Purple Row - Rockies switching Double-A, Triple-A affiliates to New Britain, AlbuquerqueOf, by, and for Rockies fans. Every day.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/32779/pr-logo-fv.jpg2014-09-23T15:10:38-06:00http://www.purplerow.com/rss/stream/60635462014-09-23T15:10:38-06:002014-09-23T15:10:38-06:00Rockies' PDC with Boise Hawks official<img src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KBylnpp6ykxeotcg-vxQiPzGOfU=/410x410/cdn.vox-cdn.com/fan_shot_images/347366/Capture_PNG.png" />
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Anyone down for a road trip to Boise next summer?</p></p></div>
https://www.purplerow.com/2014/9/23/6835463/rockies-pdc-with-boise-hawks-officialBryan Kilpatrick2014-09-20T12:00:03-06:002014-09-20T12:00:03-06:00MiLB park factors for New Britain and Boise
<figure>
<img alt="Jason Aquino won't be giving up cheap home runs in New Britain next year." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XMoq0HoPwMgL1JabO5npKujMTo4=/5x121:772x632/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/39153372/Aquino_by_Drysdale.0.JPG" />
<figcaption>Jason Aquino won't be giving up cheap home runs in New Britain next year. | Charlie Drysdale</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In a flurry of affiliate moves, the Rockies will be changing Double-A and Short-Season stadiums. Both locations are older and one place profiles for hitters while the other towards pitchers.</p> <p>With the move of their Double-A franchise from Tulsa to New Britain, the <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Rockies</a> will be leaving behind one of the newest and best venues in minor league baseball. Tulsa's ONEOK Field was opened in 2010 for a cost of $39.2 million. Comparatively, New Britain Stadium is 14 years older and built for around $10 million.</p>
<p>One of the benefits of New Britain, is that Rockies prospects will no longer have the short porch in right field to deal with. The outfield irregularity stands just 307 feet away from home plate at a height of just four feet. This outfield design leads to cheap home runs and inflated left-handed pull hitters power numbers. Tim Wheeler's 2011 season stands out as an example, when he hit 33 home runs and 21 at home. In his five seasons outside of Tulsa, Wheeler has combined for just 35 home runs.</p>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="347">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="347" colspan="5" valign="bottom">
<p align="center"><b>Park Effects Avg from 2011-13</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="130">
<p align="center"><b><br></b></p>
</td>
<td width="67" valign="bottom">
<p><b>Runs</b></p>
</td>
<td width="51" valign="bottom">
<p><b>Hits</b></p>
</td>
<td width="49" valign="bottom">
<p><b>2B</b></p>
</td>
<td width="49" valign="bottom">
<p><b>HR</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="130" valign="bottom">
<p><u>Tulsa</u></p>
</td>
<td width="67" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">100</p>
</td>
<td width="51" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">98</p>
</td>
<td width="49" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">96</p>
</td>
<td width="49" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">114</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="130" valign="bottom">
<p><u>New Britain</u></p>
</td>
<td width="67" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">98</p>
</td>
<td width="51" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">100</p>
</td>
<td width="49" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">104</p>
</td>
<td width="49" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">89</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Playing in New Britain provides Rockies prospects with a more balanced home park. While Tulsa was fairly average in every other aspect of hitting, it put up an outlier of a number when it came to home runs. In contrast, New Britain is much tougher to leave the park, ranking as one of the most difficult in the Eastern League and overall leans towards being a pitcher-friendly venue.</p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Great time at the <a href="https://twitter.com/TulsaDrillers">@TulsaDrillers</a> game last night! Thanks for hosting us! <a href="https://twitter.com/RobGardenhire">@RobGardenhire</a>, you and your team rocks! <a href="http://t.co/GoquQBB0O7">pic.twitter.com/GoquQBB0O7</a></p>
— Integrity Lighting (@IntegrityLight) <a href="https://twitter.com/IntegrityLight/status/482543328689668096">June 27, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Tulsa was home to one of the most beautiful sightlines in minor league baseball and personally I'll be sad to see it go. The Rockies new Double-A home will take some getting used to, but at least it will help normalize power numbers by reducing cheap home runs that hitters were taking advantage of in Tulsa. New Britain also broadcasts its games on MiLB.tv, so fans that enjoy following Rockies prospects will still have access to players in this manner.</p>
<h4>Boise profiles has a hitters park</h4>
<p>In an ironic parallel to the current Rockies sequence of events, the team of Boise originally moved from Tri-Cities to its present location in 1986. Constructed in 1989, Memorial Stadium was built at a cost of $2.3 million and is five years older than Gesa Stadium in Tri-Cities.</p>
<p>Memorial Stadium once shared a venue with the Western Idaho Fairgrounds causing the team to play on the road for an extended period of time in August. Scheduling has since improved since and the road warrior mentality hasn't been a requirement in recent seasons.</p>
<p>Sitting at an elevation of 2,730 feet, Boise is one of the better hitting environments in the Northwestern League. Not only is Boise 2,400 feet higher than Tri-Cities, but it also has lower humidity. The Idaho town is fairly dry and has a humidity level that sits somewhere between Las Vegas and Albuquerque.</p>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="347">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="347" colspan="5" valign="bottom">
