect?