Continuing the series of looking at the best and worst of the past 50 years by position, we move to the FirstBase spot. Using Baseball-Reference and a little Excel magic, I'll be looking at the Top 10 Best and Worst seasons by both WAR and OPS+
* To qualify for the season a player had to have played the most games at that location for the team for that season
Number after the Jump
Top 10 Worst 1B Seasons (by WAR)
| # | Year | Player | WAR | oWAR | dWAR | OPS+ | G/1B |
| 1 | 1968 | Scott, George | -2.9 | -2.8 | -0.1 | 39 | 112 |
| 2 | 1983 | Stapleton, Dave | -1.7 | -1.6 | -0.1 | 76 | 145 |
| 3 | 1969 | Jones, Dalton | -1.6 | -1.3 | -0.3 | 70 | 81 |
| 4 | 2002 | Clark, Tony | -1.3 | -1.7 | 0.4 | 47 | 85 |
| 5 | 1984 | Buckner, Bill | -0.7 | -0.1 | -0.6 | 97 | 113 |
| 6 | 1986 | Buckner, Bill | -0.5 | -0.1 | -0.4 | 97 | 138 |
| 7 | 1977 | Scott, George | -0.4 | -0.3 | -0.1 | 114 | 157 |
| 8 | 1992 | Vaughn, Mo | -0.3 | -0.1 | -0.2 | 98 | 85 |
| 9 | 1988 | Benzinger, Todd | -0.3 | -0.1 | -0.2 | 95 | 85 |
| 10 | 1980 | Perez, Tony | -0.1 | 0.5 | -0.6 | 108 | 137 |
Comments: Some noticeable names on here: Clark, Buckner, Perez. Buckner was a pretty terrrible 1Bman in the mid 80s, not to mention one particular play. Vaughn appears here as a youngster and he'll make more appearances just on diferent lists. I will always remember Berman's nicknames and Todd "Mercedes" Benzinger holds a special place in my memory.
Top 10 Worst 1B Seasons (by OPS+)
| # | Year | Player | WAR | oWAR | dWAR | OPS+ | G/1B |
| 1 | 1968 | Scott, George | -2.9 | -2.8 | -0.1 | 39 | 112 |
| 2 | 2002 | Clark, Tony | -1.3 | -1.7 | 0.4 | 47 | 85 |
| 3 | 1969 | Jones, Dalton | -1.6 | -1.3 | -0.3 | 70 | 81 |
| 4 | 1983 | Stapleton, Dave | -1.7 | -1.6 | -0.1 | 76 | 145 |
| 5 | 1978 | Scott, George | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 83 | 113 |
| 6 | 1972 | Cater, Danny | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 85 | 90 |
| 7 | 1982 | Stapleton, Dave | 0.3 | -0.3 | 0.6 | 86 | 106 |
| 8 | 2000 | Daubach, Brian | 0.2 | -0.5 | 0.7 | 88 | 83 |
| 9 | 1988 | Benzinger, Todd | -0.3 | -0.1 | -0.2 | 95 | 85 |
| 10 | 1984 | Buckner, Bill | -0.7 | -0.1 | -0.6 | 97 | 113 |
| 10 | 1986 | Buckner, Bill | -0.5 | -0.1 | -0.4 | 97 | 138 |
| 10 | 1981 | Perez, Tony | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 97 | 56 |
Comments: Tony Clark, coming off of some nice seaons with Detroit was brought in to display some power - Whoops!. Of course he then goes on to have some nice seasons with Arizona. Billy Buck - not so great with the bat.
Top 10 Best 1B Seasons (by WAR)
| # | Year | Player | WAR | oWAR | dWAR | OPS+ | G/1B |
| 1 | 1970 | Yastrzemski, Carl | 9.1 | 8.2 | 0.9 | 177 | 94 |
| 2 | 2009 | Youkilis, Kevin | 6.4 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 145 | 78 |
| 3 | 2008 | Youkilis, Kevin | 6.0 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 143 | 125 |
| 4 | 1998 | Vaughn, Mo | 5.7 | 5.3 | 0.4 | 153 | 142 |
| 5 | 1996 | Vaughn, Mo | 5.6 | 5.5 | 0.1 | 150 | 146 |
| 6 | 1973 | Yastrzemski, Carl | 5.0 | 4.1 | 0.9 | 139 | 107 |
| 7 | 1987 | Evans, Dwight | 4.9 | 5.8 | -0.9 | 156 | 79 |
| 8 | 2010 | Youkilis, Kevin | 4.8 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 158 | 101 |
| 9 | 1967 | Scott, George | 4.4 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 138 | 152 |
| 10 | 2007 | Youkilis, Kevin | 4.3 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 117 | 135 |
Comments: Yaz spent 1970 bouncing around positionally, but put up a dominating season. Youk appears here 4 times and takes the #2 and #3 spot. Dewey put up a nice season in 87 after a move from the outfield.
