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Detroit Tigers: Top Ten First Basemen in Franchise History

By Andy Patton

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 02: Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates the last out of the game against the New York Yankees on August 2, 2017 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 02: Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates the last out of the game against the New York Yankees on August 2, 2017 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 27: A baseball sits on the field before the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on September 27, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Brian Davidson/Getty Images) /

Lu Blue

Detroit Tigers: 1921-1927

One of Detroit’s best players of the 1920’s, Lu Blue, like Evans, was excellent at drawing a walk. Unlike Evans, Blue had virtually no power – only hitting 19 home runs in his seven seasons with the Tigers. However, he blasted 176 doubles, had a .403 OBP, a 110 OPS+ and finished in the top 20 in MVP voting three times.

Blue made his debut in 1921 at 24 years old. He racked up 711 plate appearances, slashing an excellent .308/.416/.427 with five home runs, 13 stolen bases and a 116 OPS+.

He was extremely consistent in the next four seasons, posting bWAR’s of 3.6, 3.3, 3.3, and 3.7. He hit exactly .300 over that time, with a .408 OBP and a 110 OPS+. He also averaged 12 stolen bases per year, although he got caught an average of six times per season.

After the 1927 season, where Blue hit .260/.384/.364, he was traded along with Heinie Manush to the St. Louis Browns for Harry Rice, Elam Vangilder and Chick Galloway. Blue spent two years in St. Louis, three in Chicago and one more in Brooklyn before hanging them up in 1933.

He finished his 13-year-career with a .287/.402/.401 line, a 109 OPS+ and a 36.7 bWAR – 20.9 of which was with the Tigers.

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