by CHARLESBELL » Tue Feb 27, 2007 11:54 am
Split readings are there for players who choose not to use the ballpark settings. You have that option in the board and computer games, but TSN always uses the ballpark settings.
As far as the validity of the ballpark effects, SOM uses them to balance the game so that when replays are done you'll get the most realistic results (ie, results matching the players real life numbers). The effects are not based on the park itself, but how players hit in the park for any given season. That's why the numbers change every year - most parks don't change, but what happens in them do.
There is no way that player numbers will match real life (except by accident) in TSN since we only play 12 teams that are semi-all star teams, do not play schedules that match what really happened, and allow players to exceed real life atbats and innings pitched. The ballparlk settings just offer us another interesting aspect of the game we have to consider in putting our teams together.