A look at Box-Toppers' top 100 players for 2014-15 and 2010-15

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw is far and away Box-Toppers’ top-ranked player over both the past two seasons and the past six seasons.

Kershaw has the most Box-Toppers points of any player over 2014 and 2015 with 57.2 (see the charts below), leading the second-place player by 13.4 points (Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta has 43.8).

Players on 3 top 100 lists

Here are the 39 players who made Box-Toppers’ three top 100 lists—the list of top 100 players for 2015, 2014-15 (past two seasons) and 2010-15 (past six seasons). Players are listed in order of their rank on the 2010-15 list with their Box-Toppers point (BTP) total shown for 2015, 2014-15 and 2010-15.

Player Pos Team 15 14-15 10-15
Kershaw, Clayton 2494 pi sp lad nl 25.7 57.2 141.9
Hernandez, Felix 2064 pi sp sea al 19.4 40.2 105.8
Scherzer, Max 2588 pi sp dc nl 21.0 43.1 99.0
Greinke, Zack 1871 pi sp lad nl 20.7 37.2 94.8
Bumgarner, Madison 2753 pi sp sf nl 17.0 39.6 92.7
Price, David 2593 pi sp tor al 21.1 40.2 88.8
Hamels, Cole 2135 pi sp tex al 15.4 27.8 82.0
Weaver, Jered 2178 pi sp ana al 7.7 14.4 81.7
Lester, Jon 2173 pi sp chi nl 12.0 28.4 81.6
Gonzalez, Gio 2626 pi sp dc nl 9.7 20.7 75.8
Sale, Chris 2806 pi sp chi al 18.8 36.2 73.0
Liriano, Francisco 2104 pi sp pit nl 14.9 26.0 71.1
Cueto, Johnny 2400 pi sp kc al 12.8 35.2 71.0
Strasburg, Stephen 2736 pi sp dc nl 14.0 30.7 67.8
Wilson, C.J. 2074 pi sp ana al 10.1 16.8 60.4
Arrieta, Jake 2738 pi sp chi nl 29.1 43.8 59.8
Lynn, Lance 2992 pi sp stl nl 11.4 22.1 55.9
Gonzalez, Carlos 2460 rf col nl 11.5 13.0 50.2
Bautista, Jose 2169 rf tor al 10.0 16.5 49.9
Iwakuma, Hisashi 3048 pi sp sea al 13.1 25.1 48.2
Kluber, Corey 3200 pi sp cle al 13.4 39.2 44.2
McCutchen, Andrew 2637 cf pit nl 10.5 17.0 43.9
Kazmir, Scott 1947 pi sp hou al 12.7 27.8 43.6
Encarnacion, Edwin 2098 dh tor al 10.4 19.9 42.1
Davis, Chris 2478 1b bal al 11.0 17.2 41.9
Archer, Chris 3194 pi sp tb al 16.0 28.4 40.1
Leake, Mike 2709 pi sp sf nl 10.0 19.0 39.6
Chapman, Aroldis 2826 pi cp cin nl 8.0 15.0 39.0
Vogelsong, Ryan 1820 pi sp sf nl 10.0 18.7 38.1
Samardzija, Jeff 2495 pi sp chi al 9.4 16.4 38.1
Upton, Justin 2411 lf sd nl 9.0 17.2 37.9
Hunter, Torii 1190 rf dh min al 8.0 13.5 37.5
Hammel, Jason 2235 pi sp chi nl 9.7 20.1 36.8
Trout, Mike 2949 cf ana al 12.0 20.5 36.5
Miller, Shelby 3134 pi sp atl nl 10.0 19.0 36.1
Keuchel, Dallas 3050 pi sp hou al 21.4 33.8 35.8
Teheran, Julio 3176 pi sp atl nl 7.7 22.1 35.8
deGrom, Jacob 3343 pi sp nym nl 22.4 35.4 35.4
Goldschmidt, Paul 2935 1b ari nl 10.2 13.2 35.4
BTP: Box-Toppers points
What are those numbers after players' names?

Kershaw also has the most Box-Toppers points of any player over the past six seasons, from 2010 to 2015 with 141.9, leading the second-place player by 36.1 points (Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez has 105.8).

Kershaw has been Box-Toppers most dominant player in recent years, leading National League pitchers in points for four straight years (from 2011 to 2014) and finishing second this year. He led all players in Box-Toppers points three of those years, 2011, 2013 and 2014. And in that span, he has recorded three of the highest single-season Box-Toppers point totals since record-keeping began in 1995:

  • In 2011, he had 26.1 points, tied for the 16th-highest single-season total.
  • In 2014, he had 31.5, tied for the fourth-highest single-season total.
  • In 2015, he had 25.7, tied for the 20th-highest single-season total.

