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Diamondbacks pitcher Patrick Corbin is Tuesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day and rises to third place in season player rankings.
Corbin pitched a one-hit, complete-game shutout, striking out eight and allowing one walk, in the 1-0 win over the Giants.
Read MoreTrevor Hoffman has the most Box-Toppers points of any closing pitcher since tracking began in 1995, more even than Mariano Rivera, considered by many to be the greatest closer of all time.
Craig Kimbrel leads active closers in career Box-Toppers points. Other leaders include Edwin Diaz, Greg Holland and Kenley Jansen.
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No player so highly ranked (or so promising) has died in Box-Toppers’ 22-season history. Fernandez ranked 3rd in Box-Toppers points but ranked 1st among players in improvement over 2015 with a 17.7-point gain.
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Cubs continue lead among teams in Box-Toppers rankings. Red Sox, hottest team of the week, rise to 2nd and continue lead among AL. Dodgers fall to 3rd.
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Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
| Player | Pos | Team | BTP | |
| 1 | Kershaw, Clayton 2494 | pi sp | lad nl | 20.0 |
| 2 | Fernandez, Jose 3147 | pi sp | fla nl | 13.4 |
| 3 | Scherzer, Max 2588 | pi sp | dc nl | 12.0 |
| 4 | Cueto, Johnny 2400 | pi sp | sf nl | 11.7 |
| 5 | Kluber, Corey 3200 | pi sp | cle al | 10.8 |
| 6 | Arrieta, Jake 2738 | pi sp | chi nl | 10.7 |
| 7 | Sale, Chris 2806 | pi sp | chi al | 10.7 |
| 8 | Salazar, Danny 3223 | pi sp | cle al | 10.5 |
| 9 | Hamels, Cole 2135 | pi sp | tex al | 10.4 |
| 10 | Syndergaard, Noah 3472 | pi sp | nym nl | 10.0 |
Fulmer pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out 10 and allowing two hits and one walk, in the 10-2 win over the Rays.
Fulmer earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, giving him 8.7 for the season, most of any of Friday’s 15 Players of the Games. Fulmer ranks 17th among all players and fifth among American League pitchers.
National League Player of the Day—Dodgers pitcher Bud Norris of the Dodgers performed in a very “Kershavian” manner, pitching six scoreless innings, striking out eight and allowing two hits and one walk, in the 5-0 win over the Rockies.
This was Norris’ first start with the Dodgers after being traded from the Braves to fill in for the injured ace Clayton Kershaw (20.0 Box-Toppers points and leader in player rankings). Norris now has 4.7 Box-Toppers points on the season.
National League Batter of the Day—Wil Myers of the Padres homered and went 2-for-3, scoring twice and driving in two runs, in the 7-6 win over the Yankees.
Myers earns 1.5 Box-Toppers points for being NL Batter of the Day, giving him 7.2 for the season, rising to second place among NL batters, behind Matt Carpenter of the Cardinals (7.5).
American League Batter of the Day—David Ortiz of the Red Sox homered and went 3-for-4, in the 5-4 win over the Angels. His homer was his 522nd for his career, putting him in 19th place on the all-time list.
Ortiz earns 1.5 Box-Toppers points for being AL Batter of the Day, giving him 142.9 for his career, 23rd-most of any player since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began. He trails 22nd-ranked player, Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon (143.8). Ortiz ranks eighth in career points among all active players and third among active batters, behind Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees (187.0) and Albert Pujols of the Angels (176.3).
Ortiz has 5.0 Box-Toppers points for the season, 15th among AL batters.
Debut—Rangers pitcher Matt Bush made his Box-Toppers debut Friday, the first time in his career he earned Player of the Game honors.
Bush (2IP H 0R 0BB 2K W in the 3-2 win over the Twins) made his Major League debut May 13 and was playing in his 23rd career game. He is the 3,673rd player to debut in Box-Toppers since record keeping began in 1995.
Scoring—Fulmer earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day and Norris earns 1.7 points for being NL Player of the Day. Myers and Ortiz each earn 1.5 points for being their league’s Batter of the Day. All of Friday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) earn 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
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.
