At the moment this sentence was written, Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield had a lifetime big-league batting average of .290 and a lifetime minor-league batting average of .274.
Ask Merrifield how it’s possible to hit better in the big leagues than the minors, and he might wind up talking about the state capital of Iowa.
The Iowa Cubs play in Principal Park in Des Moines, and the state capitol sits beyond the outfield wall. The capitol dome is lit up at night, which provides fans a great backdrop for watching baseball. But if you’re a right-handed batter trying to see a baseball thrown by a left-handed pitcher, the view isn’t so hot.