They had to build the park big to compensate for the altitude, and still didn't succeed. Then they got the humidor to help out and the HR dropped significantly, but IIRC doubles and triples are still through the roof because the outfielders simply can't cover enough ground out there. It's a beautiful place to see a game even though it messes up traffic for me when I'm trying to get downtown, but it does its fielders no favors.
Which is what makes Ian Stewart's utter LACK of doubles astonishing. He's basically the same hitter against RHP and LHP for his career, and even for home vs. road. But he's never clubbed 20 doubles in any season. He averages the same number of 2B and HR a year. Spending half his time in Coors should help him in that dept but he hits far more of his doubles on the road.
Stewart is a mystery to me. There's NO reason he should only hit 20 doubles a year. He is apparently an unmotivated player, or at least that's the belief in Colorado. He just doesn't care enough to improve his game. That's not the same as saying there's not a TON of ceiling left to find. We're staring at his floor - the kid is oozing talent. I guess that makes him Jose Lopez redux.
I would be willing to take a chance on Stewart if it's a swap for Lopez and some effluvia. We'd have to move Chone, but so what?
Stewart has a .782 career OPS, with a .332 OBP.
Chone has a .736 career OPS, with a .359 OBP, with two sub .700 performances in the last 3 years.
Stewart's 25, and Chone is 32. I'd take the kid if I could then move Chone for something. That frees up the #2 spot in the lineup for Ackley, where he belongs, and gives us a decent #6ish hitter with tons of upside.
Just give Wedge a cattle prod to use on the kid.
~G