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Atlanta Braves history: top five franchise first basemen

By Fred Owens

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 07: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Three of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 7, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 07: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Three of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 7, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – Justin Upton #8 and Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves enter the field to face the Boston Red Sox at Turner Field on May 27, 2014. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Number five – The second “Earl of Snohomish,”

Earl Torgeson joined the Boston Braves in 1947 after a year in the PCL with the Seattle Rainiers.

"“He can’t miss,” said Torchy Torrance, the Rainiers’ general manager. “He can hit, run, field, and think, and what else do you have to do? Wait and see what this kid does to big league pitching.”"

In his first season, Torgeson batted .281/.403/.481/.885 with a .885 OPS+. Fangraphs says that’s worth 134 wRC+, a wOBA of .410 and 3.5 fWAR; not a bad start for a 23-year old rookie.

Over the next six seasons, Torgeson batted .265/.385/.427/.812 with an OPS+ of 122. a .380 wOBA, 124 wRC+, 16.5 fWAR, 18.6 rWAR. and finished top 30 in MVP voting twice – 1949 and 1950.

According to his SABR biography, “a tall (6-foot-3), bespectacled left-handed first baseman who smoked several cigars a day.”

In the 1948 World Series, Torgeson batted .389/.450/.556/1.006 as the Braves lost to Cleveland 4-2.

Torgeson dislocated his shoulder early in 1949 and returned in August in an after-hours fight with a teammate, so I’m not sure how he finished #27 in MVP voting, but he did.

He returned in 1950 to bat .290/.412/.472/.885 with a 138 OPS+, .407 wOBA,140 wRC+, 5.4 fWAR, and 6.0 rWAR.  The following season saw him produce another 3.3 fWAR, 124 wRC+ season for Boston, but fans and press speculated that rookie George Crowe would take his place in 1952.

Torgeson held on to his job but posted a season that remains the worst of his career. In February of 1953, the Braves traded him to Philadelphia. Torgeson’s bat returned in Philly, and he finished his career with an .802 OPS.

The last season hurt his Braves plus stat line (AVG+OBP+SLG+) reads 100/122/105, with a 124 wRC+ and a .380 wOBA.

Torgeson gave the Boston Braves an edge, similar to the one Josh Donaldson provided the Atlanta Braves in 2019. He played hard and found himself in a lot of on-field fights, yet everyone liked him.

The trade gave the Braves Torgeson’s replacement and the next first baseman on the list. Joe Adcock.

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