Is the wind blowing out or in? How hot or cold is it? Is the roof open or closed? Baseball bettors need to know the answers to these questions and more before making their picks at the top MLB betting sites.
Mark Twain summed up the nation’s obsession best when he noted everyone talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. We also know Twain combined his thoughts on weather and baseball in his book A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court:
“It was balmy and beautiful spring weather now, and Nature was all tailored out in her new clothes.”
The noted American author might be amazed at just how much more weather was a topic of conversation these days than it was back in the 19th century. And Twain might also be astonished to learn that baseball bettors have been doing something about the weather since long before climate change, global warming and those Stop Oil knuckleheads.
The Answer, My Friend, is Blowing in the Wind
Different weather conditions can affect ballparks differently, turning pitcher-friendly stadiums into a hitter’s paradise and vice versa. For the basis of this discussion, we are going to focus more on the parks that are generally accepted as being pitcher-friendly.
First and foremost is understanding that pitcher-friendly doesn’t necessarily mean under-friendly for MLB bettors playing the totals.
First and foremost with the weather is understanding wind is the most critical factor. Whether or not the wind is blowing out or blowing in at Wrigley Field on Chicago’s North Side is so critical, most sportsbooks won’t release overnight totals for Cub home games. The wind coming off Lake Michigan, or blowing across it, is a fickle creature.
Knowing the direction of the wind with relation to the layout of the park is only one part of the equation. The ballpark itself can contribute to the effect of the wind, negating the impact at times or creating a swirling effect to help fly balls going in different directions.
One such example is Petco Park in San Diego recognized as one of the most pitcher-friendly stadiums in the game. More times than not, the wind is out of the west or northwest, with both stadium’s upper deck down the left field line and the Western Metal Supply Co. building in the left field corner can block some of that breeze.
Bettors also need to take into account a pitcher’s general tendencies. A ground ball pitcher is not going to be affected by wind in any direction like a fly ball pitcher will be.
If You Can’t Stand the Heat…
While bettors don’t need to be advanced meteorologists to understand how weather can affect a ballgame, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a simple understanding of some basic physics.
So let’s call this Baseball Betting & The Weather 101: The warmer the temperature, the less dense the air. The less dense the air, the farther a fly ball travels.
According to one recent study, for every 1° rise on the thermometer from 75°F, a baseball can travel up to 1% further. Decreases from 75°F aren’t quite as uniform, especially once you get below the 60°F mark, but the relationship between temperature and air density is an important dynamic for bettors to take into consideration.
Comerica Park in Detroit is pitcher-friendly overall, and the dimensions make it one of the toughest parks on batters trying to go deep. But it is an even tougher park to score and hit homers in March and April when it’s cooler.
But It’s a Dry Heat…
Humidity is another factor, and a bit tricky. As the temperature rises, the air can hold more and more moisture and thus becomes more humid.
But there just isn’t any moisture to be had in some MLB locales, such as Arizona and Colorado. The humidors used at Coors Field and Chase Field are cranked up to keep the baseballs in storage from drying out, and the effect has really been felt in Phoenix.
Chase Field was once considered a bit of a launching pad, even with the roof closed and the AC keeping things comfortable for the fans. But the humidor has made the Phoenix ballpark one of the most homer-suppressing stadiums in the game, and Chase Field has become more neutral for hitters and pitchers.
Roof Reports Critical for Bettors
Sitting in the sun with a hot dog in one hand and a beer in the other, well, it makes for a perfect day. Sitting in the sun with a dog and beer on a 100° afternoon in Texas? Not so much.
There are seven MLB stadiums with retractable roofs, and knowing if the lids will be on or off for a given day is crucial. Those seven stadiums belong to the:
- Astros
- Blue Jays
- Brewers
- Diamondbacks
- Mariners
- Marlins
- Rangers
It’s rare for the roofs to be open in Houston, Phoenix or Arlington from June through August, but it never hurts to confirm. And it never hurts to check the forecast for any MLB game one last time before making your bet.
