Ellsworth 1 Chelsea Ellsworth October 29, 2013 Core 412 Baseball, Stadiums, and Cheating When man !eo!

le thin" o# baseball, the thin" o# $merica%s !ast times, childhood, and #un& 'owe(er, !ro#essional baseball has recei(ed little attention #or ha(ing #ields that gi(e ad(antages to the home team& )or e*am!le, at some stadiums the out#ield #ences are able to be ad+usted #rom game to game& Some !roblems start #rom the beginning with the stadiums structure, others come #rom the grounds "ee!ers the teams em!lo & ,s it ethical to build baseball stadiums and use other #ield tric"s that gi(e the home team an ad(antageBac"ground 'ome teams getting an ad(antage, is nothing new to the s!ort o# baseball& $ccording to .oss Bernstein, author o# Code/ Baseball0s 1nwritten .ules 2 ,ts ,gnore3at34our3Own3.is" Code o# Conduct, the Chicago White So* ha(ing been #looding the #ield since the 1940s& 5he grounds"ee!er, 6ene Bossard 7watered down 8the #ield9 #or sin"erball !itchers :ic" :ono(an, 5omm ;ohn, and ;oel 'orlen< =Bernsteirn 1>3?& $nother method Bossard used was slo!!ing the dirt around the baseline so when the batters would bunt, the ball would go #oul =1>3?& Bossard was legendar #or altering the #ield #or o!!osing teams, to gi(e the White So* the ad(antage& $nother grounds"ee!er #rom San )rancisco would 7ma"e the to!soil around #irst and second base hea( and wet b mi*ing it with !eat moss and sand< =1>3?& 5his method would ma"e it much harder #or base stealers to run b ma"ing it #eel 7li"e wading through @uic"sand<

Ellsworth 2 =1>3?& $nother e*am!le is the Ailwau"ee minor league team that installed a 7motoriBed #ence in the right3#ield corner o# Borchardt )ield that could be mo(ed in and out between innings< =1>3?& Co!ular methods to gi(e the home team an ad(antage are 7doctoring the base lines, altering batter%s bo*es, contouring the mound, or e(en mo(ing the !ortable #ences in and out #rom the out#ield< =1>3?& 5eams ma also let the grass in the in#ield grow a little longer #or o!!onents that bunt a lot& Dong grass in the in#ield hel!s with o!!osing !itchers who 7#orce a lot o# ground balls<, because the long grass will slow down the ball and gi(e more time to the in#ielders, o# the home team, to get the out& Some teams ha(e e(en gone as #ar as #reeBing and ba"ing the balls to ma"e the balls waterlogged and hea(ier =1>3?& Aan stadiums will also gi(e the (isiting team a hard time b tr ing to get under their s"in& )or e*am!le, the (isiting team will o#ten times ha(e no hot water, less light in their dugouts or bull!ens, or light !in" loc"er rooms =1>3?& 5he Aetrodome sta## in Ainnea!olis was accused o# turning o## the #ans when the home team was u! to bat =1>3?& 5he home team ad(antage can be #ound in man !o!ular s!orts li"e baseball, soccer, and bas"etball& ,t is also seen at di##erent le(els li"e !ro#essional and collegiate s!orts =.omanowich EE9?& $ theor about the "ind o# stadium a baseball team has, is blamed #or gi(ing some teams an un#air ad(antage =EE9?& S!orts that are !la ed outside, tend to ha(e a higher rate o# games won at home than s!orts that are !la ed inside =EF0?& $dditionall , it is belie(ed that baseball teams that !la in stadiums with retractable roo#s get another ma+or ad(antage, since the atmos!here can change #rom game to game =EF4?& Since teams that !la in closed #acilities are able to control e(er thing #rom air #low to ground water, it will allow the home team to control more (ariables&