•

Box-Toppers’ 2015 overall leader, Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta, finishes second in points over the past two seasons with 43.8. Over the past six seasons, Arrieta has 59.8 points and ranks 23rd among players from 2010 to 2015.

Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez, who has never led American League pitchers in a single season, has the second-highest Box-Toppers point total over the past six seasons with 105.8, the highest among AL pitchers and the only player besides Kershaw with more than 100 points in that span. Hernandez ranks fifth among players over the past two seasons with 40.2.

Blue Jays pitcher David Price edges Hernandez as the top-ranked AL pitcher over the past two seasons with 40.2 Box-Toppers points (Price and Hernandez have identical point totals over 2014 and 2015, but Price wins the tiebreaker because he had more points in 2015—21.1 vs. 19.4). Price ranks fourth over 2014 and 2015. He ranks sixth among pitchers over the past six seasons with 88.8 points.

Mike Trout of the Angels is the top-ranked batter over the past two seasons with 20.5 Box-Toppers points, ranked 33rd among all players. Trout ranks 82nd among players over the past six seasons with 36.5 points.

Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers is the top-ranked batter over the past six seasons with 60.8 Box-Toppers points, ranked 21st among all players. Cabrera has 17.2 points over the past two seasons, ranked 54th.

Yoenis Cespedes of the Mets is the top-ranked NL batter over the past two seasons with 18.9 Box-Toppers points (though it should be noted that Cespedes scored most of those points with AL teams, the Athletics and the Tigers before being traded in late July to the NL Mets). Cespedes ranks 43rd among players from 2014 to 2015. He ranks 119th, off the chart, among players from 2010 to 2015 with 31.9 points over that span.

Ryan Braun of the Brewers is the top-ranked NL batter over the past six seasons with 51.0 Box-Toppers points, which includes the period in 2013 when he was suspended for 65 games under baseball’s performance enhancing drug policy. Since returning from that suspension, Braun’s Box-Toppers point totals have dipped—he ranks 185th over 2014 and 2015 with 9.5 Box-Toppers points.

•

Over the past two seasons, a large majority of players in Box-Toppers top 100 are pitchers—81. That compares with Box-Toppers top 100 for 2015, in which 69 pitchers made the list. Here is a breakdown of players on the top 100 for 2014-15 by their primary position:

  • 74—Starting pitcher
  • 8—Outfield (3 CF, 3 RF, 2 LF)
  • 7—Closing pitcher
  • 5—First base
  • 2—Designated hitter
  • 1—Second base
  • 1—Third base
  • 1—Catcher
  • 1—Shortstop

The Angels and the Blue Jays have the most players among the top 100 for 2014-15 with seven players each. The Royals and the Pirates each have six players and the Cubs, Nationals and Cardinals each have five players. Two teams are not represented on the list, the same two teams that were not represented among the top 100 players for 2015, the Tigers and the Phillies.

•

Over the past six seasons, 74 pitchers are on the top 100. Here is a breakdown of players on the top 100 for 2010-15 by their primary position:

  • 71—Starting pitcher
  • 12—Outfield (6 RF, 3 CF, 3 LF)
  • 7—First base
  • 4—Designated hitter
  • 2—Closing pitcher
  • 1—Second base
  • 1—Third base
  • 1—Middle relief pitcher
  • 1—Shortstop

The Rangers have the most players among the top 100 for 2010-15 with eight. Both the Padres and the Giants have seven players each. The Blue Jays have six players. And four teams have five players each—the Angels, Cubs, Nationals and Royals. Two teams have no representatives among the top 100 for 2010-15—the Athletics and the Marlins.

Also, there are three players on the list who were not part of any Major League roster at the end of the 2015 season:

  • 29—Roy Halladay, starting pitcher, 55.2 Box-Toppers points, retired from the Phillies at the end of the 2013 season.
  • 34—Hiroki Kuroda, starting pitcher, 51.9 points, pitched for the Yankees in 2014 before returning to Japan.
  • 52—Justin Masterson, starting pitcher, 44.8 points, pitched for the Red Sox in 2015 before being released during the season.

•

There are 39 players who make all three top 100 lists—for 2015, for 2014-15 and for 2010-15 (see the chart “Players on 3 top 100 lists”).