<p align="center"><b>Park Effects Avg from 2011-13</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" valign="bottom"></td>
<td width="91" valign="bottom">
<p><b>Runs</b></p>
</td>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p><b>Hits</b></p>
</td>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p><b>XBH</b></p>
</td>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p><b>HR</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p><u>Boise</u></p>
</td>
<td width="91" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">107</p>
</td>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">106</p>
</td>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">100</p>
</td>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">103</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p><u>Tri-City</u></p>
</td>
<td width="91" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">92</p>
</td>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">95</p>
</td>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">97</p>
</td>
<td width="64" valign="bottom">
<p align="right">81</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Rockies prospects will enjoy hitting in their new home of Boise, where the elevation and dryer climate helps the ball to fly further than in Washington. The other factor that they won't have to deal with is the wind. Their former home of Gesa Stadium faces south and prevalent winds tend to blow in on a hitter and keeping balls in the park.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"You have the wind blowing right into your face as a left handed hitter," said Rockies prospect <span>Dillon Thomas</span> on the frustrations of Gesa Stadium. "Hitting a ball out to right is next to impossible there. I saw so many ball hit well by guys that you thought were going to be gappers that got held up in the wind and ran down."</p>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Unfortunately Boise doesn't broadcast its games on MiLB.tv, so fans trying to follow the new team won't have any more access than when the team was in Tri-Cities. Trying to find video of players in the Northwest League in general is like trying to make a bigfoot sighting. Rockies prospects will begin playing in New Britain and Boise in the summer of 2015.</p>
https://www.purplerow.com/2014/9/20/6646237/park-factors-for-the-rockies-new-minor-league-affiliates-of-newCharlie772014-09-19T08:37:15-06:002014-09-19T08:37:15-06:00Albuquerque has an extreme hitters' park
<figure>
<img alt="Kyle Parker might jump for joy at the chance to hit in Isotopes Park next season." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pOVwxky0PK86HgWmJvUGTfhIdiE=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/38976420/451934310.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kyle Parker might jump for joy at the chance to hit in Isotopes Park next season. | Justin Edmonds</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>With the move down I-25, the Rockies may have found a new home where the ball flies even more than their old home.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Colorado Rockies</a> changed minor league affiliates this week, packing their bags and leaving Colorado Springs for new digs in Albuquerque. Their previous location presented a common organization problem with altitude and runs scored, but as it turns out, their new home is an even friendlier place for hitters.</p>
<p>Rockies fans hoping for a Triple-A team with a less extreme hitter's park will soon discover that Isotopes Park in Albuquerque is an even bigger outlier than Colorado Springs. Prior to this season, Isotopes Park led the Pacific Coast League in nearly every offensive category with a park effect significantly higher than those seen in Colorado Springs. When it comes to park effects, a balanced park will score 100, but both sites were significantly higher, with Albuquerque scoring 20 basis points higher than Colorado Springs when it came to home runs.</p>
<table width="347" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" valign="bottom" width="347">
<p align="center"><b>Park Effects Average from 2011-13</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="151" align="center">
<p><b><br></b></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="61" align="center">
<p><b>Runs</b></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="46" align="center">
<p><b>Hits</b></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="45" align="center">
<p><b>XBH</b></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="45" align="center">
<p><b>HR</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="151" align="center">
<p><u>Albuquerque</u></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="61" align="center">
<p>122</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="46" align="center">
<p>112</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="45" align="center">
<p>114</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="45" align="center">
<p>124</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="151" align="center">
<p><u>Col. Springs</u></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="61" align="center">
<p>112</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="46" align="center">
<p>108</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="45" align="center">
<p>108</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="45" align="center">
<p>104</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>In 2013, a humidor was installed in Isotopes Park to help match some of the effects that occurred in other parks such as Coors Field, but the results were mixed. Although the overall runs scored came down slightly, team ERA was all over the board.</p>