Ellsworth 3 E(en when building newer stadiums, designers ma"e the stadiums a little s"ewed& 5he new 5e*as .angers% stadium was designed #or ha(ing home runs =Catos"i?& $ccording to the article about the new design o# the stadium, 75he #ences are close enough #or ;uan 6onBaleB to hit #i#t dingers i# he sta s health < =Catos"i?& 5he .angers stadium is designed #or more le#t handed hitters though, and has 7400 #eet to the wall in center, 32E #eet down the right3#ield line, and 332 #eet down the le#t< =Catos"i?& 5he White So* stadium is one o# the 7easiest !laces to hit a home run in the ma+ors< =Sheehan?& On the other hand, San :iego%s stadium is 7the toughest run3scoring en(ironment in the ma+ors< =Sheehan?& 5eams that !la at home ha(e a higher rate o# winning than teams that !la awa & 7)rom 2002 to 2010, home teams won 11,9424 o# 21,GF3 regular season games, or EEH< =Stats S!ea"?& 'owe(er, ADB teams ha(e less wins at home then I)D and IB$ =Stats S!ea"?& 5he I)D has a EGH home #ield win and the IB$ is at F0H =Stats S!ea"?& 5he Boston .ed So*%s home #ield winning a(erage is F3H =Stats s!ea"?& 75he 'ouston $stros and Chiladel!hia Chillies ha(e also been much more success#ul at home, winning 19H more< =Stats S!ea"?& 5he onl ADB teams that do not winning more at home are the 5am!a Ba .a s, Jansas Cit .o als, and Baltimore Orioles =Stats S!ea"?& $nother element that is widel "nown in the baseball communit is 7good !itching beats good hitting< =Browne, 10>?& 5he article, 6ood Citching Beats 6ood 'itting, e*amines how the game o# baseball ma"es it di##icult #or the batter to beat the !itcher based on the rules =Browne?& Since the game is designed #or the !itcher, in the !itcher%s #a(or& )or e*am!le, baselines and batting bo*es are designed to hel! the !itcher =Browne?& $dditionall , the since the um!ire is calling balls and stri"es, the onl wa the batter can trul beat the !itcher is b hitting the ball =Browne?&

Ellsworth 4 5his is an ethical !roblem, because these teams are "nowingl cheating& 5he league has ta"en little, i# an , action to !re(ent this #rom continuing in the #uture& Stadium designers are ma"ing the game harder #or (isiting teams and easier #or the home teams& 5he grounds"ee!ers are ma"ing it much harder on o!!osing teams, because the are loo"ing at the other teams stats and altering the #ield& Both designers and grounds"ee!ers are cheating #or the home team& Je $lternati(es One wa o# #i*ing the !roblem, would be to re@uire stadiums that ha(e ad+ustable #ences to ma"e them !ermanent& 5his would cut bac" on the e(er changing out#ield& 6oing along with this, setting standard dimensions #or baseball #ield designers& 5his would allow #uture #ields that are built to all ha(e the same dimensions& ,t would be di##icult to +usti# tearing down historic stadiums li"e )enwa , so this method would satis# teams building new stadiums and teams wishing to "ee! their historic stadiums& B re@uiring new stadiums to all ha(e the same standards, all team will e(entuall , and ideall , ha(e the same dimensions and an e@ual !la ing #ield& 'owe(er, addressing the issue with grounds"ee!ers altering the #ields, high #ines could be im!lemented #rom the league as wa to !unish the team& ,# a team is "nown to slant the base line, or draw the lines out to #ar, the team could be #ined& 1suall , i# a teams are caught cheating, the get a lot o# media attention and the #ine would be !roo# #or re!orters& 5his would hold teams accountable and !ut more !ressure on grounds"ee!ers to not cheat& $lso i# the team is caught cheating, the could #or#eit the game, also ta"ing accountabilit #or their actions& $nother resolution to #ields being altered, would be to ha(e an outside entit draw lines and !re! the #ields& 5his wa the contractor would be the one held accountable instead o# the team& 5he teams would not be blamed #or tr ing to ma"e their team loo" good or win i# an

Ellsworth E outside contractor was in charge o# !re!!ing the #ield& 5hese outside contractors would ha(e no ties to the teams, and there #or would be less li"el to #lood the bases and alter the #ields& ,# the did not do their +ob correctl , the could lose their +ob& 'a(ing contractors bringing in and monitoring the game balls would also hel! reduce issues with grounds"ee!ers intentionall water logging the balls& ,# all o# these alternati(es are met, then the game o# baseball would be more #air& ,t would also allow #or the #ans and !la ers to en+o the game more since the team that was su!!ose to win would win& 5his ma e(en hel! dissol(e some o# the hatred between teams& Ethical Crinci!les One wa o# loo"ing at the issue o# cheating in the baseball stadium, would be to ta"e a 1tilitarianism stance& 1tilitarianism sa s, 75he highest !rinci!le o# moralit is to ma*imiBe ha!!iness, the o(erall balance o# !leasure o(er !ain< =Sandel 34?& 5he 1tilitarian will use a cost3 bene#it anal sis to e(aluate whether higher regulation and #ines would be bene#icial to more !eo!le& $ccording to this theor , the home and (isiting team #ans, home teams and owners, (isiting teams !la ers and owners, and re#erees would all need to be accounted #or& 'ome teams, #an, and owners would all be !leased with a win, regardless o# how the win was gained& Similarl , teams cannot #unction without out #an su!!ort& ,# #ans do not come out to home games, the team loses out on mone & 5he teams ha(e to ma"e mone to sta in business, and #ans do not want to attend a game and watch the home team lose& Similarl , (isiting teams do not wanted to be cheated out o# a win, i# the genuinel deser(e to win& 1tilitarianism, loo"s into costs #rom both !arties& 5he (isiting team will ha(e their con#idence hurt and #eel angr and cheated& $lso, (isiting teams will ha(e chance, or the alread had the chance, to beat the team at their stadium& While home (iewers rooting #or the

