MLB Network's Top 9 First Basemen Ever

[FirstTimer]

9. Harmon Killabrew

8. Jim Thome

7. Eddie Murray

6. Hank Greenberg

5. Willie McCovey

4. Johnny Mize

3. Albert Pujols

2. Jimmie Foxx

1. Lou Gehrig

 

[dell71]

In before the Bagwell lovefest (yes, he belongs ahead of Thome).

 

[Pills]

Everyone that's retired except for Gehrig in the 500 HR club. All of them known for their bats. I have to say, though - a lot of actual integrity on this list.

When you factor in gloves... where DOES Bags fit? I'm not sure about a lot of the older guys, though Murray won three consecutive gold gloves from 82-84.

Also... I'm very happy not to see Palmeiro on this list.

 

[nflman2033]

I'm going to have to dig into the stats a bit before I commit to agreeing on this one

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

9. Harmon Killabrew

8. Jim Thome

7. Eddie Murray

6. Hank Greenberg

5. Willie McCovey

4. Johnny Mize

3. Albert Pujols

2. Jimmie Foxx

1. Lou Gehrig

My god.

I'm taking Bagwell over Killebrew, Thome, McCovey, Murray, and probably Mize.

And Hank Greengerg behind McCovey??!! LOL. Greenberg is #4 at worst. I'd have Bagwell #5.

1. Gehrig
2. Foxx
3. Pujols
4. Greenberg
5. Bagwell
6. Mize
==================
7. Thome
8. Killebrew
9. McCovey

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Bill Terry?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/terrybi01.shtml

 

[FirstTimer]

I was actually surprised not to see Pujols ahead of Foxx.

 

[Houston]

:smh:

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I was actually surprised not to see Pujols ahead of Foxx.

This guy was based on Foxx, so Foxx gets the edge:

 

[Villain]

Does Pujols get #1 by the time he retires?

 

[nflman2033]

I honestly don't understand how Jim Thome makes this list, sure he hit 600HR's but he's played 21 seasons, plus only half of his games have been at 1st, and pretty soon he will have more games at DH than any other position.

other than Thome, I have very few issues with the list

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

WHERE'S FREDDY MCGRIFF?

Replacing who? Make a case.

Don't be the "my player from my team got snubbed for the All Star team" without taking someone off guy.

Thome? Murray? I don't know.

 

[nflman2033]

If you just take a quick look at Thome's stats it's pretty crazy what a good stretch he had from 96-06(Minus 05 when he was injured). The only issue he really had was his strikeout totals, but he still drew his fair share of walks to counter that. A .277 career BA isn't too shabby either for a power hitter with a slight uppercut in his swing. He's fun as shit to watch and I'm going to miss his swing when he hangs it up.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thomeji01.shtml#batting_standard::none

Statistically compared to the other 8 guys on this list also taking in to account the offensive era he played in, he's a joke.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Thome & Killebrew are shockingly similar players is so many ways. Thome could be Killebrew's illegitimate son.

 

[nflman2033]

How are his numbers a joke compared to Killebrew's? Bagwell should definitely be somewhere on this list. The whole DH thing is a scratch too, I would find it hard to believe that Thome couldn't play first most of those years he was DHing even if it wasn't above average level.

what is Thome's big claim, his 600 HR's

lets look at those HR numbers, and I'll even try and hold back my problems with the differences in eras, as we all know that HR numbers are inflated in Thome's era vs Killebrew's era.

Thome hit 40 HR's 6 times and 50 HR's 1 time, in 21 seasons and lead the league 1 time.

Killebrew hit 40 HR's 8 Times in 22 seasons (but wasn't an everyday starter until his 6th year) he also lead the league in HR's 6 times.

they both hit 100 RBI 9 times Killebrew lead the league in RBI 3 times, Thome 0 times.

Thome lead the league in walks 3 times Killebrew 4 times
Thome lead the league in Strikeouts 3 times and Killebrew only 1 time.

interestingly Killebrew also lead the league in OBP one time, which is amazing considering he only hit .276 that year.

Thome has avg, obp, and slg categories, by a pretty good amount (.021/.027/.045), which helps his case, but in other areas, I don't think its even close.

Thome 5 All Star appearances
Killebrew 11 times

Killebrew won an MVP, Thome never did

And while fielding isn't all that important for a first baseman, Thome's mass of amount time at DH really doesn't help him either.

 

[nflman2033]

Thome & Killebrew are shockingly similar players is so many ways. Thome could be Killebrew's illegitimate son.

and the fact that the ballparks that Killebrew played in, combined with the higher mound, less teams meaning that starting pitching was better, leads me to conclude that Killebrew is far better than Thome

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

and the fact that the ballparks that Killebrew played in, combined with the higher mound, less teams meaning that starting pitching was better, leads me to conclude that Killebrew is far better than Thome

I have no gripe if you think Killebrew is better. But the two players are so strikingly similar is almost every way, statistical, style of play, body type, position, etc etc, that 'far better' is a bit strong, no?

Even the OPS+ is 143-147 (in Thome's favor, by the way) which kind of negates the different time periods.

And just like Thome, Killebrew came up as a 3B, was really bad at it, moved to 1B and was really bad it, and then finished up as a DH.

The only difference between the two is Killebrew hit RH.

It's almost as if Killebrew was born all over again 30 years later.

 

[nflman2033]

I have no gripe if you think Killebrew is better. But the two players are so strikingly similar is almost every way, statistical, style of play, body type, position, etc etc, that 'far better' is a bit strong, no?

Even the OPS+ is 143-147 (in Thome's favor, by the way) which kind of negates the different time periods.

And just like Thome, Killebrew came up as a 3B, was really bad at it, moved to 1B and was really bad it, and then finished up as a DH.

The only difference between the two is Killebrew hit RH.

It's almost as if Killebrew was born all over again 30 years later.

OPS isn't going to negate the fact that Killebrew lead the league in HR's more than Thome, hit 40 HR's more times than Thome, and did it in an era when the average distance to wall was further.

 

[FirstTimer]

Frank Thomas should be somewhere on this list, slightly ahead of Bagwell and Thome and the historical greats in between. I'm drunk right now but I thought about the big hurt on the way home even though he spent a lot of time at DH.

I think you had to play 1000 games at the position to qualify.

Thomas played 971.

They did a list of best DH's ever and he was on that one. If Thomas was on this list he'd most likely be #3 or #4