Minnesota Twins: The Top 5 First Basemen in Franchise History
By Otto Johnson
No. 4: Mickey Vernon
Years: 1939-1943, 1946-1948, 1950-1955 (14 Seasons)
Key Stats: 1805 G, 1993 Hits, 121 HR, 1026 RBI, .288 BA, 26.6 WAR, -12.7 dWAR, 5 Top 25 MVP Finishes, 6-Time All-Star
Another Senator on the list? Yup, and he won’t be the last. Mickey Vernon was a mainstay in the Washington lineup for 14 seasons, going through the longest low point in series history. The team did not win more than 84 games during his career, and always finished at least 25 games out of the pennant.
Mickey did everything in his power to change this trend. Vernon hit 121 HR over his time with the team, good for second all time when he retired (it’s now 17th in team history). He also left the team with 1993 hits, (eighth all-time), 1026 RBI (fifth), and a .288 batting average (twenty-fifth). He played for such a long time and at such a high level for the team.
His defense was the worst of anyone on the list, only grading out at a -12.7 dWAR. His fielding percentage was only .990, which is just okay for most fielders, but really bad for first basemen. This didn’t really effect him much, as he still finished in the Top 25 of most valuable player voting five times, in addition to making six All-Star rosters.
Mickey Vernon won two batting titles with his time with the team as well, one in 1946 and one in 1953. He could have won another one and added to his stats, but he spent the 1944 and 1945 seasons enlisted in the military to fight in World War II.
Vernon was one of the most well-liked ball players in the league and was respected by all of his teammates and opponents and when he retired he went on to become a manager in the league for several seasons. He embodied what baseball is about.