LA Angels: Who is the greatest first baseman in franchise history?

Ranking the top five first basemen in Angels history.

After looking at the top starting pitchers in franchise history last week, it’s time to focus on the best to play the number three position on the scorecard.

In debating who is the greatest first baseman in Angels history, you need to open some wounds. There are 26 players who have played at least 100 games at the position in a Halos uniform. That list includes Albert Pujols and Mo Vaughn, two free agent signings that arguably belong on a list of the team’s worst signings.

Fans might not realize Vaughn is tied for 7th all-time in home runs by an Angels first baseman. His .844 slugging percentage ranks first among players who suited up at least 200 times at the position. Don’t worry, he didn’t make the list, but his numbers somehow rank relatively high. We will get to Pujols’ credentials in a bit (spoiler alert).

Vaughn and Pujols aside, there are plenty of players who put on the first base glove that make you feel better about being an Angels fan, such as Rod Carew and Wally Joyner.

In ranking the top first basemen to wear a Halo on their cap, I focused on the seasons in which each player actually manned first base for the majority of their playing time. For instance, Darin Erstad‘s 2002 season doesn’t count, since he was an outfielder at that time. Longevity mattered, but superlative seasons were also considered. Only the player’s time with the Angels is factored into the ranking—Pujols doesn’t get extra credit for his achievements in St. Louis.

Before we get into the list, there are some honorable mentions: J.T. Snow (1993-1996), Kendrys Morales (for his 2009 season), Mark Trumbo (2011 and 2013 seasons), and Casey Kotchman (2007-2008 seasons).

Without further ado, here are the five best first baseman in franchise history.

5) Darin Erstad

Darin Erstad would be higher up on the list had he played more games as a first baseman. Of his 1,320 games in an Angels uniform, he appeared at first base in just about half of them (580). His primary seasons at first were in 1997, 2004, and 2005. He roamed centerfield during the team’s 2002 World Series championship.

Erstad’s best defensive season wearing a first base mitt came in 2004 when he won the Gold Glove Award, proving he could be an elite fielder at multiple positions, after winning the award two previous times for his handiwork in the outfield.

Between 2004-2005, Erstad was a solid contributor at the plate, batting .283 with a .384 on-base percentage. His power was down a bit at this point of his career, but he accumulated 312 hits over 278 games while manning first base for the Halos in those two seasons.

The left-hander from North Dakota was a clutch hitter throughout his career for manager Mike Scioscia. Focusing on the seasons when he played first base, he batted .500 in the 2004 ALDS against the Red Sox. He was a tough out the following postseason, too, when he hit .300 against the Yankees, helping the Halos advance to the ALCS.

4) Albert Pujols

It feels strange placing Albert Pujols among the top first basemen in Angels history for a few reasons: one, you think of him most as a designated hitter since he arrived in Anaheim; and two, when Angels fans look back on his career, they will remember him more as an overpriced free-agent who was too old to live up to the size of his contract than one of the top first baseman in franchise history.

Perhaps Pujols’ ranking on the list tells you more about the lack of long-term, productive first basemen to call Anaheim home than it does about the former MVP’s accomplishments while playing for the Angels.

While he has spent plenty of time as a designated hitter, believe it or not, Pujols has still played 567 games at first, fourth most in franchise history. He needs one more home run to tie Wally Joyner for the most home runs by an Angels player while manning first.

Pujols played his most games as a first baseman during his first season with the Angels in 2012, which was also his best season in the American League. He batted .285/.343/.516 that year with 30 home runs and 105 RBIs. He didn’t cross the 30 home run, 100 RBI threshold in the same season again until 2016.

Pujols recently turned 40. A lost season will surely impact his ability to reach some important career milestones. Angels fans will be happy when his 10-year, $240 million contract is finally up in 2021.

3) Scott Spiezio

Scott Spiezio‘s time with the Angels was short, it only lasted four seasons, but sweet, he was a key piece to the 2002 World Series championship team. After splitting time between pinch-hitting and designated hitter duties in 2000, Spiezio took over at first base from 2001-2003.

During the Angels championship run, he hit a home run in each postseason series, batting .421 against the Yankees in the ALDS, .364 against the Twins in the ALCS, and .300 against the Giants in the World Series. Without Spiezio’s clutch hitting, the Angels don’t win their first title in team history.

I mean, who can forget his three-run homer in Game 6 of the World Series? Trailing 5-0 in the seventh inning, with the series appearing to be over, his clutch home run sparked the momentum that led to the Angels coming from behind and winning that critical game.

The switch-hitter batted .287/.354/.473 over 391 games at first base for the Angels. He hit 43 home runs and drove in 207 RBIs. His 12 triples is tied for second most all-time among Halo first basemen.

2) Wally Joyner

Wally Joyner deserves a lifetime achievement award. He has played in more games at first than any other player in club history. He has hit the most home runs and has drove in the most RBIs as an Angel first baseman. Over 879 games at the position, he batted a respectable .285/.349/.449. Only Rod Carew played in close to the same number of games (718), otherwise Joyner has nearly double the appearances than anyone else.

Joyner was never spectacular, but he was consistent. After making the All-Star team during his rookie campaign in 1986, he amazingly never received the honor again. But in each season he was fully healthy with the Halos, he batted at least .280, hit double digit home run totals, and recorded more than 150 hits.

Had things turned out differently in 1986, he might have gone down as a Derek Jeter-like figure in Anaheim, as a rookie who helped his franchise end a championship drought. Not only did he impress over the regular season, he batted .455 in the playoffs.

Joyner signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals after the 1991 season. He played four years in KC, before joining the Padres, playing one season with the Braves, and then returning to Anaheim to close out his career in 2001. When all was said and done, the Georgia native played over 2,000 Major League games, hit over 200 home runs, and drove in over 1100 runs.