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Other than Richie Sexson, (who did NOT go on to hit decently elsewhere) - how many right-hand hitters have seen their offense plunge 'significantly' - (the safeco killer effect) for MORE than a single season - say 550 ABs?
What is the actual sample set of players ALLOWED to return after a well-below-standard season?
Most of the batters were not allowed to come back, you're right Sandy.  We weren't able to tell over multiple seasons if it was the park or just the move to a new league/park or just bad luck that did it.  But watching Cirillo or Beltre in the batter's box was a totally different experience from their previous locations.  Demoralized.  Beltre came back because he had a big contract, and is the biggest example of the Safeco Phenomenon of watching fly balls go to die in the outfield messing with an approach.  His recovery was everything I expected it to be.
Cirillo came from Colorado and TANKED here.  The park decimated him.  He was a good player before Colorado, though, and once returned to Milwaukee, he was good again.  
29 in MIL - .862 OPS
31 in COL - .838 OPS
32 & 33 in SEA - .629 and .555 OPS
35 & 36 in MIL (part-time) - .800 and .774 OPS
Comfort level was big for Cirillo.  He was never comfortable here - didn't get along with Lou and was way too self-critical to survive the park - and it showed.  Those were painful, painful ABs to watch.
Spiezio was good again: .787 OPS in Anaheim, then .595 (!!) here, then .807 after he went to STL.  Yes, he was a switch-hitter, but the park mauled him.  He was a deer in the headlights up there.
Aurilia was good again. .775 in SF, .641 here and so tormented we traded his ass immediately, then back to .782 and .867 in a small park in Cincinnati.  Part of that was defense - he'd built a career as a marginal SS out of knowing every hitter and every pitcher, and the move to the AL destroyed his defensive knowlege and didn't allow him to position correctly, and that probably messed with him at the plate as well, but the park DID NOT help.
It happens, Sandy.  I hold the middle view of Guti, but we've been watching RH batters or borderline hitters have their livers devoured at the plate in Safeco Field for years now.
Guti in Cincinnati is a monster.  Monster.  I can understand Doc's 2000-pounds-of-ants view of Franklin's future here.  I really can.  I think that his tanking last year was a combo platter, though, of the pressure of the field added to the pressure of NEEDING to hit those homeruns to drive the offense because no one else could.  With the batters who have died here it wasn't necessarily just the park either, but it adds weight to their other concerns.  It IS a factor.
If we can get him just to hit like he did in year one, he'll be fine.  The park works great for RH batters who can go the other way and take the double.  If you live and die by hitting 350 foot HRs, this is not your park.
Franklin doesn't play like he's scared of the park, but even if he's okay hitting there you can't MAKE Safeco cough up RH home-runs.  Sometimes they'll be there to take, but mostly you need to take what it gives and don't force it.
If Gutierrez can stop trying to force the issue I think he can get back to 2009 and we'll all be happy to have him.
If the park's in his head now and he's trying to muscle up to drive it out, forget it.  The ants will claim victory.
So let's hope Doc's wrong. :)
~G

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