Box-Toppers top second basemen by time frame

Here are the top second basemen in Box-Toppers points (BTP) over the past season (2016), the past two seasons (2015-16), the past six seasons (2011-16) and “all-time”—the past 22 seasons (since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began). For the most recent seasons, the top five second basemen in each league are shown. For the “all-time” rankings, the top five overall second basemen (including retired players) are shown at left and the top five active second basemen in career Box-Toppers points are shown at right. Some players played more than one position, but even if their primary position was not second base, they are listed here.


American League National League
2016 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Altuve, Jose 3007 2b hou al 12.5 Carpenter, Matt 2987 3b 1b 2b stl nl 9.5
2 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 8.0 LeMahieu, DJ 3091 2b col nl 8.0
3 Castro, Starlin 2767 2b ss nyy al 7.0 Murphy, Daniel 2589 2b dc nl 7.5
4 Odor, Rougned 3336 2b tex al 6.5 Panik, Joe 3401 2b sf nl 5.5
5 Kinsler, Ian 2144 2b det al 6.0 Nunez, Eduardo 2795 3b 2b ss sf nl 5.5
American League National League
2015-16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Altuve, Jose 3007 2b hou al 19.5 Carpenter, Matt 2987 3b 1b 2b stl nl 15.0
2 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 14.5 LeMahieu, DJ 3091 2b col nl 15.0
3 Kinsler, Ian 2144 2b det al 12.5 Panik, Joe 3401 2b sf nl 9.5
4 Castro, Starlin 2767 2b ss nyy al 11.5 Murphy, Daniel 2589 2b dc nl 9.0
5 Odor, Rougned 3336 2b tex al 9.5 Kendrick, Howie 2191 2b lf 1b lad nl 8.0
American League National League
2011-16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 43.5 Murphy, Daniel 2589 2b dc nl 31.0
2 Kinsler, Ian 2144 2b det al 31.7 Phillips, Brandon 1691 2b cin nl 30.2
3 Altuve, Jose 3007 2b hou al 29.0 Carpenter, Matt 2987 3b 1b 2b stl nl 29.5
4 Pedroia, Dustin 2320 2b bos al 25.4 Walker, Neil 2756 2b nym nl 25.0
5 Castro, Starlin 2767 2b ss nyy al 24.5 Zobrist, Ben 2216 2b rf lf chi nl 23.0
All players (including retired) All active players
’95-’16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 kent, jeff 2b Retired 109.7 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 75.4
2 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 75.4 Utley, Chase 1861 2b lad nl 73.1
3 Utley, Chase 1861 2b lad nl 73.1 Phillips, Brandon 1691 2b cin nl 64.1
4 boone, bret 2b Retired 65.7 Kinsler, Ian 2144 2b det al 62.1
5 durham, ray 2b Retired 65.5 Uggla, Dan 2158 2b free agent 53.7
What are those numbers after players' names?
Active players are shown on the team with whom they finished the 2016 season.

Jeff Kent holds dominating lead among second basemen in Box-Toppers points since 1995

Jeff Kent has a dominating lead in Box-Toppers points among second basemen since tracking began in 1995.

Kent, who played from 1992 to 2008 primarily for the Giants, Dodgers, Mets, Astros and Blue Jays, earned 109.7 Box-Toppers points from 1995 to the end of his career—that’s 34.3 more points than the second-place second baseman since 1995, Robinson Cano of the Mariners (75.4).

And Kent’s large lead doesn’t even account for the fact that Box-Toppers did not track his first few seasons. If his entire career from 1992 were tracked, rough projections put his overall career Box-Toppers point total at 125.

Kent’s 109.7 career Box-Toppers points since 1995 ranks 55th among all players and 17th among all batters.

The chart above shows the top five second basemen over several time frames. For the past season (2016), past two seasons (2015-16) and past six seasons (2011-16) the top five second basemen in each league are shown. The top five overall second basemen since 1995 (including those who have retired) are shown at the bottom left in the chart. The top five active second basemen in career Box-Toppers points are shown at the bottom right.

Jose Altuve of the Astros leads all first basemen over the past season (12.5 Box-Toppers points in 2016) and over the past two seasons (19.5 points over 2015-16). Altuve also ranks third among American League batters over the past six seasons (29.0 points over 2011-16).

Robinson Cano of the Mariners is the active leader in career Box-Toppers points with 75.4 (which puts him at second behind Kent among all players since 1995, including those who have retired). During 2016, Cano passed Chase Utley of the Dodgers to become the active career leader in Box-Toppers points among second basemen; Utley currently ranks second with 73.1 points. Cano also leads second basemen in Box-Toppers points over the past six seasons (43.5 over 2011-16).

Matt Carpenter of the Cardinals led National League second basemen in 2016 with 9.5 Box-Toppers points. He also led NL second basemen over the past two seasons with 15.0 points over 2015-16. Carpenter ranks third among NL second basemen over the past six seasons with 29.5 points over 2011-16. Box-Toppers qualifies Carpenter as a second baseman even though he split his time between first, second and third base in 2016, primarily playing third. In the nine games in which he earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors, he played third base in five, first base in three and second base in one. In the five seasons in which he’s earned Box-Toppers points, he was predominantly a second baseman in two of them.

Daniel Murphy of the Nationals leads NL second basemen over the past six seasons, with 31.0 Box-Toppers points over 2011-16, just ahead of Brandon Phillips of the Reds with 30.2. Murphy also ranks third among NL second basemen over the past season (7.5 Box-Toppers points in 2016) and fourth among NL second basemen over the past two seasons (9.0 points over 2015-16).

Ian Kinsler of the Tigers is listed in four of Box-Toppers rankings of second basemen. He is fifth among AL second basemen over the past season (6.0 Box-Toppers points in 2016), third among AL second basemen over the past two seasons (12.5 points over 2015-16), second among AL second basemen over the past six seasons (31.7 points over 2011-16) and fourth in career points among all active second basemen (62.1).

Dan Uggla is listed fifth among active second basemen in career Box-Toppers points (53.7) even though he was a free agent throughout 2016 and last earned Box-Toppers points on April 28, 2015, when he played for the Nationals.

About Box-Toppers—Box-Toppers tracks who most helps their team win the most games. Using standard box score statistics, Box-Toppers uses a simple formula to determine a Player of the Game for each Major League Baseball game played. That player is the person who contributed most to his team’s win. In regular season games, players earn 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being named Player of the Game and can earn bonus points for being Player of the Day or top player or batter in their league for the day.

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Related Box-Toppers High by Position posts showing Box-Toppers points leaders by position over several time frames—past season (2016), past two seasons (2015-16), past six seasons (2011-16) and “all-time” (since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began):

  • First base: Albert Pujols leads all-time, Miguel Cabrera leads past season and past six seasons.
  • Second base: Jeff Kent leads all-time, Jose Altuve leads past season.
  • Shortstop: Miguel Tejada leads all-time over Derek Jeter.
  • Third base: Alex Rodriguez leads all-time, Manny Machado and Adrian Beltre lead in recent seasons.
  • Catcher: Mike Piazza leads all-time, Brian McCann leads active catchers in career points.
  • Outfield: Manny Ramirez leads all-time, Carlos Beltran leads active outfielders in career points, Mike Trout leads in recent seasons.
  • Designated hitter: Albert Pujols leads all-time, Kendrys Morales and Edwin Encarnacion lead in recent seasons.
  • Pitcher: Randy Johnson leads all-time, CC Sabathia and Clayton Kershaw lead active pitchers in career points.
  • Closing pitcher: Trevor Hoffman leads all-time over all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera.