Posted by Mike Caprio July 16, 2009

This morning, Tim Kurkjian, one of ESPN’s baseball experts, joined Mike Greenberg on ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike in the Morning.

The focus of a large portion of the program was based on the “All-Time” MLB Team, where experts were asked who they would select for their “All-Time” MLB Team position by position.

For the most part, there was consensus, with Ruth, Gehrig, Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, and Walter Johnson, making most of the listeners’, and expert’s teams.

It got me thinking, who would be the All-Time Fantasy Baseball Keepers, by position?  In most cases, the lists would be very similar, but in others, especially Roto, they may differ just a little bit.

To do this properly, we should evaluate position by position, and allow you, our readers, to weigh in with your thoughts.  In order to craft the discussion, the nominations will come from me.

The criteria will not be based on one season alone, though a spectacular season might serve as a tie-breaker in specific cases.  We care not about PED’s or suspicion thereof, nor are we concerned about character, unless the likelihood for imprisonment might derail the success of our Fantasy team.

The nominees may be active, retired, alive or deceased, and from any era, just as long as there is a record of their playing days.

So…that being said, let’s look at the First Basemen.

First Base

The consensus #1 All-Time First Baseman has always been Lou Gehrig, but with the emergence of Albert Pujols, the Iron Horse might soon be sitting at #2 on the all-time list.   However, for Fantasy purposes, let’s see how they stack up to the likes of Jimmy Foxx, Mark McGwire or George Sisler based on the unique needs of a fantasy baseball Keeper League GM.

(Icon Sports Media)

Lou Gehrig: 162 Game Avg: .340 AVG, 37 HR, 149 RBI, 8 SB, .447 OBP, .632 SLG (1.080 OPS)

The Iron Horse was a monster at the plate and the model of consistency, playing in  2,130 consecutive games before succumbing to ALS, the disease that would soon bear his name.   Hitting behind Babe Ruth, in the lineup affectionately known as “Murder’s Row” certainly assisted in his gaudy RBI totals, but his overall statistics across all scoring categories will make him hard to top.

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(Icon Sports Media)

Albert Pujols: 162 Game Avg: .334 AVG, 43 HR, 130 RBI, 7 SB, .427 OBP, .630 SLG (1.057 OPS)

During his 9 seasons, Albert Pujols has been the greatest hitter in the league.  Jumping on the scene in 2001, he has finished out of the 5 in MVP voting just once, and he leads all active players in Batting Average, OBP, SLG and OPS.   This season is looking like a real possibility for him to win the Triple Crown in the National League, and at this pace he is getting dangerously close to being regarded as the greatest first baseman in history.

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(Icon Sports Media)

Jimmy Foxx: 162 Game Avg: .325 AVG, 37 HR, 134 RBI, 6 SB, .428 OBP, .609 SLG (1.038 OPS)

Jimmy Foxx’s 1932 season was off the charts, with a .364 Batting Average, 58 HR, 169 RBI, 3 SB, .469 OBP, .749 SLG (1.218 OPS) in just 154 games. His 162 Game Average is eerily similar to Pujols, but the peak numbers sit quite a bit above the mean.  To add another distinction, at the age of 32, his 15th in the big leagues, his numbers saw a precipitous drop, lowering his averages down below where they would have been had he retired at the age of 32.

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(Icon Sports Media)

George Sisler: 162 Game Avg: .340 AVG, 8 HR, 93 RBI, 30 SB, .379 OBP, .468 SLG (847 OPS)

Believe it or not, according to Baseball Reference, Sisler is #2 all-time at First Base in SB’s (Min. 1,000 games played, 1901-2009) and tied for #2 all-time (with Gehrig)  in Highest Batting Average.   Likely a super long-shot compared to his elite company, Sisler deserves at least some consideration for his high average and relatively high steals.

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(Icon Sports Media)

Mark McGwire: 162 Game Avg: .263 AVG, 50 HR, 122 RBI, 1 SB, .394 OBP, .588 SLG (982 OPS)

Putting aside all the PED discussions, McGwire leads all First Basemen in career homeruns (1,000 min. games played), and while his batting average might hurt your BA category (for Roto), there are few players in history who average 50 HR’s per season throughout their career.

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Who do you think is the #1 All-Time Fantasy Baseball Keeper at First Base?

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