Top 10 Best 1B Seasons (by OPS+)
| # | Year | Player | WAR | oWAR | dWAR | OPS+ | G/1B |
| 1 | 1970 | Yastrzemski, Carl | 9.1 | 8.2 | 0.9 | 177 | 94 |
| 2 | 2010 | Youkilis, Kevin | 4.8 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 158 | 101 |
| 3 | 1987 | Evans, Dwight | 4.9 | 5.8 | -0.9 | 156 | 79 |
| 4 | 1998 | Vaughn, Mo | 5.7 | 5.3 | 0.4 | 153 | 142 |
| 5 | 1997 | Vaughn, Mo | 3.4 | 4.7 | -1.3 | 152 | 131 |
| 6 | 1996 | Vaughn, Mo | 5.6 | 5.5 | 0.1 | 150 | 146 |
| 7 | 1979 | Watson, Bob | 2.4 | 2.6 | -0.2 | 148 | 58 |
| 8 | 1994 | Vaughn, Mo | 2.4 | 3.1 | -0.7 | 146 | 106 |
| 9 | 2009 | Youkilis, Kevin | 6.4 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 145 | 78 |
| 10 | 1995 | Vaughn, Mo | 4.2 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 144 | 138 |
The List
Year
Player
WAR
oWAR
dWAR
OPS+
G/1B
2010
Youkilis, Kevin
4.8
4.4
0.4
158
101
2009
Youkilis, Kevin
6.4
5.6
0.8
145
78
2008
Youkilis, Kevin
6.0
4.8
1.2
143
125
2007
Youkilis, Kevin
4.3
3.2
1.1
117
135
2006
Youkilis, Kevin
2.2
2.2
0.0
106
127
2005
Millar, Kevin
1.2
1.1
1.0
98
110
2004
Millar, Kevin
2.0
2.7
-0.7
117
78
2003
Millar, Kevin
0.7
1.3
-0.6
110
101
2002
Clark, Tony
-1.3
-1.7
0.4
47
85
2001
Daubach, Brian
1.9
1.8
0.1
122
106
2000
Daubach, Brian
0.2
-0.5
0.7
88
83
1999
Stanley, Mike
1.6
1.7
-0.1
115
111
1998
Vaughn, Mo
5.7
5.3
0.4
153
142
1997
Vaughn, Mo
3.4
4.7
-1.3
152
131
1996
Vaughn, Mo
5.6
5.5
0.1
150
146
1995
Vaughn, Mo
4.2
3.6
0.6
144
138
1994
Vaughn, Mo
2.4
3.1
-0.7
146
106
1993
Vaughn, Mo
3.3
3.5
-0.2
139
131
1992
Vaughn, Mo
-0.3
-0.1
-0.2
98
85
1991
Quintana, Carlos
2.3
2.0
0.3
114
138
1990
Quintana, Carlos
1.2
0.7
0.5
103
148
1989
Esasky, Nick
3.4
3.1
0.3
133
153
1988
Benzinger, Todd
-0.3
-0.1
-0.2
95
85
1987
Evans, Dwight
4.9
5.8
-0.9
156
79
1986
Buckner, Bill
-0.5
-0.1
-0.4
97
138
1985
Buckner, Bill
0.9
0.7
0.2
106
162
1984
Buckner, Bill
-0.7
-0.1
-0.6
97
113
1983
Stapleton, Dave
-1.7
-1.6
-0.1
76
145
1982
Stapleton, Dave
0.3
-0.3
0.6
86
106
1981
Perez, Tony
0.2
0.1
0.1
97
56
1980
Perez, Tony
-0.1
0.5
-0.6
108
137
1979
Watson, Bob
2.4
2.6
-0.2
148
58
1978
Scott, George
1.5
1.3
0.2
83
113
1977
Scott, George
-0.4
-0.3
-0.1
114
157
1976
Yastrzemski, Carl
2.6
2.0
0.6
120
94
1975
Yastrzemski, Carl
2.7
2.0
0.7
111
150
1974
Yastrzemski, Carl
4.0
4.4
-0.4
140
84
1973
Yastrzemski, Carl
5.0
4.1
0.9
139
107
1972
Cater, Danny
0.8
0.3
0.5
85
90
1971
Scott, George
2.7
1.4
1.3
107
143
1970
Yastrzemski, Carl
9.1
8.2
0.9
177
94
1969
Jones, Dalton
-1.6
-1.3
-0.3
70
81
1968
Scott, George
-2.9
-2.8
-0.1
39
112
1967
Scott, George
4.4
3.7
0.7
138
152
1966
Scott, George
2.7
1.2
1.5
107
158
1965
Thomas, Lee
1.9
2.0
-0.1
128
127
1964
Stuart, Dick
0.1
1.2
-1.1
118
155
1963
Stuart, Dick
1.4
2.2
-0.8
126
155
1962
Runnels, Pete
3.5
3.4
0.1
130
151
1961
Runnels, Pete
1.6
1.6
0.0
116
113
Next Up: CF




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