Sign up or login to track your favorite teams

Sign Up for Bleacher Report

As a registered user you can subscribe to your favorite teams, post comments, write your own articles, and much more.

You must register in order for that functionality to work!








Validating sign up form ...

Bleacher Report articles are written by fans like you

Do you want to cover your favorite sports, teams, and leagues?

Processing writing preferences ...

Great, , you're signed up!

i.e. Big 10, LeBron James, USC Football

Selected Tags:

Logging in ...

For the past ten years or so the American League staked its claim as the best league in Major League Baseball. From All-Star games to World Series’ to inter-league play to generally producing ...

MLB Position By Position Analysis: First Base

by Stamati Horiates (Scribe)

5

716 reads

Opinion

May 20, 2008


For the past ten years or so the American League staked its claim as the best league in Major League Baseball. 

From All-Star games to World Series’ to inter-league play to generally producing more star-studded players, few would argue that American League teams have certainly outperformed their counterparts from the National League much like how the Western Conference in the NBA has completely dominated the East.

However, in what seems to be the start of a complete reversal of fortunes, it appears that the National League has taken over the American League as the best in baseball or, at the very least, has shrunk the gap.

Obviously, it will take some time before anyone can truly say the National League has outplayed the American in terms of World Series’, All-Star games, and inter-league play but from the sole standpoint of star-studded players including the emergence of highly talented youth, the tide has turned.

To open this debate, let’s start at the beginning.

First base, along with shortstop, is probably the most prominent display of National League supremacy over the American. Obviously these rankings below are somewhat based on my opinion, but however you look at it, the edge clearly goes to the National League.

 

Track this Article on My B/R
Flag This Article
Share This Article

5 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment

  1. ...

    AL First Baseman to consider after a couple of weeks...on Friday, long-time Texas Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock is going to make the move over to first base.
    He has take a crash course on the position in Arizona at the Rangers extended spring training, and will make his major league debut at the position on friday in cleveland

    Edit Comment Cancel

    ...

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )
    ...
    • ...

      Right. Good point. I did hear that. Even so, that's the second good third basemen this year movin to first and the AL still doesn't compete with the NL there. Plus, it ultimately will make the AL weaker at third compared to the NL.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      ...

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )
      ...
  2. ...

    I agree with you about the NL having better first baseman than the AL. I was picking my All-Star starters earlier today and it took me 30 mintues of comparing, thinking, and comparing some more when trying to pick an NL first baseman, but I did end up going with Lance Berkman.

    I like the fact that Blalock made the decision to move to third, but I understand that it is somewhat of a last ditch effort for him. The Rangers have Ramon Vazquez playing good baseball at third, German Duran is slowly getting used to the Majors, and Texas has Chris Davis down at Double-A Frisco ready to play first next season.

    Blalock needs to get it done, NOW!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    ...

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )
    ...
    • ...

      Yeah. Picking a rep for the NL All-Star game at 1B is no picnic but I think you're right, you gotta give it to Berkman. He's been the best of the best so far.

      As for Blalock, he's proven he can be good but he's certainly gonna have issues if he can't stay healthy. Not to mention, with the current trend in the MLB focusing on the youth movement why would you wann keep a 6 million dollar injury risk player who's never hit over .300 when you have talent ready to come up and replace him for way cheaper.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      ...

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )
      ...
    • ...

      You 100% correct. And I think Blalock realizes this too. Cause you look back at his recent trends, he still struggles to hit lefties, misses at least a month a season on the DL, and is making big money.

      And the Rangers have got Nate Gold at Triple-A Oklahoma City and just promoted the player that the front office likes a lot, Chris Davis, to Triple-A. Davis has been a third baseman, but made the transition at the beginning of the season to first base in attempts to make the big league roster.

      What out for this kid maybe as early as next year spring training.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      ...

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )
      ...

Leave a Comment

  • You must register to post a comment.

  • Want to write for Bleacher Report

    We are a community of fans who write about sports. And we're growing.

    Learn More and Sign Up »



    Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Getty Images.
    Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Getty Images is strictly prohibited.