First base: Pujols, and then who?
By Bill Felber
MLB expansion-era first basemen: Five-season peak performance
This criteria is simply the player’s best five-season average OPS+.
Here are the 10 best peak averages among the 30 candidates.
| Player (Seasons) | Average OPS+ |
|---|---|
| Willie McCovey (1967-71) | 194.6 |
| Mark McGwire (1996-2000) | 192.4 |
| Frank Thomas (1993-97) | 185.4 |
| Albert Pujols (2006-10) | 177.8 |
| Miguel Cabrera (2010-14) | 172.2 |
| Jeff Bagwell (1994-98) | 172.0 |
| Willie Stargell (1971-75) | 170.2 |
| Dick Allen (1969-73) | 167.4 |
| Joey Votto (2009-13) | 163.0 |
| Todd Helton (2000-04) | 160.2 |
First base is a slugger’s position and peak OPS+ is a slugger’s category. So it’s no surprise that this top 10 is dominated by power guys. The category leader, McCovey, actually had a slightly better peak OPS+ between 1966-70, but that does not predominantly fit within the definition of the expansion era. His 194.6, though, is still the best peak rating of any of the contenders.
McGwire’s 1996-2000 period was simply transformative. He averaged 55 home runs per season, leading the majors four of those five years. His 277 home runs over that five-season span was 20 more than Sammy Sosa, 21 more than Ken Griffey Jr., and 75 more than Barry Bonds.
Pujols was not as dimensionally a home-run hitter, but he was overall a more accomplished batsman. Between 2006-10 he won an on-base title, three slugging titles and batted .327.
The surprise on this list might be Helton, who in two seasons of eligibility has failed to surpass 30 percent support in Hall of Fame voting. Perhaps the writers need a redo. In 2000 Helton won the slash line Triple Crown at .372/.463/.698. He averaged 103 RBIs during that window, adding three Gold Gloves to his four Silver Slugger awards.