(Editor’s note: In the chart are references to teams “ana al” and “fla nl,” referring to the Angels and the Marlins. We realize those teams are now known as Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim) and the Miami Marlins, but we keep the old abbreviations around since those name changes were largely for marketing or political purposes and involved no substantial change in the actual geography of the team. Plus, change is hard.)

Top 100 players of 2014-15 & 2010-15

Here are two lists of Box-Toppers Top 100 players, ranked by Box-Toppers points (BTP). The list at left is the top 100 players of the past two seasons (2014-15). The list at right is the top 100 players over the past six seasons (2010-15).


Leaders ’14-’15 Pos Team BTP Leaders ’10-’15 Pos Team BTP
1 Kershaw, Clayton 2494 pi sp lad nl 57.2 Kershaw, Clayton 2494 pi sp lad nl 141.9
2 Arrieta, Jake 2738 pi sp chi nl 43.8 Hernandez, Felix 2064 pi sp sea al 105.8
3 Scherzer, Max 2588 pi sp dc nl 43.1 Scherzer, Max 2588 pi sp dc nl 99.0
4 Price, David 2593 pi sp tor al 40.2 Greinke, Zack 1871 pi sp lad nl 94.8
5 Hernandez, Felix 2064 pi sp sea al 40.2 Bumgarner, Madison 2753 pi sp sf nl 92.7
6 Bumgarner, Madison 2753 pi sp sf nl 39.6 Price, David 2593 pi sp tor al 88.8
7 Kluber, Corey 3200 pi sp cle al 39.2 Verlander, Justin 2112 pi sp det al 83.4
8 Greinke, Zack 1871 pi sp lad nl 37.2 Hamels, Cole 2135 pi sp tex al 82.0
9 Sale, Chris 2806 pi sp chi al 36.2 Weaver, Jered 2178 pi sp ana al 81.7
10 deGrom, Jacob 3343 pi sp nym nl 35.4 Lester, Jon 2173 pi sp chi nl 81.6
11 Cueto, Johnny 2400 pi sp kc al 35.2 Gonzalez, Gio 2626 pi sp dc nl 75.8
12 Keuchel, Dallas 3050 pi sp hou al 33.8 Sale, Chris 2806 pi sp chi al 73.0
13 Strasburg, Stephen 2736 pi sp dc nl 30.7 Shields, James 2157 pi sp sd nl 71.3
14 Carrasco, Carlos 2885 pi sp cle al 28.7 Liriano, Francisco 2104 pi sp pit nl 71.1
15 Archer, Chris 3194 pi sp tb al 28.4 Cueto, Johnny 2400 pi sp kc al 71.0
16 Lester, Jon 2173 pi sp chi nl 28.4 Wainwright, Adam 2150 pi sp stl nl 70.8
17 Gray, Sonny 3259 pi sp oak al 27.8 Lincecum, Tim 2288 pi sp sf nl 68.6
18 Hamels, Cole 2135 pi sp tex al 27.8 Gallardo, Yovani 2333 pi sp tex al 68.3
19 Kazmir, Scott 1947 pi sp hou al 27.8 Strasburg, Stephen 2736 pi sp dc nl 67.8
20 Richards, Garrett 3042 pi sp ana al 26.7 Lee, Cliff 1798 pi sp phi nl 65.6
21 Liriano, Francisco 2104 pi sp pit nl 26.0 Cabrera, Miguel 1776 1b det al 60.8
22 Iwakuma, Hisashi 3048 pi sp sea al 25.1 Wilson, C.J. 2074 pi sp ana al 60.4
23 Cole, Gerrit 3232 pi sp pit nl 24.7 Arrieta, Jake 2738 pi sp chi nl 59.8
24 Hutchison, Drew 3038 pi sp tor al 23.0 Dickey, R.A. 1734 pi sp tor al 58.2
25 Lynn, Lance 2992 pi sp stl nl 22.1 Latos, Mat 2644 pi sp ana al 57.9
26 Teheran, Julio 3176 pi sp atl nl 22.1 Kennedy, Ian 2723 pi sp sd nl 56.5
27 Zimmermann, Jordan 2612 pi sp dc nl 22.0 Zimmermann, Jordan 2612 pi sp dc nl 56.4
