What's the Best Hitter's Park in the Majors?

Believe it or not, despite the term "bandbox" used to describe Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, that's not it. That park is eighth on the list.

The Baseball Prospectus team, in its great pre-season baseball book, evaluates the parks. The best hitter's park, by some margin, is that of the Colorado Rockies. The best pitcher's park, again by a significant margin, belongs to the San Diego Padres. Rounding out the top 3 hitter's parks are those belonging to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds. Rounding out the top 3 pitcher's parks are those belonging to the Oakland A's and a tie between the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners.

Buy the "Baseball Prospectus" book if you're a real fan and believe that the numbers don't lie. So, if you're a Phillies' fan, don't despair, your park isn't as much of a launching pad as you think. And, if you're a Padres' fan, the label "best pitcher's park" in baseball cuts both ways. You might overrate your pitchers (who probably don't fare as well on the road) and harm your hitters, who could get frustrated hitting in your park. Don't expect too many free agent hitters to want to buttress their resumes at Petco Park.