Best Chicago Cubs’ first baseman I’ve seen play in my lifetime

The All-Time greats that I’ve seen play first base for the Chicago Cubs. I took the first three seen I’ve seen than more than the others

Chicago Cubs and the coronavirus, am I right? It looks like the season won’t get started until July. How wonderful. Still, I’ve assembled some players–in no particular order–that stuck with me in my lifetime. These are the players that I’ve seen play in my lifetime, the top three. Now realize, I only have so many players as I have since I was would say, five.

These players are in no order. I’ll admit, I call it as I see it. If I see something ‘magical’? I’ll take it. Whether it’s a cycle, or a double off the gap to score three? That is magical. Now, some got left off this list, and I apologize.

Leon Durham and Eric Karros got lost in the shuffle, and I’m sorry. Durham slashed .278/.361/.482 with an OPS of .843. He had 139 home runs and 487 RBI–two with the Reds. After he left the Cubs, he never was the same. He had three with the Reds and the Cardinals and promptly retired.

Karros was the other one left off the list. After one year with the Cubs–a very successful year–he was the most ‘clutch’ hitter in the group. He had a slash line of .286/.340/.446
with an OPS of .786. He had 12 home runs and 40 RBI, but they felt ‘different.’ More clutch? I don’t know. But I know they felt different than others. Even Sammy Sosa.

Chicago Cubs: Derrek Lee

The Cubs’ Derrek Lee was impressive, and his 2005 season was his most remarkable. In fact, he should’ve have won the Most Valuable Player. He led the league in average (.335), doubles (50), hits (199), SLG% (.662), OPS (1.080), OPS+ (174) and total bases (393). He ‘lost’ to Albert Pujols and Andruw Jones. Both excellent, but both on the wrong end of the stick.

Lee had two All-Star appearances, three Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger Award. He also finished with four appearances on the MVP list, including third.  He broke his wrist in two places, but it didn’t hurt him at all. Although he only played 50 games in 2006,  he rebounded in 2007 to play 150 games–and then 141+ each additional season with the Cubs.

He later would go on to the Atlanta Braves, where he would have a good year. But the Orioles and the Pirates would not go as smoothly, and he retired from Pittsburgh. But the Cubs? Man, he was good for them—a class act.

Chicago Cubs: Mark Grace

So, listen to this. Mark Grace hit below .300 for the Cubs four times in his illustrious 13-year career with the team.  And then he hit .273 or better those four times. Still, he never hit 100 RBI (98 was his highest).

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He never had that much power (16 was the highest for home runs), but he had ‘gap to gap’ power–meaning doubles. Grace wasn’t big on going the ‘distance’ for a three-bagger.

He lost to Chris Sabo (I know, right?) in the Rookie of the Year. Clearly, he was destined for it. In the 16 years he played, he provided a slash line of .303/.383/.442 with an OPS of .825. And that was three years with the Arizona Diamondbacks, which he didn’t hit .300 at all (.298 was his high).

With the Cubs, his slash was .308/.386/.445, with an OPS of .832. 122 OPS+ was high for the time, likely with all those doubles. In all, he had 456 doubles, 148 home runs and 1004 RBI with the Cubs.

For me, Grace was the Cubs. Sosa turned his back on the Cubs. Grace? Sweet swinging’ Grace. That how I’ll remember him.