Fantasy Life: Metrodome vs. Target Field | 
Metrodome Vs Target Field
The Minnesota Twins have called The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome home for twenty-seven seasons. The Metrodome opened its turnstiles in 1982 and the 2009 season was its last. The Twinkies will now call Target Field home; no more loud home field advantage underneath the dome, no more “baggie” in right field and no more FieldTurf. Will these factors affect the numbers being put up by the home team? I am going to focus on Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel, Michael Cuddyer and Joe Nathan.
Metrodome dimensions Target Field dimensions
Left field: 343ft 339ft
Right field: 327ft 328ft
Centerfield: 408ft 404 ft
There is no big discrepancy between the dimensions of the ballparks and not enough to affect the likes of Mauer, Morneau, Kubel, and Cuddyer. These four hit a combined 118 bombs this past season and their power numbers will not suffer at Target Field.
Grass Vs FieldTurf Vs Dome Vs Outdoors
Joe Mauer could play his home games on the planet Mars and I would still draft him. He has won three batting titles, an AL MVP award, and batted.365 this season – as a catcher! The man batted .388 at home and .345 on the road! You want him on your team, I want him on my team and the whole Fantasy community wants him on their team. Whether it’s the Metrodome, Target Field, or the moon, he will most likely win the batting title again this season.
Joe Nathan is an elite Fantasy closer posting 37,39,and 47 saves the past three seasons. In my opinion he ranks second to his “holiness” Mariano Rivera. Along with those 47 saves last season, Joe fanned 89 batters, issued 22 free passes and rocked a 2.10 ERA. He will continue to save a lot of games and strike out batters at Target Field. However, we may see his ERA rise this season at his new home. Last season, Nathan’s ERA on turf was1.51 and 3.00 on grass. His ERA could push 3.00 and he would still put up awesome numbers for you.
Jason Kubel( .300 28 103) and Michael Cuddyer( .276 32 94) each had break out seasons and rewarded owners who picked them in late rounds or scooped them off waivers. Both players’ split stats for last season were very similar home and away. The only stat worth noting is Kubel batted .310on turf and .288 on grass. This twelve point difference may lead to Kubel’s average dipping below .300, however, the rest of his numbers, along with Cuddyer’s are ones you want on your roster.
Justin Morneau has launched 163 bombs in seven big league seasons and won the 2006 AL MVP with a .321 average, 34 hr, and 130 RBI. Since that year, Morneau has had a .300 average season followed by a .270 average season. The 2010 campaign would be his .300 average year, however, I think that streak will come on an end. On turf last year, he hit .284 and .290 indoors, while on grass his average fell to .260 and a miserable .254outdoors. These splits are sure to affect his overall average now that he is playing all his home games outdoors. Morneau will still jack 30 bombs and knock in 100 RBI, however, I will not be drafting him as high as I did last season.
The inaugural season at Target Field will not diminish any of the Twins players’ Fantasy value. Even if Joe Nathans’ ERA does rise and Justin Morneau’s average does fall below .300, you still want them on your rosters. I am going to miss the Metrodome, it was a great venue, and the home team always knew how to use the FieldTurf to their advantage.
Would any of our readers think twice about drafting a Twins player this season because of their new home?
Jay Ferraro is Executive Producer of Baseball Digest LIVE and the Fantasy Baseball writer for BaseballDigest.com. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Topics: Al Mvp Award, Baggie, Fantasy Community, Fantasy Life, Field Dimensions, Field Grass, Fieldturf, Home Field Advantage, Hubert H Humphrey, Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome, Hubert Humphrey, Jason Kubel, Joe Mauer, Joe Nathan, Justin Morneau, mariano rivera, Michael Cuddyer, Minnesota Twins, Power Numbers, Seven Seasons, Target Field
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Hey Jay, you make some good points about the stadium changes. My question, and perhaps this is the biggest question, will other teams benefit now since there is no turf? Hitting is hitting, and you’re right–those caliber of players won’t suffer. The thing is, in a division where everyone is now playing on equal turf, will it go for or against the Twinkies?
Go question, the final 2010 numbers at home will tell the tale of Target Field. Nothing you need to concern yourself with on draft day.
What do you think the effects of playing in colder temps early and late in the season will have on the hitters?