<table width="219" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" valign="bottom" width="219">
<p align="center"><b>Isotopes Team Runs and ERA</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="78" align="center"></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="69" align="center">
<p><b>R/G</b></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="72" align="center">
<p><b>ERA</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="78" align="center">
<p>2014</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="69" align="center">
<p>5.14</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="72" align="center">
<p>5.51</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="78" align="center">
<p>2013</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="69" align="center">
<p>5.18</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="72" align="center">
<p>4.05</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="78" align="center">
<p>2012</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="69" align="center">
<p>5.85</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="72" align="center">
<p>5.01</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="78" align="center">
<p>2011</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="69" align="center">
<p>5.93</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="72" align="center">
<p>5.73</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><small><i>Humidor was installed and used in the 2013 season</i></small></p>
<p>At an elevation of over 6,000 feet, the Rockies former Triple-A home of Security Services Field in Colorado Springs sits even higher than Coors Field in Denver, and was one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the minors. The first minor league humidor was installed at Colorado Springs in 2012 and it effectively normalized the park changing it from an extreme outlier to an above-average hitting location. The table below represents the drop in park factors over a three year period across the categories of: Runs, Hits, Extra-base hits and Home Runs.</p>
<table width="347" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" valign="bottom" width="347">
<p align="center"><b>Sky Sox Park Factors</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="53" align="center"></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="92" align="center">
<p><b>Runs</b></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="67" align="center">
<p><b>Hits</b></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="71" align="center">
<p><b>XBH</b></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="64" align="center">
<p><b>HR</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="53" align="center">
<p>2013</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="92" align="center">
<p>110</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="67" align="center">
<p>105</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="71" align="center">
<p>103</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="64" align="center">
<p>98</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="53" align="center">
<p>2012</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="92" align="center">
<p>105</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="67" align="center">
<p>105</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="71" align="center">
<p>110</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="64" align="center">
<p>96</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="53" align="center">
<p>2011</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="92" align="center">
<p>121</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="67" align="center">
<p>113</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="71" align="center">
<p>111</p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="64" align="center">
<p>117</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><small><i>Humidor was installed and used for the 2012 season.</i></small></p>
<p>Both Colorado Springs and Albuquerque are Triple-A locations in the Pacific Coast League that not only sit at altitude, but also have a very dry climate. This is because the PCL encompasses one of the driest deserts in North America. The high arid environment causes baseballs to dry out, making them slick and hard like cue balls, resulting in higher scoring games.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/imported_assets/2387286/PCLFactors_zps1f9254d3_medium.jpg"><img src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/imported_assets/2387286/PCLFactors_zps1f9254d3_medium_medium.jpg" class="photo" alt="Pclfactors_zps1f9254d3_medium_medium"></a></p>
<p>The graphic above shows the elevation and humidity averages for a selection of current and former teams in the PCL, along with their correlating park factors the season before the humidor was installed in Albuquerque. With a high altitude and low humidity, the perfect conditions form to make Albuquerque one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the league. In contrast, Portland's now defunct PGE Park sat at a lower elevation with high humidity levels, resulting in a friendlier pitching environment.</p>
<p>The benefit of playing in Albuquerque is that the Rockies players will enjoy playing in a more modern stadium. While the Triple-A club is leaving the older confines of Security Services Field which was built in 1988 at a cost of $3.7 million, Isotopes Park is a newer construction, opened in 2003 with an investment of $25 million. The outfield has a unique sloping grass hill in center field, similar to the major league outfield in Houston's Minute Maid Park. The rest of the outfield sports fairly normal dimensions with 340 feet to left and right field, center is 400 feet with alleys that convex out to 428 feet.</p>
