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Box-Toppers 2022 review, 2023 preview
More about what Box-Toppers is all about and how it works and why Box-Toppers was devised.
Here are links to key offseason posts:
Top players, top teams
Year-end 2022 team rankings: Dodgers lead over Astros narrows in final Box-Toppers team rankings report for 2022
Year-end 2022 player rankings: Astros’ Justin Verlander is Box-Toppers’ 2022 Player of the Year
Top 10 player lists
Box-Toppers top 10 players by category (Overall, AL pitchers, NL pitchers, AL batters, NL batters)
2022: Astros’ Justin Verlander is Box-Toppers’ 2022 Player of the Year
2021-22: Shohei Ohtani leads players in Box-Toppers points over past 2 seasons
2017-22: Max Scherzer leads players in Box-Toppers points over past 6 seasons
“All-time” 1995-2022: Verlander rises from 6th to 5th on Box-Toppers’ ‘all-time’ top 10 list during 2022
Box-Toppers All-Star teams
2010s All-Decade All-Star team (2010-19)
2000s vs. 2010s: Comparing Box-Toppers All-Decade All-Star teams from two decades
Box-Toppers’ Top 100 players
2021-22: Shohei Ohtani tops list
2017-22: Max Scherzer tops list
“All-time” 1995-2022: Randy Johnson tops list
Box-Toppers’ most improved, biggest decliners
Box-Toppers’ Most Improved player in 2022: Justin Verlander sets Box-Toppers record for biggest one-season improvement
Box-Toppers’ big dippers: Box-Toppers’ big dippers—players whose 2022 point total declined most from 2021: Max Scherzer leads list
Box-Toppers’ season-by-season leaders
Hall of Fame
Box-Toppers selects 4 players for 2023 Hall of Fame induction in internet writers’ ballot
How 2023 Hall of Fame candidates fared in Box-Toppers: Rolen voted to Hall of Fame, while Box-Toppers’ 4 choices fall short
2022 playoff highlights
American League Championship Series preview: Astros favored because of pitching advantage, but Yankees have bats
National League Championship Series preview: Padres favored over Phillies, but favorites are 0-4 in ’22 NL postseason
World Series preview: Astros hold Box-Toppers points edge over Phillies in 2022 World Series
Astros defeat Phillies in World Series in six games: Valdez tops players as Astros win World Series over Phillies in sixth game Saturday
2022 postseason awards
Box-Toppers’ votes in Internet Baseball Writers Association of America postseason awards: Box-Toppers votes Ohtani AL MVP over Judge—plus our other postseason award picks
Players Choice Awards: Justin Verlander among 2022 Box-Toppers points leaders winning Players Choice Awards
Silver Sluggers: How 2022 Silver Sluggers winners fared in Box-Toppers rankings
Hank Aaron Awards: Yankees’ Aaron Judge, Box-Toppers’ top AL batter, wins 2022 Hank Aaron Award
Reliever of the Year: A look at how 2022 Reliever of the Year winners Diaz, Clase fared in Box-Toppers points
Awards preview: A look at 2022 awards finalists and how they fared in Box-Toppers rankings
Rookie of the Year: Box-Toppers’ top AL rookie Rodriguez wins AL Rookie of the Year; top NL rookie Strider finishes 2nd
Cy Young: Box-Toppers leaders Verlander, Alcantara win 2022 Cy Young Awards
Most Valuable Player: Judge, Goldschmidt win MVP awards over Box-Toppers’ choices Ohtani, Alonso
Summary: Box-Toppers points leaders win 3 of 6 major postseason awards in 2022
2023 preseason
Box-Toppers offseason team rankings prior to 2023: Yankees, Mets lead Box-Toppers offseason team rankings, landing biggest free agents
A look at Box-Toppers 2023 preseason predictions for win totals, division standings, playoff picks: Box-Toppers picks Mets over Yankees in 2023 World Series
Special extras
Will 2023 rules changes finally place a check on pitchers’ decade of dominance?
Pitchers won fewer Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors after foreign substance crackdown, but still dominated in 2021: A Box-Toppers analysis shows batters made gains after June’s more stringent rule enforcement. But overall in 2021, pitchers dominated at a near-record level.
Batters’ share of Box-Toppers points earned plummeted in the decade of the 2010s: Comparing batters’ performance in Box-Toppers points from 2000-2009 to 2010-2019
Box-Toppers marks 25th anniversary. We tracked our first game April 25, 1995, and have tracked top players in 60,000 games over the past quarter century. A look back at the very first Player of the Game winners and a look at Box-Toppers’ history—what has remained a constant and what has changed.
