Pittsburgh Pirates Countdown: Top Five First Basemen

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Going through the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates can be absolutely fascinating. So many great players have been a part of the team, making All-Star teams and, in some cases, even building Hall of Fame resumes. Digging through the 132 years of history for the Pirates and the Alleghenys is absolutely fascinating.

Last week, we went though the top five catchers in Pittsburgh Pirates history. This time through, we focus on first base, where the Pirates have had quite a number of excellent players come through. Yet, the top player in terms of career WAR that played first for the Pirates will not be on this list. Why? Because only 12.1 of the career 62.9 WAR posted by Willie Stargell came at first. When we get to left field, it is safe to assume that he will be on that list.

Just like last time, this list may not reflect the top WAR leaders at the position. Other players, like George Grantham, will be in the same boat as Stargell – they played first, but majority of their impact came at other positions. That has been factored in as well in these rankings.

This list will bring us back through the early days of the Pirates franchise to the end of the glory days of the 1970’s. Let us know if there is anyone you think should be higher on the list, or someone that you feel was snubbed. Hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

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