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 7/1 | Score | Game | Player of Game | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
| MLB | 14.0 | DET 10/TB 2 | Michael Fulmer (W,8-2) | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | |
| NL | 11.0 | LAD 5/COL 0 | Bud Norris (W,4-7) | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | |
| 6.0 | NYM 10/CHC 2 | Jacob deGrom (W,4-4) | - | - | - | - | 5.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 5.0 | `DC 3/CIN 2 | Sammy Solis | - | - | - | - | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| 4.0 | STL 7/MIL 1 | Jaime Garcia (W,6-6) | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 4.0 | PHI 4/KC 3 | Jeremy Hellickson (W,6-6) | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 4.0 | HOU 5/CHW 0 | Mike Fiers (W,6-3) | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | ||
| BAT | 3.0 | SD 7/NYY 6 | Wil Myers, 1B | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 3.0 | SEA 5/BAL 2 | Wade LeBlanc (W,1-0) | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | ||
| 3.0 | CLE 2/TOR 1 | Trevor Bauer (W,7-2) | - | - | - | - | 5.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||
| 3.0 | TEX 3/MIN 2 | Matt Bush (W,3-1) | - | - | - | - | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2.0 | MIA 7/ATL 5 | Marcell Ozuna, CF | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2.0 | SF 6/ARI 4 | Conor Gillaspie, 3B | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| BAT | 1.0 | BOS 5/LAA 4 | David Ortiz, DH | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 1.0 | PIT 7/OAK 3 | Jordy Mercer, SS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| `Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save. | ||||||||||||||
| Player of Game | Pos | Team | 16 | 15-16 | 11-16 | Career | +/- |
| Fulmer, Michael 3640 | pi sp | det al | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Bauer, Trevor 3065 | pi sp | cle al | 7.7 | 17.1 | 25.8 | 25.8 | -1.7 |
| Myers, Wil 3228 | 1b | sd nl | 7.2 | 10.2 | 15.7 | 15.7 | 4.2 |
| Garcia, Jaime 2508 | pi sp | stl nl | 6.0 | 15.4 | 33.1 | 41.8 | -3.4 |
| Hellickson, Jeremy 2778 | pi sp | phi nl | 5.4 | 10.4 | 34.1 | 37.1 | 0.4 |
| Ortiz, David | dh | bos al | 5.0 | 9.5 | 40.9 | 142.9 | 0.5 |
| Norris, Bud 2638 | pi sp | lad nl | 4.7 | 5.7 | 36.1 | 45.1 | 3.7 |
| deGrom, Jacob 3343 | pi sp | nym nl | 4.0 | 26.4 | 39.4 | 39.4 | -18.4 |
| Ozuna, Marcell 3190 | cf | fla nl | 4.0 | 7.0 | 17.5 | 17.5 | 1.0 |
| Fiers, Michael 3029 | pi sp | hou al | 3.0 | 10.0 | 24.1 | 24.1 | -4.0 |
| Mercer, Jordy 3206 | ss | pit nl | 2.0 | 2.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 2.0 |
| LeBlanc, Wade 2669 | pi sp | sea al | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 9.0 | 2.0 |
| Solis, Sammy 3651 | pi mr | dc nl | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Gillaspie, Conor 3218 | 3b | sf nl | 1.0 | 1.0 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 1.0 |
| Bush, Matt 3673 | pi mr | tex al | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Cubs lead holds again, but slips slightly. Hot Indians pass Rangers to become top AL team. Nationals are hottest team of week, partly due to an acquisition.
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Twins pitcher Tyler Duffey is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Sunday, two players who earned Player of the Game honors rise in Box-Toppers top 10 season player rankings:
| Player | Pos | Team | BTP | |
| 1 | Kershaw, Clayton 2494 | pi sp | lad nl | 20.0 |
| 2 | Fernandez, Jose 3147 | pi sp | fla nl | 13.4 |
| 3 | Cueto, Johnny 2400 | pi sp | sf nl | 11.7 |
| 4 | Arrieta, Jake 2738 | pi sp | chi nl | 10.7 |
| 5 | Sale, Chris 2806 | pi sp | chi al | 10.7 |
| 6 | Scherzer, Max 2588 | pi sp | dc nl | 10.0 |
| 7 | Syndergaard, Noah 3472 | pi sp | nym nl | 10.0 |
| 8 | Kluber, Corey 3200 | pi sp | cle al | 9.8 |
| 9 | Greinke, Zack 1871 | pi sp | ari nl | 9.7 |
| 10 | Hamels, Cole 2135 | pi sp | tex al | 9.4 |
Player of the Day—Duffey struck out eight over eight innings, allowing one run, two hits and no walks, in the 7-1 win over the Yankees.
Duffey had a Box-Toppers game score Sunday of +12, tied with Royals pitcher Ian Kennedy, Player of the Game in the 6-1 win over the Astros (7IP 3H R BB 11K W), but Duffey wins Player of the Day honors on a tiebreaker because he had more innings pitched.
National League Player of the Day—Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez struck out 13 over seven innings, allowing one run, four hits and three walks, in the 6-1 win over the Cubs.
Fernandez earns 1.7 Box-Toppers points for being NL Player of the Day, giving him 13.4 for the season, rising to second place in season player rankings. He trails overall leader, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (20.0 Box-Toppers points).
