{"id":121970,"date":"2026-05-15T22:15:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T02:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=121970"},"modified":"2026-05-15T22:15:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T02:15:39","slug":"5-first-basemen-who-deserve-another-hall-of-fame-look","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/05\/15\/5-first-basemen-who-deserve-another-hall-of-fame-look\/","title":{"rendered":"Five First Basemen Who Deserve Another Hall of Fame Look"},"content":{"rendered":"

The election of Fred McGriff<\/span><\/span><\/a> to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum<\/span><\/span> in 2022 reopened one of baseball\u2019s most fascinating debates: How many overlooked first basemen deserve another shot at Cooperstown?<\/p>\n

McGriff\u2019s induction through the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee was celebrated throughout baseball. \u201cThe Crime Dog\u201d finished with 493 home runs, a career .284 average, five All-Star appearances, and one of the most respected reputations of his era. But his election also forced voters and fans to reconsider several other first basemen whose resumes stack up surprisingly well against his.<\/p>\n

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Jul 22, 2023; Cooperstown, NY, USA; Hall of Fame Inductee Fred McGriff during the Parade of Legends. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some dominated offensively. Some changed the game defensively. Some were postseason icons. Others were simply victims of playing in crowded Hall of Fame eras. Here are five first basemen whose Hall of Fame cases deserve renewed attention.<\/p>\n

Five First Basemen Who Deserve a Second Look for Hall of Fame Induction<\/h2>\n

1. Carlos Delgado<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Carlos Delgado<\/a> may be the most statistically overlooked slugger of the last 30 years. The longtime Toronto Blue Jays<\/span><\/span><\/a> star blasted 473 home runs, drove in 1,512 RBI. posted a .929 OPS, and finished with 44.4 WAR despite playing much of his career during the steroid era offensive explosion. Delgado hit 30 or more home runs in 10 different seasons and was one of the most feared left-handed hitters in baseball for over a decade.<\/p>\n

What hurts Delgado historically is timing. He debuted on a Hall of Fame ballot loaded with PED-era superstars and fell off after receiving less than 5% of the vote. But compared to McGriff, Delgado\u2019s offensive profile is remarkably close:<\/p>\n