The war has reignited in the new season, and all teams are working hard to prepare for the danger. Baseball is a team sport, players in every position are indispensable, and every position has its own star. Today, please come and appreciate the style of the top ten first basemen! !
, Freddie Freeman (Freddie Freeman), Los Angeles Dodgers
As an iconic figure of first basemen in the major leagues in recent years, Freeman still occupies the first place among the top ten first basemen this year. In terms of strikes, Freeman has never had an OPS+ below 130 since 2013. In the past few years, Freeman has made great progress in avoiding strikeouts and bat selection. The strikeout rate has been adjusted from more than 20% at the beginning of his career to about 15% now, and the swing rate has also increased from the previous year. It has dropped from more than 10% to about 9% now . What's even more commendable is that Freeman's attendance rate is very high. In the past three seasons, he was only 7 games away from reaching full attendance. In addition, Freeman's fielding level is also above average. Freeman signed a large six-year contract with the Dodgers in the offseason. This all-round mature player will make the Dodgers' line even more powerful in the new season.
. (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.), Toronto Blue Jays
The reason Guerrero ranks second is that his data sample at the first baseman position is relatively small. In 2021, Guerrero switched from a third baseman to a full-time first baseman. He immediately posted astonishing hitting measurements of 3/4/6, and updated the historical home run record in the 22-year-old season with 8. His hitting talent and power are unquestionable . In addition, his bat selection is very good, and his strikeout rate is only about 15%. Guerrero is also very adaptable to pitchers. Last year, his slugging percentage against sliders and curveballs reached .539. He also hit seven slugging percentages, the most in the major leagues, against fastballs with over 2,700 rpm. Guerrero's shortcomings are fielding and speed, but the first base position is more tolerant of these two. If he can keep this up, we will see the rise of a historic first baseman.
. Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves
Olson, a native of Atlanta, signed an 8-year long-term contract with his hometown team Warriors in the off-season, but he will inevitably be compared to taking over Freeman's position. Fortunately, Olson is good enough. When he played for the Athletics last year, he hit a total of 39 home runs in the Oakland Arena, which was favorable to pitchers, including 18 at home. His bat-off velocity ranked in the top 5% of the major leagues. He pushed and pulled, and had even more doubles on the opposite side of the ball. Olson, who was selected to the All-Star Game for the first time last year, has also been recognized by the Golden Glove Award twice.. Olsen's star may not be the brightest, but at only 28 years old, he is definitely exciting.
, Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers
Muncy ranked among the top ten in the MVP voting for the first time in 2021, getting rid of the haze of poor performance in the shortened season in 2020. Muncy ranks in the top 1% of the major leagues in his ability to avoid chasing bad pitches, and his swing rate on strike pitches is less than 20%. In terms of fielding, Muncy ranks in the top 10% of the major leagues in innings above average (OAA), which has made great progress. The biggest doubt surrounding Muncy is his elbow injury. As long as he can stay healthy, Muncy is bound to become an important part of the Dodgers' terrifying line.
. Paul Goldschmidt (Paul Goldschmidt), St. Louis Cardinals
Goldschmidt may be the most comprehensive first baseman in the major leagues, with 4 Silver Slugger Awards and 4 Gold Gloves in his career. This is the best proof. He even succeeded in all 12 stolen base attempts in 2021, showing off his speed. Goldschmidt has won MVP votes for seven consecutive years. Although he will be 35 years old in the new season, it is generally believed that he will not decline quickly.If nothing else, we will see Goldschmidt reach the milestones of 300 home runs and 1,000 RBIs in the new season.
6, Pete Alonso, New York Mets
Alonso's performance in 2021 may not be as dazzling as his rookie season, but his 37 home runs and .519 slugging rate are enough to explain the problem. Alonso's biggest improvement last year was the reduction in swing misses, with his strikeout rate plummeting from 25.5% in 2020 to 19.9%. Another change he made in 2021 is his hitting strategy. His hitting angle dropped by nearly 1 degree compared to the previous year while intentionally or unintentionally controlling the high fly ball, roughly returning to the level of his rookie season. Of course, this is all a manifestation of his adjustment to his hitting form. If Alonso can continue on the path of maturity, the roar of the "Polar Bear" will resound throughout the sky in the new season.
7, Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants
Belt continued his good form in the shortened season last year, hitting 30 homers in just 97 games.. Belt's most outstanding recent improvement is in handling inside corner speed balls, which also allowed him to achieve a career-high slugging percentage of .597 in 2021. Belt's main problem is his lack of playing time. Outside of the nearly 100 games he played last year, the Giants' first base playing time was mainly provided by Darin Ruf and Wilmer Flores. Wilmer Flores) and LaMonte Wade Jr. If Giants coach Gabe Kapler changes his attitude towards using Belt this year, we may be able to see a more exciting performance from the latter.
8. José Abreu, Chicago White Sox
As the American League MVP in 2020, although Abreu lost some batting average last year, he still surrendered 30 homers and was second in the major leagues. Salvador Perez's 117 RBIs. In Abreu's eight-year major league career, he scored 100 RBIs in six seasons, which is a model of stability. Not only that, he has only missed more than 10 games in a single season twice in the past eight years, and his battery life is also excellent. Although Abreu is 35 years old, as long as he hone his defensive skills, I believe we can still see him at first base in the coming years.
9. Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
Votto's hitting strategy has changed a lot in 2021. First of all, he is more inclined to hit high fly balls , and his hitting angle has reached a career-high 18.2 degrees, an increase of nearly 3 degrees from last year. Secondly, his swing tendency has also increased significantly, with his swing rate going from 36.2% in the shortened season to 43.9% last year, almost close to the level of his youth. Although this makes his strikeout data unsightly, the impact on the offense is substantial, achieving an offensive index greater than 0.9 for the first time since 2017. In view of the National League's implementation of the designated hitter system, although Votto will be 39 years old in the new season, his time is far from over.
0, Anthony Rizzo (Anthony Rizzo), New York Yankees
Rizzo came to the Yankees from the Cubs last year, but his performance has declined somewhat in the past two seasons. His walk rate has dropped significantly in 2021, but his maximum off-bat velocity of 115.2mph proves that his power is still there. Rizzo, who has won 3 All-Stars, 4 Gold Gloves, 1 Platinum Glove and 1 Silver Slugger Award in his career, has proven himself. All he needs to do is regain his skills in the new season.
The National League has also introduced designated hitting in the new season, and first basemen will also be subtly affected. I believe the competition for first basemen in the new season will be as exciting as ever. Who are the top ten first basemen in your mind? Welcome to share with us in the comment area!