Fernandez had a Box-Toppers game score Sunday of +11, tied with Braves pitcher Bud Norris, Player of the Game in the 5-2 win over the Mets (7IP 4H 0R 0BB 8K W), but Fernandez wins NL Player of the Day over Norris on a tiebreaker because he had more strikeouts.
American League Batter of the Day—Lonnie Chisenhall of the Indians homered, tripled and went 4-for-4, scoring twice and driving in three runs, in the 9-3 win over the Tigers.
National League Batter of the Day—Trevor Story of the Rockies homered and went 2-for-2, scoring four runs, in the 9-7 win over the Diamondbacks.
Rankings—White Sox pitcher Chris Sale rises to fifth place among all players—and first among AL pitchers—after earning Player of the Game honors Sunday.
Sale (8IP 5H 2R 2BB 7K W in the 5-2 win over the Blue Jays) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 10.7 for the season. He becomes the seventh player this season with 10 or more Box-Toppers points. He also takes the Box-Toppers points lead for the season among AL pitchers, passing Corey Kluber of the Indians (9.8).
Streak—Shin-Soo Choo of the Rangers has now earned Box-Toppers points in 10 straight seasons after earning his first Player of the Game honor of the season Sunday.
Choo (2B 3-4 2R in the 6-2 win over the Red Sox) earned his first Box-Toppers points in 2007 with the Indians and has 47.7 for his career, sixth among active AL outfielders. His best season was 2010 with the Indians, when he had 9.0 Box-Toppers points, seventh among AL batters. In 2015, he had 4.5 Box-Toppers points with the Rangers, 13th among AL outfielders.
Debut—Pirates pitcher A.J. Schugel made his Box-Toppers debut Sunday, the first time in his career he earned Player of the Game honors.
Schugel (2IP 0H 0R 0BB K ND in the 4-3 win over the Dodgers) made his Major League debut April 12, 2015, and was playing in his 27th career game. He is the 3,669th player to debut in Box-Toppers since record keeping began in 1995.
Scoring—Duffey earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day and Fernandez earns 1.7 points for being NL Player of the Day. Chisenhall and Story each earn 1.5 points for being their league’s Batter of the Day. All of Sunday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) earn 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
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.
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 6/26 | Score | Game | Player of Game | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
| MLB | 12.0 | MIN 7/NYY 1 | Tyler Duffey (W,3-6) | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | |
| 12.0 | KC 6/HOU 1 | Ian Kennedy (W,6-6) | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | ||
| NL | 11.0 | MIA 6/CHC 1 | Jose Fernandez (W,10-3) | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13 | |
| 11.0 | ATL 5/NYM 2 | Bud Norris (W,3-7) | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 8.0 | CIN 3/SD 0 | Anthony DeSclafani (W,2-0) | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||
| 6.0 | DC 3/MIL 2 | Tanner Roark (W,7-5) | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | ||
| BAT | 5.0 | CLE 9/DET 3 | Lonnie Chisenhall, RF | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| BAT | 5.0 | COL 9/ARI 7 | Trevor Story, SS | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 4.0 | SF 8/PHI 7 | Angel Pagan, LF | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 4.0 | BAL 12/TB 5 | Chris Davis, DH | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 4.0 | CHW 5/TOR 2 | Chris Sale (W,13-2) | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | ||
| 3.0 | LAA 7/OAK 6 | Mike Trout, CF | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 3.0 | `PIT 4/LAD 3 | A.J. Schugel (H,1) | - | - | - | - | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2.0 | STL 11/SEA 6 | Matt Carpenter, 2B | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | TEX 6/BOS 2 | Shin-Soo Choo, RF | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| `Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save. | ||||||||||||||
| Player of Game | Pos | Team | 16 | 15-16 | 11-16 | Career | +/- |
| Fernandez, Jose 3147 | pi sp | fla nl | 13.4 | 18.1 | 44.1 | 44.1 | 8.7 |
| Sale, Chris 2806 | pi sp | chi al | 10.7 | 29.5 | 81.7 | 83.7 | -8.1 |
| Davis, Chris 2478 | 1b | bal al | 7.5 | 18.5 | 49.4 | 57.9 | -3.5 |
| Kennedy, Ian 2723 | pi sp | kc al | 7.0 | 13.7 | 57.5 | 63.5 | 0.3 |
| Roark, Tanner 3261 | pi sp | dc nl | 6.7 | 7.7 | 22.7 | 22.7 | 5.7 |
| Trout, Mike 2949 | cf | ana al | 6.5 | 18.5 | 43.0 | 43.0 | -5.5 |
| Carpenter, Matt 2987 | 3b | stl nl | 6.5 | 12.0 | 26.5 | 26.5 | 1.0 |
| Duffey, Tyler 3558 | pi sp | min al | 3.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | -1.0 |
| Norris, Bud 2638 | pi sp | atl nl | 3.0 | 4.0 | 34.4 | 43.4 | 2.0 |
| Story, Trevor 3607 | ss | col nl | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Chisenhall, Lonnie 2959 | rf 3b | cle al | 1.5 | 1.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 1.5 |
| DeSclafani, Anthony 3441 | pi sp | cin nl | 1.0 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 | -6.7 |
| Choo, Shin-Soo 2267 | rf | tex al | 1.0 | 5.5 | 22.0 | 47.7 | -3.5 |
| Pagan, Angel 2184 | lf | sf nl | 1.0 | 3.0 | 14.5 | 25.5 | -1.0 |
| Schugel, A.J. 3669 | pi mr | pit nl | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
Royals reliever Wade Davis shut down the Orioles in the eighth and ninth innings of the American League Championship Series Game 1, earning the win and Box-Toppers.com Player of the Day honors for Friday.
