2 Potential Problems for the Atlanta Braves at STP.
Pitchers Plight
Because the jet stream in STP seems like it flies out to RF and RCF, right handed fly ball pitchers theoretically are going to have a hard time maintaining success. Again, please don’t take this as gospel. We’re dealing with the very small samples and projecting a bit here.
But two of Atlanta’s current starting pitchers fit the RH fly ball profile: Julio Teheran and Mike Foltynewicz. Here’s a table from last year:
| Name | Fly Ball% | FB% vs LHB |
| Julio Teheran | 41.9% | 46.7% |
| Mike Foltynewicz | 37.4% | 45.3% |
| League Average | 34.6% | 34.3% |
As you can see Julio and Folty already allow well above average fly ball rates. But where the numbers really jump is against LHB. And the results show in their overall numbers.
Against LHB, Teheran allows a .455 SLG% vs a .319 SLG% vs RHB. Folty’s SLG% allowed vs LHB is .520. Those are large numbers and given how much more damage the league does on fly balls vs ground balls, you can be assured both their fly ball rates are the main culprit.
Atlanta Braves
Simply put, Teheran and Foltynewicz would have benefited greatly from a park that suppresses left handed power.
It’s the area they struggle most. Instead what they got was a jet stream out to right field and I’m very curious how this is going to go.
The team wants these two guys to anchor the rotation for the future and then they went and built a park that isn’t going to do them any favors.
This doesn’t mean these guys can’t make adjustments when pitching at home but if there was an easy way for them to handle lefties better, they would have done it already.
It also doesn’t mean the park will always play like this. The Battery around the park is in a constant state of change. Who knows if one big building somewhere around park changes how the ball flies?
Next: I'm Starting to Feel a Draft in Here
Just something interesting to keep an eye on.