MLB Betting – Top Home Teams of 2011
It may not be as crucial as the home dominance in basketball or college football but home parks can still play a role in MLB betting. Here’s a look at the top 10 home teams in Major League Baseball this season. What factors (aside from a team’s overall skill level) give them special advantages?
2011 Best Home Records in MLB
1. Milwaukee Brewers (21-7 at Miller Park)
Miller Park is playing as the second-easiest hitter’s park this season and big bats like Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun are taking advantage. With solid run support, the Brew Crew’s starters are streaking. Yovani Gallardo has won seven straight starts and hasn’t lost at home this year. Milwaukee is seven games under .500 on the road.
2. Cleveland Indians (19-10 at Progressive Field)
While Progressive Field has played almost neutral, it has the No. 1 home-run enhancer factor so far this season. Seven of breakout star Asdrubal Cabrera’s dingers have come in his home park.
3. Philadelphia Phillies (19-10 at Citizens Bank Park)
Known as a hitter’s park, Citizens Bank has played only as a top-10 venue this season. That’s probably because the Phillies’ dominant hurlers suppress the offensive stats. The Phillies still have a cushy environment for their hitters to play in.
4. Texas Rangers (19-11 at Rangers Ballpark)
As you can probably guess, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is the majors’ top offensive enhancer. You knew it was either this bandbox or Coors Field, right? New additions like Adrian Beltre are taking advantage of their new surroundings, where the ball really seems to carry.
5. San Francisco Giants (15-9 at AT&T Park)
The Giants are an elite pitching team and an atrocious offensive team. It seems like AT&T Park, which ranks among the best pitcher’s parks, exaggerates what we already knew about San Fran’s strengths and weaknesses.
6. St. Louis Cardinals (18-12 at Busch Stadium)
The Cards are still second in the majors in runs per game even though their park plays as the game’s toughest on hitters this season. Busch Stadium has arguably helped prop up an overachieving pitching staff for St. Louis this season. Jaime Garcia’s home ERA is an absolutely hilarious 0.46.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks (20-13 at Chase Field)
Chase Field currently ranks as the fourth-best hitter’s park in baseball this season. The Diamondbacks pitchers may suffer as a result – their team ERA is 17th-best in baseball – but only two teams have clubbed more homers than Arizona this season.
8. Boston Red Sox (19-13 at Fenway Park)
While Fenway has been one of the toughest parks to homer in this season, the Green Monster helps as much as it hurts, so Boston’s home field is still an above-average hitter’s environment. Adrian Gonzalez has been slamming balls off the Monster all season; he bats .359 at home.
9. Detroit Tigers (17-11 at Comerica Park)
Though his splits are closer to even this season, few guys love playing at home more than Justin Verlander. In his career, he’s 50-22 with a 3.42 ERA at Comerica Park and 39-33 with a 4.07 ERA on the road.
10. Atlanta Braves (17-13 at Turner Field)
Turner Field plays pretty neutral so Atlanta’s home record is mostly a reflection of the team’s actual ability. The Braves’ league-leading pitching staff trumps their scuffling offense, so Atlanta has an above-.500 mark at home.