28 Wainwright, Adam 2150 pi sp stl nl 21.7 Lynn, Lance 2992 pi sp stl nl 55.9
29 McHugh, Collin 3316 pi sp hou al 21.5 Halladay, Roy 1178 pi sp retired 55.2
30 Shields, James 2157 pi sp sd nl 21.1 Sanchez, Anibal 2187 pi sp det al 54.9
31 Gonzalez, Gio 2626 pi sp dc nl 20.7 Sabathia, C.C. 1492 pi sp nyy al 54.9
32 Tanaka, Masahiro 3305 pi sp nyy al 20.7 Pujols, Albert 1438 dh 1b ana al 52.4
33 Trout, Mike 2949 cf ana al 20.5 Haren, Danny 1787 pi sp chi nl 52.2
34 Ventura, Yordano 3294 pi sp kc al 20.4 Kuroda, Hiroki 2401 pi sp japan 51.9
35 Donaldson, Josh 3144 3b tor al 20.4 Jimenez, Ubaldo 2349 pi sp bal al 51.3
36 Lackey, John 1640 pi sp stl nl 20.4 Braun, Ryan J. 2300 rf mil nl 51.0
37 Hammel, Jason 2235 pi sp chi nl 20.1 Cain, Matt 2081 pi sp sf nl 50.9
38 Young, Chris R. 1933 pi sp kc al 20.1 Kimbrel, Craig 2825 pi cp sd nl 50.7
39 Encarnacion, Edwin 2098 dh tor al 19.9 Gonzalez, Carlos 2460 rf col nl 50.2
40 Smyly, Drew 3009 pi sp tb al 19.4 Fister, Doug 2688 pi sp dc nl 50.2
41 Miller, Shelby 3134 pi sp atl nl 19.0 Bautista, Jose Antonio 2169 rf tor al 49.9
42 Leake, Mike 2709 pi sp sf nl 19.0 Santana, Ervin 2005 pi sp min al 49.8
43 Cespedes, Yoenis 3008 lf cf nym nl 18.9 Lohse, Kyle 1487 pi sp cp mil nl 49.8
44 Vogelsong, Ryan 1820 pi sp sf nl 18.7 Colon, Bartolo pi sp nym nl 48.6
45 Abreu, Jose 3308 1b chi al 18.5 Iwakuma, Hisashi 3048 pi sp sea al 48.2
46 Hughes, Phil 2272 pi sp min al 18.1 Burnett, A.J. 1300 pi sp pit nl 48.2
47 Happ, J.A. 2536 pi sp pit nl 17.8 Fielder, Prince 2029 dh tex al 47.7
48 Odorizzi, Jake 3291 pi sp tb al 17.7 Hudson, Tim 1231 pi sp sf nl 47.1
49 Tulowitzki, Troy 2308 ss tor al 17.6 Tulowitzki, Troy 2308 ss tor al 45.8
50 Colon, Bartolo pi sp nym nl 17.4 Buchholz, Clay 2363 pi sp bos al 45.2
51 Shoemaker, Matt 3290 pi sp ana al 17.4 Darvish, Yu 3003 pi sp tex al 45.2
52 Davis, Chris 2478 1b bal al 17.2 Masterson, Justin 2462 pi sp released 44.8
53 Upton, Justin 2411 lf sd nl 17.2 Kluber, Corey 3200 pi sp cle al 44.2
54 Cabrera, Miguel 1776 1b det al 17.2 McCutchen, Andrew 2637 cf pit nl 43.9
55 McCutchen, Andrew 2637 cf pit nl 17.0 Kazmir, Scott 1947 pi sp hou al 43.6
56 Kimbrel, Craig 2825 pi cp sd nl 17.0 Garza, Matt 2343 pi sp mil nl 43.4
57 Jones, Adam 2347 cf bal al 17.0 Beltre, Adrian 1141 3b tex al 42.1
58 Wilson, C.J. 2074 pi sp ana al 16.8 Encarnacion, Edwin 2098 dh tor al 42.1
59 Simon, Alfredo 2718 pi sp det al 16.7 Davis, Chris 2478 1b bal al 41.9
60 Bautista, Jose 2169 rf tor al 16.5 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 41.5
61 Salazar, Danny 3223 pi sp cle al 16.4 Ortiz, David dh bos al 41.4
62 Pineda, Michael 2841 pi sp nyy al 16.4 Vargas, Jason 2055 pi sp kc al 41.2
63 Samardzija, Jeff 2495 pi sp chi al 16.4 Archer, Chris 3194 pi sp tb al 40.1
64 Wood, Alex 3246 pi sp lad nl 16.4 Bailey, Homer 2324 pi sp cin nl 40.1