A look at how top draft picks fared in career Box-Toppers points and rankings: Alex Rodriguez has most career Box-Toppers points of all top overall draft picks since 1990
Support Box-Toppers
Be a Player of the Day and support Box-Toppers by contributing in $5 increments at Buy me a coffee. Thanks!Top 10 players
Here are the top 10 players in 2024 Box-Toppers points (BTP) through Friday, May 3:Player | Pos | Team | BTP | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ranger Suárez | pi sp | Phillies | 6.7 |
2 | Shota Imanaga | pi sp | Cubs | 6.7 |
3 | Freddy Peralta | pi sp | Brewers | 6.0 |
4 | Tanner Houck | pi sp | Red Sox | 6.0 |
5 | Dylan Cease | pi sp | Padres | 5.7 |
6 | Seth Lugo | pi sp | Royals | 5.4 |
7 | Luis Castillo | pi sp | Mariners | 5.0 |
8 | Logan Gilbert | pi sp | Mariners | 5.0 |
9 | Tyler Glasnow | pi sp | Dodgers | 5.0 |
10 | Aaron Nola | pi sp | Phillies | 5.0 |
Past posts
All-time leaders
Here are Box-Toppers top 20 players since record keeping began in 1995:Player | Pos | Team | BTP | |
1 | Randy Johnson | pi sp | Retired | 282.5 |
2 | Clayton Kershaw | pi sp | Dodgers | 270.4 |
3 | Max Scherzer | pi sp | Rangers | 251.7 |
4 | Justin Verlander | pi sp | Astros | 245.0 |
5 | Pedro Martinez | pi sp | Retired | 244.8 |
6 | Zack Greinke | pi sp | Free agent | 224.5 |
7 | Albert Pujols | 1b dh | Retired | 207.8 |
8 | CC Sabathia | pi sp | Retired | 203.4 |
9 | Curt Schilling | pi sp | Retired | 194.1 |
10 | Alex Rodriguez | dh | Retired | 187.0 |
11 | Jon Lester | pi sp | Retired | 179.3 |
12 | Felix Hernandez | pi sp | Retired | 175.1 |
13 | Cole Hamels | pi sp | Retired | 174.2 |
14 | Roy Halladay | pi sp | Retired | 170.7 |
15 | Johan Santana | pi sp | Retired | 166.6 |
16 | Manny Ramirez | lf dh | Retired | 166.2 |
17 | Roger Clemens | pi sp | Retired | 164.8 |
18 | John Smoltz | pi sp | Retired | 160.9 |
19 | Miguel Cabrera | 1b | Retired | 159.4 |
20 | Chris Sale | pi sp | Braves | 157.0 |
Note: We are in the process of auditing results for the 1995 season, which has resulted in minor changes in career Box-Toppers point totals for a few players. For example, Randy Johnson has gained 3.7 points and Manny Ramirez has lost 1.0 point.
About Box-Toppers’ team abbreviations
List of top 100 players since 1995 at the close of the 2022 season.
Box-Toppers Players of the Year
Here are Box-Toppers Player of the Year winners in each season of Box-Toppers tracking since 1995. Player of the Year is the player with the season’s highest Box-Toppers point total:Year | Player | Pos | Team | BTP |
---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | Randy Johnson | pi sp | Mariners | 23.7 |
1996 | John Smoltz | pi sp | Braves | 26.1 |
1997 | Roger Clemens | pi sp | Blue Jays | 27.4 |
1998 | Randy Johnson | pi sp | Astros† | 26.4 |
1999 | Randy Johnson | pi sp | Dbacks | 31.5 |
2000 | Randy Johnson | pi sp | Dbacks | 33.7 |
2001 | Randy Johnson | pi sp | Dbacks | 29.4 |
2002 | Randy Johnson | pi sp | Dbacks | 33.7 |
2003 | Jason Schmidt | pi sp | Giants | 24.7 |
2004 | Johan Santana | pi sp | Twins | 26.8 |
2005 | Johan Santana | pi sp | Twins | 24.1 |
2006 | Johan Santana | pi sp | Twins | 25.7 |
2007 | Jake Peavy | pi sp | Padres | 23.4 |
2008 | CC Sabathia | pi sp | Brewers* | 26.7 |
2009 | Zack Greinke | pi sp | Royals | 21.5 |
2010 | Jon Lester | pi sp | Red Sox | 23.4 |
2011 | Clayton Kershaw | pi sp | Dodgers | 26.1 |
2012 | Justin Verlander | pi sp | Tigers | 24.8 |
2013 | Clayton Kershaw | pi sp | Dodgers | 21.7 |
2014 | Clayton Kershaw | pi sp | Dodgers | 31.5 |
2015 | Jake Arrieta | pi sp | Cubs | 29.1 |
2016 | Max Scherzer | pi sp | Nationals | 25.7 |
2017 | Chris Sale | pi sp | Red Sox | 25.1 |
2018 | Blake Snell | pi sp | Rays | 27.2 |
2019 | Gerrit Cole | pi sp | Astros | 32.2 |
2020 | Shane Bieber | pi sp | Indians | 11.4§ |
2021 | Max Scherzer | pi sp | Dodgers** | 25.1 |
2022 | Justin Verlander | pi sp | Astros | 26.0 |
2023 | Spencer Strider | pi sp | Braves | 21.1 |
* Played for the Indians before trade to the Brewers.
