A baseball park's effect on hitting

Unknown to some the design of a baseball park can have a tremendous effect on the hitting ability of players playing in the park.

Lighting- Often overlooked this aspect of design is important as of course the batter needs to be able to see the ball clearly in order to hit it. Consideration to lighting rig arrangement for night play is important as well as designing the top of the structure in an attempt to block direct sunlight from interfering with the players' views.

Wind- Baseball parks tend to be large and designed with high stadium structures surrounding them. Improper design can turn the field into a literal wind tunnel affecting the direction and speed of the ball both in pitching and hitting. Many designers are using open structure designs that allow break points where wind can pass through instead of swooshing down into the field.

Perception- Many batters rely on their perception to hit the ball with a precise speed and angle in order to either clear the home run marker or to avoid outfielders. If the park is designed in such a way that could cause angle distortion and optical illusions, a batter's accuracy will be affected. This could lead to hits falling short of their distance, more foul balls, and more outs.

There are probably a few more effects a park's design has on a hitter, but these three appear to relate directly to the park's design and are often able to be manipulated by the designer to ensure a batter's skill and hitting abilities are affected mainly by their own influences.