As part of ESNY’s quest to rank the greatest franchise’s greatest players, we move along to New York Yankees first basemen as we work our way around the diamond.
By Emmanuel Berbari
Fortunately, the New York Yankees have had the benefit of fielding some terrific first basemen throughout their history that have helped give the position a true identity.
From all-time greats to players whose moments landed them in Yankee lore, first base has been a position of strength for a franchise that expects nothing short of greatness.
With that being said, let’s run down the ten most prolific players to man this position in the pinstripes.
10. Mickey Mantle
Although Mickey Mantle only played two years at the position near the tail end of his career, his contributions throughout his career and in that short time lands him the number ten spot.
Everyone knows “The Mick” as that strong, extremely powerful, and crazy athletic hall of famer who jacked 536 homers, was on base 42% of the time and won three MVPs in his illustrious career.
However, Mantle did manage 40 combined home runs and a .388 OBP in his final two seasons, both at first base, with his body breaking down.
Nothing can undermine Mickey Mantle’s capabilities, which is why he squeaks onto this list.
9. Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira‘s health has not been kind to him in his seven-plus years in the Bronx, but fans have to face a true reality: Tex will be missed.
His entire Yankee career he has been that switch-hitting power guy in the middle of the lineup that poses fear into oppositions. He has smashed 194 home runs and counting in pinstripes, including two huge ones in the 2009 postseason.
Not to mention his glove. The amount of errors Tex has saved at first can arguably be described as heroic. He is a gold glove in the truest sense of the word.
It is always interesting to toy around with the idea of him being on the field for 162 games. Scary stuff.
8. Chris Chambliss
Chris Chambliss will forever go down in Yankee lore for his pennant winning home run against the Kansas City Royals in 1976.
When you think of Chambliss, you picture fans smothering him on the field in his journey to home plate as the Yankees dramatically entered the Fall Classic. However, his overall body of work in the Bronx is often overlooked. He provided a more than serviceable bat in his seven seasons, hitting .282 with 79 homers.
He added a Gold Glove in the Yankees’ 1978, proving he was more than just a presence at the dish.
A key piece to two World Series titles, Chambliss will be coming back to Old Timers’ Day for years to come.
7. Joe Pepitone
Playing in the thick of some notoriously bad Yankee years, Joe Pepitone made his mark.
In eight years, he blasted 164 home runs, made it to three All-Star games, and won three gold gloves as well. He jacked 104 homers between 1963-1966, favorably known as his best years with the Yanks.
Despite not being known for longevity with the club, he was a staple of a bad period for the franchise.
6. Wally Pipp
Wally Pipp is one of the most overshadowed players in Yankee history, and would have been much more renowned if it wasn’t for him sitting out with a headache and the emergence of Lou Gehrig.
Players and broadcasters often joke that players may get “Wally Pipped” if they sit out with a minor injury and another player performs in their place.
Nonetheless, Pipp hit .282 with 833 RBIs in his 11 year Yankee career.
He perhaps had his best season, hitting .304 with six homers and 109 RBIs, in helping the Yankees secure their first world championship. He only averaged seven homers a year in his Yankee career, which was considered powerful at the time.
A true run producer, Pipp should not be forgotten when thinking of the best to play the position.
5. Jason Giambi
Jason Giambi signed a 7 year/$120 million deal with New York following the 2001 season. He proceeded to have an up and down ride with the Yanks.
He had a monster debut season in the Bronx, slashing .314/.435/.598 with 41 home runs and 122 RBIs. The power always stayed true, but Giambi never managed a batting average above .275 after that.
He was always among the league leaders in strikeouts, becoming a true hit-or-miss player. With that being said, his tenure with the Yanks was still a stellar one given that he had a .404 OBP and launched 209 dingers in seven seasons.
PEDs, Giambi having been involved with them, were a touchy subject at the time and always will be, but he is among the most successful at first base for the Bombers when taken at face value.
4. Bill ‘Moose’ Skowron
One of the more consistent first baseman in Yankee history, Bill Skowron hit .294 with a .842 OPS in nine seasons with the club.
He went deep 165 times in those nine years and was a core piece to four Yankee championships (’56, ’58, ’61, ’62).
Clearly overshadowed by the Mickey Mantle’s, Roger Maris‘, and Yogi Berra‘s of the world, Skowron’s numbers were not indicative of just how good he truly was. Driving in around 85 runs a year on championship ball clubs with legends taking RBIs from you is nothing short of spectacular.
3. Tino Martinez
Playing in the heart of a dynasty, Tino Martinez was exactly the guy the Yankees wanted playing first base everyday. He helped the Yankees win four championships in five years, including a three-peat from 1998-2000.
Possessing a slick glove and a clutch bat, Tino is most notably known for his grand slam in the seventh inning of Game 1 of the 1998 World Series, breaking a 5-5 tie. His two-run game-tying home run in the 9th inning of Game 4 of the 2001 World Series ranks as one of his greatest contributions as well.
His breakout year was in 1997 when he ranked 2nd in the MVP voting, going yard 44 times and driving in 141 runs.
In seven years overall with the Yankees, he slashed .276/.347/.484 with 192 homers and 739 RBIs.
2. Don Mattingly
Donnie Baseball was not only the best player on the Yankees during some rough 80s years, he was arguably the best player in all of baseball.
He won the AL MVP in 1985 when he drove in 145 runs and slashed .324/.371/.567.
Exceptional in the field, Don Mattingly collected nine gold gloves for his work at first base.
Unfortunately, Mattingly’s retirement was right at the start of the dynasty. After the 1995 campaign, he parted ways with baseball and the Yankees immediately returned to their World Series ways.
However, he will not be judged by postseason performance due to his lack of chance. He will be judged based on the fact that he slashed .307/.358/.471 in a 14 year, exclusively Yankees career.
Donnie Baseball will be remembered as one of the better pure left-handed hitters baseball has seen.
1. Lou Gehrig
You have probably been waiting for this predictable number one. The Iron Horse is the indisputable first baseman on a New York Yankee all-time team.
Lou Gehrig slashed .340/.447/.632 in his 17 year career, an overall line unheard of in today’s day and age. He blasted 493 home runs, drove in 1995 runs, and was a pivotal piece in six Yankee championships.
The most astonishing part: he did all of this batting behind Babe Ruth in the order. Gehrig simply had some of the greater seasons you will ever see in major league baseball.
The part that always astonished me the most is how he drove in 185 runs in 1931 when Ruth drove in 162 in front of him. He defined the term “video game” numbers.
The greatest feat of his career was his playing in 2,130 consecutive games, a record that ONLY Cal Ripken Jr (2,632) will ever break.
If it wasn’t for a horrific ALS disease that forced him to retire, it is unfathomable the records he would have shattered.
Well, there are your ten most prolific first basemen ever to don pinstripes. As ESNY continues to move around the diamond, there will certainly be an opportunity for debate and conversation. If you have any agreements or personal objections with the list, feel free to leave a comment and get your opinions heard.