** Played for the Nationals before trade to the Dodgers.
§ Season shortened from 162 to 60 games due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Box-Toppers tag cloud
Here are Box-Toppers most popular topics, arranged by how often names, teams and topics are tagged in blog posts. Scroll over each link to see how many blog posts in which it has been tagged. Click on the link for an archive of blog posts on that topic. To see the top 100 most popular Box-Toppers topics, click here.
- Box-Toppers Daily Scorecard
- Box-Toppers debut
- Clayton Kershaw
- Max Scherzer
- Justin Verlander
- Gerrit Cole
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Chris Sale
- Box-Toppers Player Rankings
- Zack Greinke
- Houston Astros
- Shohei Ohtani
- Postseason
- Jacob deGrom
- MLB
- Streak with at least 1.0 Box-Toppers point in a season
- Corey Kluber
- Miguel Cabrera
- Box-Toppers Team Power Rankings
- Boston Red Sox
Best seasons
Randy Johnson holds the record for most Box-Toppers points in a single season with 33.7, which he achieved twice—in 2000 and 2002. Here are all players who have earned 25 or more Box-Toppers points in a single season since 1995, ranked by their single-season Box-Toppers point total.Player | Team | Pos | Year | BTP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Randy Johnson | Diamondbacks | pi sp | 2000 | 33.7 |
1 | Randy Johnson | Diamondbacks | pi sp | 2002 | 33.7 |
3 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 2000 | 33.5 |
4 | Gerrit Cole | Astros | pi sp | 2019 | 32.2 |
5 | Randy Johnson | Diamondbacks | pi sp | 1999 | 31.5 |
5 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | pi sp | 2014 | 31.5 |
7 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 1999 | 31.4 |
8 | Randy Johnson | Diamondbacks | pi sp | 2001 | 29.4 |
9 | Jake Arrieta | Cubs | pi sp | 2015 | 29.1 |
10 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 2002 | 28.8 |
11 | Curt Schilling | Diamondbacks | pi sp | 2002 | 28.4 |
12 | Justin Verlander | Astros | pi sp | 2019 | 27.5 |
13 | Roger Clemens | Blue Jays | pi sp | 1997 | 27.4 |
14 | Blake Snell | Rays | pi sp | 2018 | 27.2 |
15 | Johan Santana | Twins | pi sp | 2004 | 26.8 |
16 | Pedro Martinez | Expos | pi sp | 1997 | 26.7 |
16 | CC Sabathia | Indians/Brewers | pi sp | 2008 | 26.7 |
18 | Randy Johnson | Mariners/Astros | pi sp | 1998 | 26.4 |
19 | John Smoltz | Braves | pi sp | 1996 | 26.1 |
19 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | pi sp | 2011 | 26.1 |
21 | Justin Verlander | Astros | pi sp | 2022 | 26.0 |
22 | Roger Clemens | Blue Jays | pi sp | 1998 | 25.8 |
22 | Corey Kluber | Indians | pi sp | 2014 | 25.8 |
24 | Johan Santana | Twins | pi sp | 2006 | 25.7 |
24 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | pi sp | 2015 | 25.7 |
24 | Max Scherzer | Nationals | pi sp | 2016 | 25.7 |
27 | Cliff Lee | Phillies | pi sp | 2011 | 25.4 |
28 | Chris Sale | Red Sox | pi sp | 2017 | 25.1 |
28 | Max Scherzer | Nationals | pi sp | 2018 | 25.1 |
28 | Max Scherzer | Nationals/Dodgers | pi sp | 2021 | 25.1 |
31 | Max Scherzer | Nationals | pi sp | 2017 | 25.0 |
Best seasons for batters
Lance Berkman holds the record for most Box-Toppers points (BTP) in a single season by a batter with 20.8 in 2006. Here are all batters who have earned 16.0 or more Box-Toppers points in a single season since 1995, ranked by their single-season Box-Toppers point total.NOTE: All 36 instances of batters earning 16.0 or more points happened in 2013 or earlier. In fact, there has only been one such instance since 2009 (Miguel Cabrera with 16.9 in 2013).
