Thursday Late Morning Food For Thought: Home Field Blues

It seems clear Yanks don't win at home because they don't hit home runs and other teams do. On the road, their pitching can dictate outcomes
— David Waldstein (@DavidWaldstein) June 12, 2014

David Waldstein tweeted that thought out earlier this morning in response to last night's victory, and while it's not 100% accurate, there are shreds of truth in there that can help explain some of the team's offensive struggles.

It's not that the Yankees don't hit home runs at home.  Of their 52 total HR to date, they've hit 35 of them at home in 29 home games and 17 in 35 games on the road.  But the suggestion that the Yankees are not taking full home field advantage at YS3 is a valid one.  They've scored 106 runs in their 29 home games, good for 3.65 runs per game, compared to 150 runs in their 35 road games, good for a 4.29 R/G average.  In 6 more road games, they have 50 more total hits, including more doubles and triples and more stolen bases as a result.  The value of the higher power output at home is not being maximized because there haven't been as many guys on base to drive in.

On the other side of the ball, Waldstein's point about opposing teams hitting more HR at YS3 is accurate.  The Yankees have given up 70 HR this year, the 4th worst total in MLB.  42 of those home runs have been given up in the 29 games at The Stadium while the other 28 have come in the 35 road games.  This has been the major contributing factor to the team's 4.62 home ERA/3.41 road ERA split and something that makes the offense's overall poor home run production more glaring.

The Yankees have a reverse H/R record split right now.  They're 13-16 at home and 20-15 on the road.  Seeing how their hitting and pitching splits break down between home and road games, it's not difficult to understand why.  The Yankees aren't taking full advantage of their cozy home confines and scoring more runs in a hitter's park while their pitching staff is getting taken advantage of in those same confines.  Lack of power is a problem, but it's not just the home runs.  It's the whole offensive enchilada.