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2016 AL East Rankings by Position: First Base

By Nate Wardle

Sep 20, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Chris Davis (19) hits a 2-run home run during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 20, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Chris Davis (19) hits a 2-run home run during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 1, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays first baseman James Loney (21) singles during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays first baseman James Loney (21) singles during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Tampa Bay Rays – James Loney, Steve Pearce, Logan Morrison, Rickie Shaffer

When you think about guys who do not have the prototypical power you need from a first baseman in the AL East, enter the Rays and James Loney.

Loney is also in a contract year, but only played in 102 games for the Rays in 2015. Loney hit .280/.322/.357, which is a pretty good average, but with dismal on-base and slugging percentages. Loney added 4 HRs and only 16 2Bs, which is almost half of his career average for doubles in a season. Loney also rated negatively defensively, with a total WAR of -1.1. Ouch. For a team that needs offense in the worst way, Loney’s spot on the team may not be guaranteed.

Pearce and Morrison are two guys who can play the corner outfield and first base, and one may start at DH, although there are other people in the mix there as well. Both bring more power than Loney, and it would not surprise me if one of them won the starting job away from Loney.

Morrison played the last two years in Seattle, where he continued to fail to live up to his ceiling. The 28-year-old hit .225/.302/.383 in 2015, with 17 HRs and 15 2Bs in 146 games. Morrison is not a guy who strikes out a lot, and that is something that will help him in the AL East.

Pearce has had next to no major league success outside of Baltimore. And in 2015 he struggled mightily, hitting .218/.289/.402 in 92 games for the Orioles at left field, first base and second base. Pearce added 13 2Bs and 15 HRs in those games, which goes to show how bad Loney was in 2015. Pearce has really only had one good year in the majors, and that was during the Orioles’ run in 2014.

Next: A Pending Disaster in Boston?

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