Dodger Stadium

  Overlooking downtown Los Angeles, historic Dodger Stadium sits on a plateau next to the Chavez Ravine canyon. Built in 1962, it’s the 3rd oldest venue in MLB that’s still active and the field of play has actually changed very little over the previous 6 decades. The only modification was in 1969, when home plate was moved forward by about 10 feet to where it sits today.

  The center field fence at Dodger Stadium is particularly shallow, measuring just 395 feet away. That's the third shortest straight-away measurement in the league behind Fenway Park (390) and Oracle Park (391). The short distance to center makes Dodger Stadium the 5th most susceptible to HRs in all of MLB, although it does get a small boost from the mild climate. While 80+ degree days are few and far between, L.A. is able to avoid cold days, which are common at most other parks early and late in the season. The wind also plays a small part toward its home run advantage. Although wind speed is typically average, it blows out 95% of the time. It also comes predominantly from the left, making the right side of the field a bit more hitter friendly.

  Although CF is one of the most generous home run targets in all of MLB, the respective corners of the field actually play a fair bit deeper than the league average. Measurements down the lines are standard (330 feet), but the field is shaped so that it appears almost “squished” from the top, bulging out around the foul poles. The horizontal orientation of the field likely contributes to its lack of doubles and triples (ranked 22nd) as outfielders can can get to most fly balls laterally - not as difficult as running back toward the fence. One of the small quirks at Dodger Stadium is that it features MLB’s shortest outfield fences (in height) down the lines, as they measure just 4 feet tall for a a stretch of about 50 feet on both sides.