65 Kennedy, Ian 2723 pi sp sd nl 16.4 Leake, Mike 2709 pi sp sf nl 39.6
66 Santana, Ervin 2005 pi sp min al 16.4 Jones, Adam 2347 cf bal al 39.5
67 Stroman, Marcus 3327 pi sp tor al 16.4 Chapman, Aroldis 2826 pi cp cin nl 39.0
68 Fister, Doug 2688 pi sp dc nl 16.4 Gonzalez, Adrian 2193 1b lad nl 38.7
69 Chavez, Jesse 2780 pi sp oak al 16.1 Hughes, Phil 2272 pi sp min al 38.5
70 Lincecum, Tim 2288 pi sp sf nl 16.1 Norris, Bud 2638 pi sp sd nl 38.4
71 Collmenter, Josh 2863 pi sp mr ari nl 16.0 Hamilton, Josh 2332 lf dh ph tex al 38.2
72 Harvey, Matt 3075 pi sp nym nl 15.4 Holliday, Matt 1836 lf dh stl nl 38.2
73 Gonzalez, Miguel 3062 pi sp bal al 15.4 Vogelsong, Ryan 1820 pi sp sf nl 38.1
74 Bauer, Trevor 3065 pi sp cle al 15.1 Samardzija, Jeff 2495 pi sp chi al 38.1
75 Lohse, Kyle 1487 pi sp cp mil nl 15.1 Peavy, Jake 1635 pi sp sf nl 38.1
76 Rizzo, Anthony 3063 1b chi nl 15.0 Upton, Justin 2411 lf sd nl 37.9
77 Holland, Greg 2906 pi cp kc al 15.0 Holland, Derek 2634 pi sp tex al 37.8
78 Chapman, Aroldis 2826 pi cp cin nl 15.0 Volquez, Edinson 2220 pi sp kc al 37.7
79 Robertson, David 2774 pi cp chi al 15.0 Hunter, Torii 1190 rf dh min al 37.5
80 Volquez, Edinson 2220 pi sp kc al 15.0 Howard, Ryan 2040 1b phi nl 37.1
81 Martinez, Carlos 3371 pi sp stl nl 14.7 Hammel, Jason 2235 pi sp chi nl 36.8
82 Wacha, Michael 3276 pi sp stl nl 14.7 Trout, Mike 2949 cf ana al 36.5
83 Hendricks, Kyle 3386 pi sp chi nl 14.7 Buehrle, Mark 1407 pi sp tor al 36.5
84 Britton, Zachary 2835 pi cp bal al 14.7 Guthrie, Jeremy 2290 pi sp kc al 36.5
85 Santiago, Hector 3109 pi sp ana al 14.7 Morrow, Brandon 2264 pi sp sd nl 36.4
86 Pujols, Albert 1438 dh 1b ana al 14.5 Rodriguez, Wandy 2117 pi sp kc al 36.2
87 Weaver, Jered 2178 pi sp ana al 14.4 Miller, Shelby 3134 pi sp atl nl 36.1
88 Gibson, Kyle 3312 pi sp min al 14.0 Bruce, Jay 2453 rf cin nl 35.9
89 Melancon, Mark 2792 pi cp pit nl 14.0 Keuchel, Dallas 3050 pi sp hou al 35.8
90 Burnett, A.J. 1300 pi sp pit nl 14.0 Teheran, Julio 3176 pi sp atl nl 35.8
91 Gallardo, Yovani 2333 pi sp tex al 14.0 Tillman, Chris 2754 pi sp bal al 35.8
92 Uehara, Koji 2802 pi cp bos al 14.0 Teixeira, Mark 1738 1b nyy al 35.7
93 Duffy, Danny 2915 pi sp kc al 14.0 deGrom, Jacob 3343 pi sp nym nl 35.4
94 Walker, Taijuan 3453 pi sp sea al 13.7 Goldschmidt, Paul 2935 1b ari nl 35.4
95 Hunter, Torii 1190 rf dh min al 13.5 Napoli, Mike 2161 1b tex al 35.2
96 Fiers, Michael 3029 pi sp hou al 13.4 Arroyo, Bronson 1375 pi sp lad nl 35.1
97 Goldschmidt, Paul 2935 1b ari nl 13.2 Granderson, Curtis 2051 rf nym nl 34.9
98 Gonzalez, Carlos 2460 rf col nl 13.0 Garcia, Jaime 2508 pi sp stl nl 34.8
99 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 13.0 Johnson, Josh 2145 pi sp sd nl 34.7
100 McCann, Brian 2179 ca nyy al 13.0 Cahill, Trevor 2658 pi mr chi nl 34.5
BTP: Box-Toppers points
What are those numbers after players' names?