Fenway is for Righties Yankee Stadium is for Lefties

Yankee Stadium opened on April 18, 1923, over 83 years ago. Since then (and it will be the case for the New Yankee Stadium due open in 2009), it has been a ballpark that strongly favors lefthanded players. This means it is the polar opposite of their chief rival the Boston Red Sox, who have played in Fenway Park since 1912.

This gigantic difference in ballparks almost caused a Joe DiMaggio for Ted Williams trade, as each player's numbers would likely shoot beyond their already extraordinary levels in ballparks more tailored to each of them.

We saw how far Manny could hit the ball and still not get a home run the other day.

There is plenty of data to show how each ballpark favors one side over the other. However, one does not have to look any further than this season's Red Sox pitching staff to get a grip on the full impact these ballparks can have.

The Red Sox have played 57 games this season, with 50 of them being started by a Right Handed Pitcher.

In those 50 games started by righties, Red Sox starting pitchers have given up 7 home run in Fenway Park and 10 at Yankee Stadium. Beckett and Schilling alone have given up 9 home runs in Yankee Stadium and no home runs in Fenway Park. That's incredible.

Actually, of the 7 home runs the Red Sox righties have given up at Fenway, 3 of those were to the Yankees (one is by Vernon Wells, of course).

These differences are another reason why, if these teams play in the ALCS, it would be advantageous to have game 7 at home (assuming David Wells doesn't get the Game 7 assignment).