<p>Players such as <span>Kyle Parker</span> and <span>Tyler Anderson</span> will most likely be making their 2015 debut in an Isotopes uniform. While their park still sits south of Denver on I-25, they'll now be 450 miles away from Coors Field instead of just an hour's drive. The stadium may be newer, with more amenities, but it will also include a more extreme hitting environment than previous Rockies affiliates have ever hosted.</p>
https://www.purplerow.com/2014/9/19/6455189/colorado-rockies-albuquerque-isotopes-extreme-hitters-parkCharlie772014-09-19T08:09:18-06:002014-09-19T08:09:18-06:00These uniforms, though<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="/rss/stream/6063546">These uniforms,&nbsp;though</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>The digs of the Rockies' new Northwest League affiliate are ... well ... look, they're fugly. But that's OK, because hooray for new affiliations!</p></p></div>
https://www.purplerow.com/2014/9/19/6531355/these-uniforms-thoughBryan Kilpatrick2014-09-19T00:25:55-06:002014-09-19T00:25:55-06:00Rockies sign PDC with Boise Hawks
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VjYlCWoYzbUiUXPyQA-5DRWUbr8=/0x10:4000x2677/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/39001808/20130515_ter_ah2_421.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And that concludes the largest amount of affiliate shuffling the Rockies have done in a single season in two decades.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Colorado Rockies</a> have finalized an agreement to become the parent club for the Short Season-A Boise Hawks of the Northwest League, according to a source. <a href="https://twitter.com/BoiseHawks/status/512807611033333760" target="_blank">Boise has confirmed the news via its Twitter account</a>.</p>
<p>The latest affiliation switch seems to be a good one for the Rockies, if for no other reason than the population of the Boise metropolitan area exceeds 600,000. That's not a bad market for the Rockies to tap into, even if the Hawks' ballpark, Memorial Stadium, doesn't appear to be the greatest based on <a href="http://www.charliesballparks.com/st/ph/ID-Boise-Memorial-2.jpg" target="_blank">photos</a> or <a href="http://www.stadiumjourney.com/stadiums/memorial-stadium-s161/" target="_blank">reputation</a>.</p>
<p>The move finalizes the Rockies' shuffling of several of their minor league affiliates. The team agreed to new player development contracts with Triple-A Albuquerque and Double-A New Britain on Monday, officially ending long relationships with the Colorado Springs and Tulsa clubs.</p>
<p>But no relationship was longer than the one the Rockies had with the Tri-City Dust Devils. Before a pair of moves, the Dust Devils way back in 1992 were known as the Bend Rockies. That team, which featured 10 future big leaguers, was the first ever fielded by the Rockies organization. The franchise moved to Portland in 1995, then on to Tri-City -- an area in southeastern Washington that includes the towns of Kennewick, Pasco and Richland -- in 2001.</p>
<p>Boise previously served as the Northwest League affiliate of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Chicago Cubs</a> since 2001. Ironically, the franchise was at one time housed in the Tri-City area in the 1980s, back when it was an affiliate of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a>.</p>
https://www.purplerow.com/2014/9/19/6480151/rockies-short-season-a-affiliate-boise-minor-league-pdcBryan Kilpatrick2014-09-17T14:49:29-06:002014-09-17T14:49:29-06:00This is the PDC signed by the Rockies and Isotopes<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="/rss/stream/6063546">This is the PDC signed by the Rockies and&nbsp;Isotopes</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>When we told you we'd bring you all of the details, we meant it, dammit!</p></p></div>
https://www.purplerow.com/2014/9/17/6352547/this-is-the-pdc-signed-by-the-rockies-and-isotopesBryan Kilpatrick2014-09-17T14:20:29-06:002014-09-17T14:20:29-06:00Albuquerque Isotopes set to announce affiliation with Rockies<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="/rss/stream/6063546">Albuquerque Isotopes set to announce affiliation with&nbsp;Rockies</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>LOOK PURPLE AND BLACK BALLOONS!</p></p></div>
https://www.purplerow.com/2014/9/17/6351443/the-albuquerque-isotopes-are-getting-set-to-announce-theirBryan Kilpatrick2014-09-17T14:12:30-06:002014-09-17T14:12:30-06:00Purple Dinocast Ep. 27: Do the Affiliation Shuffle
<figure>
<img alt="Isotopes Park from the outside" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wgCXOPMz4zWwnHzjDwDvnoo-69U=/0x443:1530x1463/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/38764340/photo_2.0.JPG" />
<figcaption>Isotopes Park from the outside | <a href='http://www.truebluela.com'>Eric Stephen</a></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>What better way to complement a Rockies beatdown of the Dodgers than listening to PDP guys talk baseball?</p> <p>A weekly podcast is no place for breaking news, but we've got it anyway. The Rockies' Triple-A affiliation is headed to Albuquerque, and Double-A is moving to Connecticut. Anthony and Tyler break down what that means for fans, the organization and Simpsons references in the future.</p>
<p>Asheville Tourists radio voice Doug Maurer joins the show to discuss the Tourists' 2014 South Atlantic League title plus David Dahl, Ryan McMahon, Raimel Tapia and more.</p>
<p>And the guys even find some time to sprinkle in talk about the big league club. Amazing but true!</p>
<p><iframe width="400" height="370" src="http://player.cinchcast.com/?platformId=1&assetType=single&assetId=6918099" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<div style="font-size: 10px;text-align: center;width:400px;">Check Out Sports Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/purpledinosaurpodcast" rel="nofollow">Purple Dinosaur Podcast</a> on BlogTalkRadio</div>
https://www.purplerow.com/2014/9/17/6346163/baseball-podcast-rockies-purple-dinosaurPurple Dinosaur Podcast