House That Hank Built
Fansided

Atlanta Braves – Throwback Thursday Special – The First Basemen

By Alan Carpenter

facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 9
Next

Mark Teixeira. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Others of Note

THE BIG CAT – Andres Galarraga was limited to two seasons in Atlanta as he lost all of 1999 to injury.  He was a force during his 1998 season, with 44 homers and a .305 batting average while knocking in 121 runs (oddly, a disappointment to some after 290 RBI – as a Rockie – during the prior two seasons).  But those results put him 6th in the MVP voting for that year.

THE HAMMER – Hank Aaron owns the best single season of anyone playing first base in Atlanta, though he split time between there (71 games) and right field (60 games).  That was a 47 HR year for Aaron while hitting .327 and OPS’ing 1.079 for the year… while walking more often than striking out – which wasn’t ususual for him.

MARK TEIXEIRA – Mark Teixeira is mentioned here for two reasons:  because of the team history that he is inextricably intertwined with; and because he actually did the job he was expected to do — for all of 157 games between one trade deadline and the next in 2007-08.  5 WAR, 37 HR, 134 RBI… and a pair of bad trades.   Looking at the bright side:  at least Atlanta didn’t get saddled with the contract the Yankees signed with him.

ADAM LaROCHE – Just 3 seasons in Atlanta (2004-06) until the Braves declined to pay Adam Laroche enough to keep him after a 32 HR campaign in 2006. Almost 2900 innings at first base.  Still hunts with Chipper Jones a lot.

Also:

  • David Justice manned first base for 69 games and 535 innings in 1990.
  • Davey Johnson, primarily a second baseman, notheless played first for 73 games in 1974.
  • Ryan Klesko.  Now thought of as a 1st baseman, but was mostly an outfielder with the Braves (1992-99)… since others listed on prior pages were occupying that position.  Took 75 games and 530 innings at 1st in 1999, his last in Atlanta.
  • Mike Lum.  Was with the team from 1967-1975, returning later.  Shared the position from 1973-75, then again on a return to Atlanta in 1979-80, though was primarily an outfielder.  Roughly 1900 total 1B innings, though hitting (career .247, 90 HR from 1967-1981) wasn’t his strong suit.
Home/Braves History