Ellsworth F (isiting team will be emotionall hurt, the are not losing much& 1tilitarianism, would sa that in this case, designing stadiums to the home teams ad(antage would be #ine& Dibertarianism would ta"e a slightl di##erent a!!roach to this 1tilitarianism and as" wh this needs to be regulated& $ Dibertarian%s 7central claim is that each o# us has a #undamental right to libert 33 the right to do whate(er we want with the things we own, !ro(ided we res!ect other !eo!le%s rights to do the same< =Sandel F0?& ,n other words, libertarians belie(e in less regulation, and belie(e ou can do what ou want as long as ou are not harming others =Sandel?& 5his theor allows the owners and designers to loo" at their sel# interest and design the stadium to #it those interest& With this in mind, one would argue that the baseball teams can do whate(er the !lease, since the own the !ro!ert & 5he Dibertarian would argue there should be no regulation on how #ar the out#ield #ence is or other things that e##ect the !ro!ert owned b the team& ,# the team%s grounds"ee!er, is causing !h sical harm to o!!osing !la ers =which research has not been #ound to be true?, then Dibertarianism would sa regulation is needed& 'owe(er, the regulation would be on the team%s grounds"ee!er, not the stadium designer& 5he stadium is not causing harm, so there#ore the stadium does not need regulating& ,mmanuel Jant would sa that both 1tilitarianism and libertarianism are both wrong in this case, because there is a uni(ersal law that sa s cheating is bad =Sandel?& Jant theor states that doing the right thing starts with what the intention is =Sandel?& )or the case o# the baseball teams, the do not ha(e the good intent, so there#ore, what the are doing is wrong& 5heir intent was to win, which does not better the communit & E(en i# the teams had the best intentions, which Jant calls good will, Jant sa s that this is not an ethical action =Sandel?&

Ellsworth > )or this case, Jant would sa there has to be an ethical !rinci!le that is being bro"en& S"ewing the #ields and building stadiums that gi(e the home team an ad(antage, and this would be dealing with the ethical !rinci!le on cheating& Since most o# the time, cheating results in !ain, Jant sa s that this is the reason that cheating is unethical =Sandel?& Cheating #alls under one o# Jant%s moral laws =Sandel?& 5he (isiting team will alwa s be the #eeling !ain, because the will consistentl be losing& 5he home teams are alwa s setting themsel(es u! or success, which will alwa s hurt the other team& Jant would sa this is wrong and unethical& Conclusion $#ter re(iewing the issue and se(eral ethical !rinci!les, the best theor to #ollow is utilitarianism& 5his theor would cause the least ob+ections and bene#it the most !eo!le& B allowing teams to handle how their #ields are built and gi(es #ans the o!!ortunit to see the their team win& $llowing teams to handle their #ields also gi(es the teams the abilit to remain uni@ue& ,# the league used a utilitarianism a!!roach, it would gi(e the ADB a wa to !lease #ans, !la ers, and o##icials& 1tilitarianism would sa this #orm o# cheating is #ine& 'owe(er, a libertarian a!!roach seems to be the method #ollowed& 6rounds"ee!ers are able to get awa with do things mentioned abo(e because o# the lac" o# regulation& 5he ADB seems to ha(e little regulation out about the altering the #ields& 5he league also has done little to ma"e all the #ields e@ual in dimensions, which !oints to a belie# that owners and stadiums can design #ields that suit the team& Ob+ections $n ob+ection to regulation would be teams !la at both stadiums& )or e*am!le i# one series is between team $ and team B is !la ed at team $%s stadium, the ne*t series would be !la ed at team B%s stadium& 5his allows both teams to wor" the #ields to their ad(antage, which

