When Earl Weaver took over as manager of the Orioles, he ordered the infield grass shaved to putting green smoothness. The result was his great defensive infield of Robinson, Belanger, Johnson and Powell making spectacular plays, while balls burned by less talented teams.
Wrigley in the late eighties through late nineties went the other route, with grass high enough to need a hayrake that slowed balls down for their mediocre defensive team. Great bunting teams have had the ground near the basepaths canted slightly towards the infield so that slow rolling bunts would stay fair. Old Yankee Stadium was built with a short porch in right field to take advantage of Babe Ruth's left handed power. Old Comiskey Park moved home plate forward eight feet in the seventies to give their power hitters a bigger edge, and their pitchers more foul ground to play with.
The great thing about baseball is that is played in parks that are individual and unique. A pitcher with great stats who plays in Oakland, with its deep power alleys and exensive foul territory, may not be as effective the coziness of Boston's Fenway Park, with shorter fences and almost no foul territory. Similarly a right handed pull hitter who tears up the league at Fenway, might be a lot of long outs in Oakland. Smart teams take advantage of the configurations of their home field, and if possible enhance it.
This isn't cheating, this is making the most of the advantages.