◼︎ A look at how batters with high single-season Box-Toppers point totals fared in voting for Most Valuable Player awards
◼︎ A look at how and why batters’ share of Box-Toppers points plummeted in the decade of the 2010s
Player | Team | Pos | Year | BTP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lance Berkman | Astros | 1b | 2006 | 20.8 |
2 | Barry Bonds | Giants | lf | 2002 | 20.7 |
3 | Albert Belle | Indians | lf dh | 1996 | 20.4 |
4 | Manny Ramirez | Indians | rf dh | 1999 | 19.9 |
5 | Alex Rodriguez | Yankees | 3b | 2007 | 18.9 |
6 | Mo Vaughn | Red Sox | 1b | 1996 | 18.6 |
7 | Larry Walker | Rockies | rf | 1997 | 18.5 |
8 | Ellis Burks | Rockies | lf cf | 1996 | 18.4 |
9 | Barry Bonds | Giants | lf | 1996 | 18.2 |
10 | Frank Thomas | White Sox | dh 1b | 2000 | 17.9 |
11 | Carlos Delgado | Blue Jays | 1b | 2003 | 17.7 |
12 | Bernie Williams | Yankees | cf | 1999 | 17.2 |
12 | Magglio Ordonez | White Sox | rf | 2007 | 17.2 |
14 | Todd Helton | Rockies | 1b | 2001 | 17.0 |
14 | Jason Giambi | Yankees | 1b dh | 2002 | 17.0 |
14 | Alex Rodriguez | Mariners | ss | 2000 | 17.0 |
14 | Jason Giambi | Athletics | 1b | 2000 | 17.0 |
18 | Miguel Cabrera | Tigers | 3b | 2013 | 16.9 |
19 | Chipper Jones | Braves | 3b | 2001 | 16.7 |
19 | David Ortiz | Red Sox | dh | 2006 | 16.7 |
19 | Albert Pujols | Cardinals | 1b | 2009 | 16.7 |
22 | Albert Pujols | Cardinals | lf 1b | 2003 | 16.5 |
22 | Miguel Cabrera | Tigers | 1b | 2009 | 16.5 |
24 | Albert Belle | White Sox | lf | 1998 | 16.4 |
24 | Adam Lind | Blue Jays | dh lf ph | 2009 | 16.4 |
26 | Juan Gonzalez | Rangers | dh rf | 1997 | 16.3 |
26 | Juan Gonzalez | Rangers | rf dh | 1998 | 16.3 |
28 | Jim Thome | Indians | 3b | 1996 | 16.2 |
28 | Manny Ramirez | Indians | rf | 1998 | 16.2 |
28 | Albert Belle | Orioles | rf | 1999 | 16.2 |
28 | Gary Sheffield | Yankees | rf | 2004 | 16.2 |
28 | Matt Holliday | Rockies | lf | 2007 | 16.2 |
33 | Jeff Bagwell | Astros | 1b | 1997 | 16.0 |
33 | Sammy Sosa | Cubs | rf | 2001 | 16.0 |
33 | Jim Thome | Indians | 1b | 2002 | 16.0 |
33 | Albert Pujols | Cardinals | 1b | 2006 | 16.0 |
Box-Toppers season streaks
Here are the players who have earned Box-Toppers points in the most consecutive seasons. Albert Pujols holds the record for the longest such streak at 22 seasons. Players are listed by length of their streak. Also shown is the duration of their streak and their career Box-Toppers point (BTP) total. (Box-Toppers tracking began in 1995.)Streak | Player | Pos | Duration | Career BTP |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 | Albert Pujols | 1b | 2001‑2022 | 207.8 |
2 | 20 | Miguel Cabrera* | dh 1b | 2003‑2022 | 159.4 |
3 | 19 | Jason Giambi | 1b | 1995‑2013 | 133.4 |
3 | 19 | Carlos Beltran | rf | 1999‑2017 | 108.6 |
