BB & K figures on Ballpark Page

[gmlouisville]

I'm probably going to feel stupid after I ask this, but on the ballpark factors page, I get R, BA (L and R), and HR, but I'm not sure I'm grasping the BB & K factors there. Blue, of course, is for advantage and red for disadvantage. Is this advantage/disadvantage to the hitter or the pitcher? Could someone please explain? Thanks.

[RAY@HQ]

I get these crossed up every now and then. When in doubt while looking at the chart, use Coors as your guide. Blue favors hitters, red favors pitchers.

[gmlouisville]

Blue favors hitters, red favors pitchers.

Okay, but why is a hitter 12% more likely to strike out at Coors? It can't be the pitching. Is it the thin air? Am I even reading that right? It's red (the 12% figure) so the that means it's 12% easier for a pitcher to strike out a batter at Coors? Why? And if that's the case, why does Kauffman provide such a great venue for K's?

[RAY@HQ]

I would theorize that the Coors K rate is reflecting that a greater %age of outs in that park come by the K. With so many balls in play dropping for hits, that makes some intuitive sense for me.

I can't explain Kauffman, though.

[hqforums]

Park effects on BB and K can also be due to favorable or unfavorable sight lines and hitting background conditions.

RON@HQ

[gmlouisville]

All good sense. Thanks, guys.

[Nachos]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Coors a low batter K rate in 2002? I thought that was one of the reasons that P Wilson would reduce his K rate in the projections for '03.