Davis struck out four over the two scoreless innings, keeping the score tied 5-5 going into the 10th inning, when the Royals struck for three runs and the lead. The Royals won 8-6 in 10 innings, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven game series.
Davis had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Royals player of +6. Alex Gordon, who hit the go-ahead homer in the top of the 10th, had a Box-Toppers game score of +4, second highest among Royals. He went 3-for-4 with a run and four RBIs.
During the regular season, Davis had 7.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 117th among all players, 42nd among AL pitchers and first among AL middle relievers.
Coming Saturday:
The pitching matchup Saturday:
Royals: Yordano Ventura, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 75th among all players, 33rd among AL pitchers.
Orioles: Bud Norris, 10.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 51st among all players, 23rd among AL pitchers.
The pitching matchup Saturday:
Giants: Madison Bumgarner, 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked third among all players, second among NL pitchers.
Cardinals: Adam Wainwright, 18.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked eighth among all players, fourth among NL pitchers.
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.
Players of the Game (POG) listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 1010 | Score | Team | Player of the Game | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POG | 6.0 | Royals | Wade Davis (W, 1-0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
The Kansas City Royals may have an edge over the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series not because their pitching is so strong but because the Orioles pitching staff is comparatively weaker.
However, the Orioles have the overall higher Box-Toppers team ranking and have two outfielders on Box-Toppers end-of-season 2014 All-Star team. The best-of-seven game ALCS begins Friday in Baltimore.
Below are position-by-position match-ups of each player likely in the starting line-up for both teams, along with the highest-rated starting pitchers in Box-Toppers points, the top closing pitcher and an extra pitcher. Also listed are each player’s Box-Toppers points earned in 2014, along with their overall rank among all players.
The top pitcher for both teams, James Shields of the Royals, had 13.7 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, ranking 22nd among all players. The Orioles top pitcher is Bud Norris, with 10.7, ranked 51st among all players. Only three other teams in baseball had their top pitcher earn fewer Box-Toppers points than Norris:
• Padres, Ross Tyson, 9.7.
• Red Sox, Koji Uehara, 9.0.
• Rockies, Tyler Matzek, 4.7.
In fact, the Orioles are one of only two teams in baseball whose leader in Box-Toppers points was a batter—Adam Jones, with 11.5 points, ranked 40th among all players. (The other team was the Rockies—Troy Tulowitzki had 11.6 points.)
Matching up the four top starting pitchers from highest to lowest Box-Toppers points from both teams, the Royals have the edge each time (see the chart below). The Royals also have the edge in closers (Greg Holland with 7.0 over Zachary Britton with 6.0). The Royals also have the edge when matching up the next-highest rated pitcher (Jeremy Guthrie, 7.0 over Ubaldo Jimenez, 3.7). And one more thing, not included in the chart below—the Royals also have the AL’s top middle relief pitcher, Wade Davis, who has 7.0 Box-Toppers points.
The Orioles have the edge in overall Box-Toppers team rankings from 2014. They rank sixth among all teams with 113.4 Box-Toppers points, while the Royals are ranked 10th with 101.1 points—the Royals were the lowest ranked team that qualified for any of the four league division series. However, the Orioles will play the ALCS without suspended first baseman, Chris Davis, who earned 6.2 Box-Toppers points during the regular season.
The Orioles also have two players who will be on Box-Toppers end-of-season AL All-Star team. Adam Jones had the most Box-Toppers points among AL outfielders with 11.5. Nelson Cruz was second with 8.5. The Orioles also have the most notable batter (not included in the prospective starting line-up below) coming off the bench—Delmon Young with 5.5 Box-Toppers points.