3 | 19 | CC Sabathia | pi sp | 2001‑2019 | 203.4 |
6 | 18 | Jim Thome | 1b dh | 1995‑2012 | 146.7 |
6 | 18 | Chipper Jones | 3b | 1995‑2012 | 149.0 |
6 | 18 | Johnny Damon | lf | 1995‑2012 | 63.0 |
6 | 18 | Alex Rodriguez | 3b | 1996‑2013 | 187.0 |
6 | 18 | Nelson Cruz* | dh | 2006‑2023 | 89.9 |
11 | 17 | Mariano Rivera | pi cp | 1995‑2011 | 126.4 |
11 | 17 | Derek Jeter | ss | 1996‑2012 | 76.4 |
11 | 17 | Paul Konerko | 1b | 1998‑2014 | 100.7 |
11 | 17 | Tim Hudson | pi sp | 1999‑2015 | 157.0 |
11 | 17 | Torii Hunter | cf | 1999‑2015 | 115.9 |
11 | 17 | David Ortiz | dh | 2000‑2016 | 145.9 |
17 | 16 | Manny Ramirez | lf | 1995‑2010 | 166.2 |
17 | 16 | Andy Pettitte | pi sp | 1995‑2010 | 138.5 |
17 | 16 | Jamie Moyer | pi sp | 1995‑2010 | 104.0 |
17 | 16 | Scott Rolen | 3b | 1996‑2011 | 97.6 |
17 | 16 | Kevin Millwood | pi sp | 1997‑2012 | 108.3 |
17 | 16 | Derek Lowe | pi sp | 1998‑2013 | 91.5 |
17 | 16 | Aramis Ramirez | 3b | 2000‑2015 | 105.8 |
17 | 16 | Mark Buehrle | pi sp | 2000‑2015 | 116.7 |
17 | 16 | Ichiro Suzuki | rf | 2001‑2016 | 53.7 |
17 | 16 | Edwin Encarnacion | dh | 2005‑2020 | 88.2 |
17 | 16 | Jon Lester | pi sp | 2006‑2021 | 179.3 |
17 | 16 | Zack Greinke* | pi sp | 2007‑2022 | 222.5 |
17 | 16 | Kurt Suzuki | ca | 2007‑2022 | 47.5 |
17 | 16 | Clayton Kershaw* | pi sp | 2008‑2023 | 261.0 |
17 | 16 | Evan Longoria* | 3b | 2008‑2023 | 61.0 |
32 | 15 | Randy Johnson | pi sp | 1995‑2009 | 282.5 |
32 | 15 | Garret Anderson | lf | 1995‑2009 | 86.5 |
32 | 15 | Ivan Rodriguez | ca | 1995‑2009 | 79.0 |
32 | 15 | Tony Clark | 1b | 1995‑2009 | 63.8 |
32 | 15 | Gary Sheffield | lf | 1995‑2009 | 124.1 |
32 | 15 | Jason Kendall | ca | 1996‑2010 | 40.9 |
32 | 15 | Vladimir Guerrero | rf | 1997‑2011 | 128.3 |
32 | 15 | Bobby Abreu | rf | 1997‑2011 | 95.5 |
32 | 15 | Mike Cameron | cf | 1997‑2011 | 70.3 |
32 | 15 | Miguel Tejada | ss | 1997‑2011 | 102.3 |
32 | 15 | Jorge Posada | ca | 1997‑2011 | 79.5 |
32 | 15 | Livan Hernandez | pi sp | 1997‑2011 | 76.7 |
32 | 15 | Kyle Lohse | pi sp | 2001‑2015 | 89.0 |
32 | 15 | Jake Peavy | pi sp | 2002‑2016 | 141.8 |
32 | 15 | Joe Mauer | 1b | 2004‑2018 | 82.6 |
32 | 15 | Felix Hernandez | pi sp | 2005‑2019 | 175.1 |
32 | 15 | Robinson Cano | 2b | 2005‑2019 | 85.4 |
32 | 15 | Justin Verlander | pi sp | 2006‑2020 | 232.6 |
32 | 15 | Asdrubal Cabrera | 3b 1b | 2007‑2021 | 63.7 |
32 | 15 | Johnny Cueto* | pi sp | 2008‑2022 | 118.2 |
32 | 15 | Max Scherzer* | pi sp | 2009‑2023 | 237.3 |
* Active streak.
(Chart updated April 18, 2023)
Box-Toppers
Tracking who most helps their teams win the most games, based on box score stats. A method to measure & compare baseball's top players.
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. Players earn Box-Toppers points 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.