1. Lou Gehrig (CIN) Last Ranked-1
Lou Gehrig still has it all. He can still hit for average (career .347), still hit for power (670 career HR), still run the bases (342 career SB), and still field (.986 fielding). Lou is one of the most valuable players in Habla. Having switched teams, he is now dominating in the NL Central for the Reds.
2. Ted Kluzewski (BOS) LR-5
A former first overall pcik, Kluz punds the ball regularly as a flat out run producer. Still only 29, he has a lot of time left.
3. Luke Easter (BOS) LR-4
Last year it was the Twins who had both the 2nd and 3rd First Basemen in the league. This season it's the Red Sox. These two make up the bulk of Boston's power hitting/run producing core. What a scary pair for a pitcher to face.
4. Harmon Killabrew (OAK) LR-7
Harmon has moved up quite a few spots by simply continuing to do what he does. When others retired, Harmon slipped up to 4. A great power hitter like him is valuable.
5. Derek Lee (TEX) LR-NR
D Lee came out of nowhere last year as a rookie and won the ROY and even got some votes for MVP. 2nd in the AL in HR only to Gehrig, Lee represents the next generation of great first basemen.
6. David Ortiz (SF) LR-NR
Ortiz, though has been criticized for being slow and a poor defender, shows what he can do in the batters box. With more than 200 HR already, he should continue to rack them up for a long time.
7. Tony Perez (KC) LR-NR
Perez has been a central part of the Royals, the team that won the World Series 2 years ago, for a decade. A leader in the clubhouse and on the field, Perez sets the bar high and gets it done.
8. Gil Hodges (TEX) LR-6
Hodges is one of the oldest on this list, but he is still delivering the goods. Closing in on 400 HR and currently tied for 6th among active players in AVG in the AL, Hodges is continuing to contribute in a loaded lineup.
9. Raphael Palmiero (CLE) LR-NR
Another newby to the list, Palmiero underperformed for the first few years of his career, struggling with both average and power. The last 2 years, though, Raph has started the juice, which has translated to more homers and a higher average.
10. Will Clark (SEA) LR-10
"Will the Thrill" continues to set the mark for contact hitting first basemen. But he's not slouch in the power department either. Two seasons ago Clark delivered his best season ever smashing 39 homers and 138 RBI.
Honorable Mention: Kent Hrbek FLA, Hank Greenburgh OAK, and Eddie Morgan COL.
11 comments:
Perez has never played DH and he is a cornerstone of my lineup.. His Defense is shakey. But you cannot deny a .292ba, 376HR, and 1191RBIs in his 12 year career
Their are often first basemnen with shaky fielding. Truth is im not sure it matters much. Plus, nearly all DHs are 1B or OF, the most loaded positions and perhaps the least important defensively (LF).
Personally, I HATE 1B with low FA. Why? Because they can drop throws that are thrown to them! Since that's perhaps the most common play in baseball X-3 or X-Y-3 plays, it can lead to some noticable amounts of errors.
Even in OOTP I pick up 1B with good fielding percentages for the same reason.
As to the list - I'm glad Kluszewski is still up there. I picked him up with the hope he'd be the one true slugger in a lineup of contact, BB, SB hitters - and he was that and then some.
Hopefully he'll like Fenway as much as he did Cincy..
Perez and Ortiz both have fielding percentages that would be average to good for most other positions on the field. If FA differences don't result in much of a diffence in fielding percentage, than that aspect clearly pales in importance to whether or not a guy can mash. If a guy can mash, he can play 1B on my team anyday.
I'd prefer a good fielding 1B like Easter if I had a choice, but the truth is, there are not a lot of 1B who are good fielders and good hitters. If I have to choose, I'd go with hitting at 1B any day. You can have your 1B who will hit .260 with 8 homers and 70 RBI. I will take my guy who may make 8 more errors, but will hit .300 30 and 100. It is definately worth the trade if you ask me.
Ok, guys, here is a scenario on which to comment. If you had the choice between someone like the Cards 1B Lecurne Blue, who is just an average offensive player at best (61 62 71, with a .267 career avg, 13 HR/yr, 50 RBI/yr), but awesome D (94), and a guy like Tony Perez, who is a poor defender with a rag arm (56, 33), but great offensive #'s (70 83 47, with a .291 career AVG, 30+ HR/yr, 100+RBI etc.), who would you pick?
I am interested to see where the league weighs in. Personally, I dont think there is any way Blue is more valuable than Perez. what do you guys think?
That's too extreme of an example, imo. Not to mention arm on a 1B is virtually irrelevant. It is rare when a 1B has to make a throw in BBPro..
Yeah - you take the 30 HR, 100+ RBI guy over 8 HR and 70 RBI.
How about a gold glover with an average bat, or a below average fielder (say 45 or 50) but a somewhat above average bat. That is probably a situation more teams would have to wrestle with.
As far as errors and 1B goes - A "decent" fielding percentage of say, .960 when a player is involved in 1000+ plays (not out of the question, especially in BBPro) is pretty significant.
.960 on a shortstop that makes 800 plays is 32 errors - that's questionable enough, but decent given that many plays. However, on a player with 1100 plays - that's 44 errors. 12 more outs that aren't made and 44 in total because the 1B drops the ball on an otherwise clean throw?
He had BETTER hit the lights out if I'm to put up with that.
I also had better have a good pitching staff to get around the errors. With my team ERA of 4.60 as it is, I don't want errors on plays that should be outs if the 1B just catches the ball to make that go up even more.
Only think I had worse than runs being allowed is unearned runs allowed, and especially from the 1B dropping the ball.
And let's please not focus just on errors. Even in real basesball, that's about as overrated as a fielding stat there is when considered on it's own.
Instead, how about range factor, i.e. how many balls per game the player gets too. 1B will be skewed, but since 1B DO get to field balls too (sometimes too many due to how the game works with the 1B straying too far from the base), there is likely to be some differences there as well.
I think all put together, if we aren't comparing all-star hitters to barely average guys (Nick's example, imo) it can make a difference in Wins.
You are right, KL, that is a pretty extreme example. i did that partly b/c I knew someone would still choose Blue, like Justin did. I respect your opinion, but I still think I'd take the better hitter. I dont know. Its fun to discuss.
So Olerud isn't even honorable mention? Interesting... Maybe he can make the list next season, I am sure it's his #1 priority.
Neither Perez or Ortiz are even close to a .960 fielding percentage. I'd be surprised if there are any 1B in the league who would approach that level of struggle with the glove.
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