However, looking at the prospective starting line-ups below, Royals batters have higher Box-Toppers point totals at five positions, while the Orioles are better in four. Also, adding up Box-Toppers points for the nine batters and six pitchers listed below, the Royals have the point total advantage—83.1 Box-Toppers points vs. 81.5.
Both teams were able to get a lot of bang for their buck this season, spending comparatively little and making it all the way to the ALCS. The Orioles had an opening day payroll of $107 million, ranking 15th among all teams. The Royals’ payroll of $92 million, ranked 19th.
The pitching matchup Friday:
Royals: James Shields, 13.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 22nd among all players, 11th among AL pitchers.
Orioles: Chris Tillman, 6.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 152nd among all players, 53rd among AL pitchers.
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.
Likely starting players for the Royals and Orioles listed by position with their Box-Toppers point total (BTP) for the 2014 regular season and their overall player rank among all players
| Pos | Royals | BTP | Rank | Orioles | BTP | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | Eric Hosmer | 2.5 | 368 | Steve Pearce | 7.0 | 121 | |
| 2B | Omar Infante | 4.0 | 243 | Jonathan Schoop | 2.5 | 395 | |
| SS | Alicides Escboar | 5.0 | 190 | J.J. Hardy | 4.2 | 236 | |
| 3B | Mike Moustakas | 4.0 | 251 | Ryan Flaherty | 0 | 761 | |
| CA | Salvador Perez | 4.7 | 210 | Caleb Joseph | 2.0 | 470 | |
| CF | Lorenzo Cain | 2.0 | 421 | Adam Jones | 11.5 | 40 | |
| LF | Alex Gordon | 3.0 | 203 | Alejandro De Aza | 1.0 | 537 | |
| RF | Norichika Aoki | 2.0 | 443 | Nick Markakis | 3.0 | 320 | |
| DH | Billy Butler | 2.5 | 365 | Nelson Cruz | 8.5 | 77 | |
| SP | James Shields | 13.7 | 22 | Bud Norris | 10.7 | 51 | |
| SP | Danny Duffy | 10.0 | 58 | Miguel Gonzalez | 8.7 | 70 | |
| SP | Yordano Ventura | 8.7 | 75 | Wei-Yin Chen | 6.7 | 131 | |
| SP | Jason Vargas | 7.0 | 107 | Chris Tillman | 6.0 | 152 | |
| CP | Greg Holland | 7.0 | 106 | Zachary Britton | 6.0 | 161 | |
| PI | Jeremy Guthrie | 7.0 | 113 | Ubaldo Jimenez | 3.7 | 270 |
Orioles pitcher Bud Norris, who pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings to eliminate the Tigers in Game 3 of the American League Division Series, is Sunday’s Player of the Day.
Norris also allowed two hits and struck out six in the 2-1 win. The Orioles win the series 3-0 and will face the Royals in the AL Championship Series beginning Friday.
Norris had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Orioles player of +8.1.
During the regular season, Norris had 10.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 51st among all players and 23rd among AL pitchers.
The Orioles are ranked just ahead of the Tigers in Box-Toppers team rankings, in sixth place with 113.4 Box-Toppers points. The Tigers are in seventh with 112.9 Box-Toppers points. (See final team rankings.)
Norichika Aoki, who went 3-for-3, scoring twice and driving in a run, as his Royals swept the Angels, is Player of the Game in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.
The Royals, with their 3-0 series victory, upset the Angels, the team in first place in Box-Toppers team rankings with 124.2 Box-Toppers points. The Royals have the lowest Box-Toppers team ranking of remaining teams in the playoffs—10th place with 101.1 Box-Toppers points. (See final team rankings.)
The Royals will now face the Orioles in the AL Championship Series beginning Friday.
Aoki had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Royals player of +3.
During the regular season, Aoki had 2.0 Box-Toppers points, ranking 443rd among all players, 111th among AL batters.
Coming Monday:
The pitching matchup Monday:
Dodgers: Hyun-Jin Ryu, 11.4 Box-Toppers points, ranked 41st among all players, 15th among NL pitchers.
Cardinals: John Lackey, 10.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 50th among all players, 24th among NL pitchers.
The pitching matchup Monday:
Nationals: Doug Fister, 14.4 Box-Toppers points, ranked 19th among all players, 10th among NL pitchers.
Giants: Madison Bumgarner, 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked third among all players, second among NL pitchers.
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.
Players of the Game (POG) listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 1005 | Score | Team | Player of the Game | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POG | 8.1 | Orioles | Bud Norris (W, 1-0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| POG | 3.0 | Royals | Norichika Aoki RF | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke, who pitched seven scoreless innings in the National League Division Series Game 2 win over the Cardinals, is Saturday’s Player of the Day.
