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Position of the powerless This World Series features a pair of atypical first basemanPosted: Wednesday October 16, 2002 1:23 PM
Only two first basemen have ever been named World Series MVP. While I let you ponder for a moment who they might be, the first basemen of the 2002 World Series certainly don't fit the prototype of the position. Neither Scott Spiezio of the Anaheim Angels nor J.T. Snow of the Giants has ever hit 30 home runs in a season or made an All-Star team. Neither bats in the middle of the lineup and neither is likely to pose for a muscle magazine. They are not the kind of power hitters typically associated with their position. Both players were abandoned by their original organizations. Spiezio, a converted second baseman, was signed after Oakland chose not to offer him a contract following the 1999 season. He was 27 years old at the time. Snow was traded twice -- in 1992 from the Yankees to the Angels in the Jim Abbott deal and, more forgettably, in 1996 when the Angels shipped him to the Giants for pitchers Allen Watson and Fausto Macey. Snow was then 28. Both players have had trouble switch-hitting. Snow gave it up in 1999, going lefty-only. Spiezio was a career .241 righty batter until this year, when he hit .368 from that side. This season Spiezio and Snow failed to out-homer Detroit's Carlos Pena -- combined. No, neither one of these guys will be confused with Donn Clendenon of the 1969 Mets or Willie Stargell of the 1979 Pirates, the only first basemen to be named World Series MVP. However, both Spiezio and Snow are capable of delivering clutch hits. Spiezio began the Angels' pennant-winning, 10-run rally in Game 5 of the ALCS with an opposite-field single. He also delivered two barely fair, bloop run-scoring doubles in key moments in Games 2 and 4, prompting Twins first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz to crack, "I'm going to get Mickey [Hatcher, the Anaheim hitting coach] to teach me the Spiezio jam shot into the Bermuda Triangle." Snow played a big role in the Giants' NLCS victory. With San Francisco trailing 2-0 in the sixth inning of Game 4, he hit a two-out, two-run double off the Cardinals' Rick White and the Giants went on to a 4-3 win. The irony is that in today's power-oriented game the Final Four teams compromised power at what is usually a power position. None of the four teams that reached the LCS started a first baseman who ranked in the top half at the position in slugging. Here is how Tino Martinez of the Cardinals, Mientkiewicz, Spiezio and Snow ranked in offensive production among the 30 starting first basemen (rank shown in parentheses):
Let's take it even further: Of the eight playoff teams, only one featured a full-time first baseman who hit more than 21 home runs, drove in more than 82 runs or slugged better than .438: the Yankees, with Jason Giambi. Arizona (Mark Grace), Atlanta (Julio Franco) and Oakland (Scott Hatteberg) all compromised power at the position. Don't think a trend is developing, however. First base will always be the dumping ground for large, unathletic types who can hit but need a position to play (that is, assuming no DH or the DH spot is occupied by a similar slugger). And the position still doesn't lack for power. After all, 12 first basemen bashed at least 25 home runs this year. It's just that all of them played for teams that didn't make the playoffs, except Giambi. And he can watch the World Series from the comfort of his couch as Spiezio and Snow bloop in their share of hits. Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci covers baseball for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. Check out his Insider column Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the postseason.
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