Ellsworth G as a result gi(es both teams an e(en !la ing #ield& Ceo!le who ob+ect the to setting #ield regulations would use this as a strong argument& Cla ing at both stadiums in the same season, is something that not all s!orts leagues ha(e& )or e*am!le, the I)D does not re@uire a team to !la a team at their home stadium and their o!!onents stadium& $ second ob+ection would be that there is no harm to !la ers and teams b using these methods o# cheating& Aan o# the methods that were mention abo(e as wa s to gi(e the home team a winning ad(antage, causing little to no harm to the !la ers& ,nstead, these methods challenge !la ers to train #or man di##erent !la ing conditions, but cause no !h sical harm to the !la ers& Some !eo!le would argue that this actuall hel!s !la ers instead o# harming them& 5his would re@uire athletes to be more di(erse !la ers and become more ada!table& $ ma+or ob+ection to start hea(il regulating stadiums and grounds"ee!er%s wor", is the #ans li"e when their team is winning& ,# #ans are disa!!ointed in the team, tic"et sales go down, ad(ertise ma !ull out, and #an sto! !urchasing as much a!!arel& One could argue that i# the team is alwa s losing home games, then wh would the want to come to the games& So b hel!ing the team win, the builders and grounds"ee!ers are hel!ing #ill seats, em!lo wor"ers, and gi(ing the #ans a good game&

Ellsworth 9 .e#lection , throughl en+o ed writing this !a!er because the to!ic was interesting to me& 'owe(er, , struggled #inding enough sources to write this !a!er& ,t a!!ears that the issues stated in this !a!er seem to o(erloo"ed and acce!ted b the league, ma"ing it harder to #ind sources re!orting on the issue& $ bigger issue that the ADB seems to dealing with is the use o# illegal drugs, there #or man o# the articles , was #inding dealt with that issue& 'owe(er, since the to!ic was not as well !ubliciBed, all the in#ormation , was learning was new and , was able to ma"e a decision that was less in#luenced b the media& ,t was hard, because the issue does not seem to be ma"ing to ma !eo!le unha!! , but , +ust can%t seem to get !ast the #act that the league is so concerned with steroids and other !er#ormance enhancing drugs that are gi(ing !la ers and un#air ad(antage, , would thin" that the league would be against this #orm o# cheating& Ethicall , , thin" this should be a main concern #or the league, but i# the main concern o# the league is to ma"e mone , then !leasing #ans should be a main !riorit & 'owe(er, i# !la ing a #air and honest game is the goal, then the league should ta"e a closer loo" into the issues stated abo(e& O(erall, the !a!er was en+o able, once , #ound enough sources and was able to understand the issue more clearl &

Ellsworth 10 Wor"s Cited Bernstein, .oss& KCha!ter 2G/ On 5he 'ome3)ield $d(antage&K Code/ Baseball0s 1nwritten .ules 2 ,ts ,gnore3at34our3Own3.is" Code o# Conduct& 1>3& n&!&/ Bernstein Boo"s, 200G& A$S Com!lete& Web& 2E Se!t& 2013& Browne, $lister& K6ood Citching Beats 6ood 'itting&K ;ournal O# 5he Chiloso!h O# S!ort 34&2 =200>?/ 10>311E& SCO.5:iscus with )ull 5e*t& Web& 24 Io(& 2013& Catos"i, ;oe Iic"& K'ome )ield $d(antage&K 5e*as Aonthl 22&4 =1994?/ 114& Aaster),DE Com!lete& Web& 2E Se!t& 2013& .omanowich, Caul& K'ome $d(antage ,n .etractable3.oo# Baseball Stadia&K Cerce!tual 2 Aotor S"ills 11E&2 =2012?/ EE93EFF& SCO.5:iscus with )ull 5e*t& Web& 2E Se!t& 2013& Sandel, Aichael ;& ;ustice/ What0s the .ight 5hing to :o- Iew 4or"/ )arrar, Straus and 6irou*, 2010& Crint& Sheehan, ;oe& KBall!ar"s )igure&K S!orts ,llustrated 11F&10 =2012?/ 3G& A$S Com!lete& Web& 24 Se!t& 2013& KStats s!ea"&K 1S$ 5oda n&d&/ A$S Com!lete& Web& 24 Se!t& 2013&