Greinke also allowed only two hits and two walks and struck out seven in the 3-2 win. He did not earn a win in the game—though he exited the mound with a 2-0 lead, the Cardinals tied the game in the eighth before the Dodgers went ahead in the bottom of the ninth.
Greinke had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Dodgers player of +10.
During the regular season, Greinke had 16.5 Box-Toppers points, ranked 11th among all players, sixth among NL pitchers.
The Dodgers have tied the best-of-five game series with the Cardinals, 1-1. Game 3 is Monday in St. Louis.
Giants pitcher Yusmeiro Petit, pitching six innings of extra-inning relief is Player of the Game in a marathon 18-inning National League Division Series Game 2.
Petit, who took the ball in the bottom of the 12th inning, allowed no runs, one hit, three walks, struck out seven and earned the win in the 2-1 win that was finally decided on Brandon Belt’s home run in the top of the 18th.
Petit had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Giants player of +9.
During the regular season, Petit, normally a starting pitcher, had 4.0 Box-Toppers points, ranking 247th among all players, 78th among NL pitchers.
The Giants now lead the best-of-five game series with the Nationals, 2-0. Game 3 is Monday in San Francisco.
Coming Sunday:
The pitching matchup Sunday:
Orioles: Bud Norris, 10.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 51st among all players, 23rd among AL pitchers.
Tigers: David Price, 19.1 Box-Toppers points, ranked seventh among all players, fourth among AL pitchers.
The pitching matchup Sunday:
Angels: C.J. Wilson, 6.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 127th among all players, 48th among AL pitchers.
Royals: James Shields, 13.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 22nd among all players, 11th among AL pitchers.
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.
Players of the Game (POG) listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 1004 | Score | Team | Player of the Game | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POG | 10.0 | `Dodgers | Zack Greinke | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | |
| POG | 9.0 | Giants | Yusmeiro Petit (W, 1-0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle is Wednesday’s Player of the Day, while Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw now has the fourth-highest single-season Box-Toppers point total in the past 20 seasons.
Buehrle pitched eight scoreless innings and struck out 10 in the 1-0 win over the Mariners.
| Rank | Player | Team | Pos | Year | BTP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2000 | 33.7 |
| 1 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2002 | 33.7 |
| 3 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 2000 | 33.5 |
| 4 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 1999 | 31.5 |
| 4 | *Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | pi sp | 2014 | 31.5 |
| 6 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 1999 | 31.4 |
| 7 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2001 | 29.4 |
| 8 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 2002 | 28.8 |
| 9 | Curt Schilling | Dbacks | pi sp | 2002 | 28.4 |
| 10 | Roger Clemens | Blue Jays | pi sp | 1997 | 27.4 |
Kershaw extended his overall Box-Toppers points lead after earning Player of the Game honors Wednesday. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.) Kershaw (8IP R 11K W in the 9-1 win over the Giants) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 31.5 for the season.
Kershaw’s 31.5 points for the season is tied for the fourth most earned in a single season since Box-Toppers record keeping began in 1995. In 1999, Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson also had 31.5 Box-Toppers points.
Kershaw, in what was likely his final regular season appearance, finishes 2.2 Box-Toppers points behind the “all-time” single-season record of 33.7, set by Johnson in both 2000 and 2002. So even if Kershaw were to make one more appearance and even if he were to earn Player of the Day in that appearance, the most he could earn is 2.0 more Box-Toppers points, meaning he would still fall short of Johnson’s record.
Brewers pitcher Kyle Lohse is National League Player of the Day. Lohse pitched a complete-game, two-hit shutout, striking out six and walking none, in the 5-0 win over the Reds. Lohse earns 1.7 Box-Toppers points for being NL Player of the Day, giving him 11.1 for the season. He is the 55th player this season with 10.0 or more Box-Toppers points. He ranks 17th among NL pitchers and 42nd among all players.
Tommy Medica of the Padres is NL Batter of the Day. Medica hit a three-run homer and went 2-for-3 in the 4-3 win over the Rockies.
Xander Bogaerts of the Red Sox is American League Batter of the Day. Bogaerts went 2-for-4, scoring once and driving in three runs, in the 11-3 win over the Rays.
Notables: Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta ranks 15th in Box-Toppers player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Wednesday. Arrieta (7IP R 10K W in the 3-1 win over the Cardinals) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 14.7 for the season. He ranks seventh among NL pitchers.
Braves pitcher Julio Teheran ranks 16th in Box-Toppers player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Wednesday. Teheran earned Player of the Game honors for batting, one of eight times this season—it occurred twice on Wednesday—that a pitcher has earned Player of the Game honors for batting. Teheran (2-2 2BI in the 6-2 win over the Pirates) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 14.4 for the season. He ranks eighth among NL pitchers.
