LA Angels all-time roster — First base: Wally Joyner (1986-1991)
When he first came up to the Los Angeles Angels as a ballyhooed prospect, the sky seemed to be the limit for Wally Joyner. He exploded onto the scene, making the All-Star Game and finishing eighth in the MVP vote in his rookie year. Joyner would then show improved power in his second year, slugging 34 home runs and posting a 137 OPS+. He appeared to be a burgeoning star in the making, a player that might be able to carry the Angels’ offense.
Even though he never became that superstar player, Joyner was a solid hitter for the Angels. He had a .286/.350/.450 batting line, hitting 117 home runs and 175 doubles in his seven seasons in California. Joyner also showed an excellent batting eye, with only 349 strikeouts against 336 walks in 3774 plate appearances.
Although he was not considered great defensively, Joyner was better than he was perceived to be. He saved the Angels 26 runs during his time at first, had above-average range and had a higher fielding percentage than the league average first baseman. Perhaps his lack of development on offense overshadowed his abilities with the glove, but Joyner was certainly better than he was given credit for.
After spending his first six years in California, Joyner came back to the Angels in 2001 to end his career. A part-time player, he had a .243/.304/.351 batting line, but still had that same ability to put the bat on the ball and draw a walk. He would go on to be a hitting instructor after his career ended, currently serving in that role for the Detroit Tigers.
Maybe wally Joyner was not the player that the Angels expected, but he still turned out to be a solid first baseman. In fact, he may have even been better than we remembered.
Next: An underrated second baseman