Twins pitcher Phil Hughes ranks 18th in Box-Toppers player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Wednesday. Hughes (8IP R 5K W in the 2-1 win over the Diamondbacks) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 14.1 for the season. He ranks ninth among AL pitchers.
Orioles pitcher Bud Norris becomes the 56th player this season with 10.0 or more Box-Toppers points after earning Player of the Game honors Wednesday. Norris (6IP 9K W in the 9-5 win over the Yankees) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 10.7 for the season. He ranks 49th among all players and 23rd among AL pitchers.
Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick earned Player of the Game honors Wednesday for batting—one of eight times this season a pitcher has been Player of the Game for batting and one of two times it happened Wednesday. Kendrick doubled and went 3-for-3, driving in a run, in the 2-1 win over the Marlins.
Buehrle receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Lohse receives 1.7 for NL Player of the Day. Medica and Bogaerts each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.
All of Wednesday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
Box-Toppers watches the daily performances of selected star players and Box-Toppers points leaders. To see how they performed, click here.
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.
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 924 | Score | Team | Player of the Game | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 14.0 | Blue Jays | Mark Buehrle (W, 13-10) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | |
| NL | 13.0 | Brewers | Kyle Lohse (W, 13-9) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| 13.0 | Cubs | Jake Arrieta (W, 10-5) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 9.0 | Dodgers | Clayton Kershaw (W, 21-3) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | ||
| 7.0 | Rangers | Lisalverto Bonilla (W, 3-0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | ||
| 6.0 | Twins | Phil Hughes (W, 16-10) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | ||
| 5.0 | Tigers | Justin Verlander (W, 15-12) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 3.1 | Angels | Hector Santiago (W, 6-9) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5.1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | ||
| BAT | 3.0 | Padres | Tommy Medica LF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 3.0 | Orioles | Bud Norris (W, 15-8) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | ||
| 2.1 | Indians | Zach McAllister (W, 4-7) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| BAT | 2.0 | Red Sox | Xander Bogaerts SS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 2.0 | Braves | Julio Teheran P | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Phillies | Kyle Kendrick P | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Orioles pitcher Bud Norris is Friday’s Player of the Day, while Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner rises to second place in Box-Toppers player rankings.
Norris pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out 10 in the 5-0 win over the Yankees.
Bumgarner rose from third to second place in Box-Toppers player rankings after earning National League Player of the Day honors Friday. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.) Bumgarner pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out nine in the 9-0 win over the Dodgers. Bumgarner earns 1.7 Box-Toppers points for being NL Player of the Day, giving him 22.6 for the season. He is also second place among NL pitchers, trailing overall Box-Toppers points leader Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers (28.8 Box-Toppers points). Bumgarner passes American League leader Max Scherzer of the Tigers (21.1 Box-Toppers points) on the player rankings list.
Kole Calhoun of the Angels is AL Batter of the Day. Calhoun went 3-for-4, scoring three times and driving in two runs, in the 11-3 win over the Astros.
Jordy Mercer of the Pirates is NL Batter of the Day. Mercer went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs in the 7-3 win over the Cubs.
Notables: Tigers pitcher David Price maintained his eighth-place spot in Box-Toppers player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Friday. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.) Price (7.2IP R 7K W in the 7-2 win over the Indians) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 17.1 for the season. He ranks fifth among AL pitchers.
Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright rose to ninth place in Box-Toppers player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Friday. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.) Wainwright (8IP R 8K W in the 5-1 win over the Rockies) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 16.0 for the season. He ranks fourth among NL pitchers.
Wainwright had led all players in Box-Toppers points several times this season, as late as June 28. However, he only scored 2.0 Box-Toppers points in July and none in August and on Aug. 30, fell out of Box-Toppers top 10 list. With this Player of the Game honor Friday, he rejoins the top 10 list, pushing out Jose Abreu of the White Sox (15.5 Box-Toppers points), who had been the only batter on the list.
Norris receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Bumgarner receives 1.7 for NL Player of the Day. Calhoun and Mercer each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.
All of Friday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
Box-Toppers watches the daily performances of selected star players and Box-Toppers points leaders. To see how they performed, click here.
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.
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 912 | Score | Team | Player | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 12.0 | Orioles | Bud Norris (W, 13-8) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | |
| NL | 11.0 | Giants | Madison Bumgarner (W, 18-9) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | |
| 11.0 | Rays | Nate Karns (W, 1-0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 8.0 | Cardinals | Adam Wainwright (W, 18-9) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 5.0 | `Orioles | Kevin Gausman | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | ||
| 4.2 | Tigers | David Price (W, 14-11) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.2 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | ||
| BAT | 4.0 | Angels | Kole Calhoun RF | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 4.0 | Mariners | James Paxton (W, 6-2) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 3.0 | `Rangers | Derek Holland | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 3.0 | `Phillies | Ken Giles | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1.2 | `Brewers | Kyle Lohse | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| BAT | 1.0 | Pirates | Jordy Mercer SS | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 1.0 | Mets | Juan Lagares CF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Red Sox | Jemile Weeks 2B | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 0.0 | Padres | Yasmani Grandal 1B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Box-Toppers points leader Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers, Tuesday’s Player of the Day, stays on track to break Randy Johnson’s record for most Box-Toppers points in a single season.
Kershaw struck out eight over eight innings, allowing one run and three hits, in the 4-1 win over the Nationals. He earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, giving him 27.8 for the season. He ranks first among all players this season. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.)
| Rank | Player | Team | Pos | Year | BTP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2000 | 33.7 |
| 1 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2002 | 33.7 |
| 3 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 2000 | 33.5 |
| 4 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 1999 | 31.5 |
| 5 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 1999 | 31.4 |
| 6 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2001 | 29.4 |
| 7 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 2002 | 28.8 |
| 8 | Curt Schilling | Dbacks | pi sp | 2002 | 28.4 |
| 9 | *Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | pi sp | 2014 | 27.8 |
| 10 | Roger Clemens | Blue Jays | pi sp | 1997 | 27.4 |
| 11 | Johan Santana | Twins | pi sp | 2004 | 26.8 |
| 12 | Pedro Martinez | Expos | pi sp | 1997 | 26.7 |
| 12 | CC Sabathia | Indians/Brewers | pi sp | 2008 | 26.7 |
| 14 | Randy Johnson | Mariners/Astros | pi sp | 1998 | 26.4 |
| 15 | John Smoltz | Braves | pi sp | 1996 | 26.1 |
| 15 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | pi sp | 2011 | 26.1 |
| 17 | Roger Clemens | Blue Jays | pi sp | 1998 | 25.8 |
| 18 | Johan Santana | Twins | pi sp | 2006 | 25.7 |
| 19 | Cliff Lee | Phillies | pi sp | 2011 | 25.4 |
Kershaw is now within 5.9 Box-Toppers points of Johnson’s record of 33.7 he set with the Diamondbacks in both 2000 and 2002. Kershaw likely has three or four starts remaining. If he is Player of the Day in three upcoming starts, he would score 6.0 Box-Toppers points and pass Johnson with 33.8.
Kershaw’s 27.8 Box-Toppers points is now the ninth-highest single season total since record keeping began in 1995. He has the most points in a single season since 2002, when Johnson tied his record of 33.7 set in 2000. Also in 2002, Pedro Martinez of the Red Sox had 28.8 Box-Toppers points and Curt Schilling of the Diamondbacks had 28.4.
Kershaw also passed his career high for most Box-Toppers points in a season Tuesday—his previous high was 26.1, set in 2011. Kershaw has 129.9 career Box-Toppers points and ranks 24th on the “all-time” list, 16th among pitchers (record keeping began in 1995).
Previous post about Kershaw's chances for breaking Johnson's single-season record.
Orioles pitcher Bud Norris is American League Player of the Day. Norris pitched six scoreless innings and struck out seven in the 5-4 win over the Reds.
Buster Posey of the Giants is National League Batter of the Day. Posey homered, doubled twice and went 3-for-5, scoring three times and driving in four runs, in the 12-7 win over the Rockies.
Daniel Nava of the Red Sox is AL Batter of the Day. Nava homered and went 2-for-3, scoring twice and driving in three runs, in the 9-4 win over the Yankees.
Kershaw receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Norris receives 1.7 for AL Player of the Day. Posey and Nava each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.
All of Tuesday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
Box-Toppers watches the daily performances of selected star players and Box-Toppers points leaders. To see how they performed, click here.
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.
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 902 | Score | Team | Player | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 9.0 | Dodgers | Clayton Kershaw (W, 17-3) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | |
| AL | 8.0 | Orioles | Bud Norris (W, 12-8) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | |
| 6.0 | Phillies | Kyle Kendrick (W, 8-11) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | ||
| BAT | 5.0 | Giants | Buster Posey 1B | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 5.0 | Mets | Juan Lagares CF | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 5.0 | `Padres | Odrisamer Despaigne | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | ||
| BAT | 4.0 | Red Sox | Daniel Nava RF | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 4.0 | Blue Jays | R.A. Dickey (W, 11-12) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 3.1 | `Tigers | Kyle Lobstein | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5.1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 3.0 | Astros | Jose Altuve 2B | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 3.0 | White Sox | Tyler Flowers C | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 3.0 | Mariners | Endy Chavez RF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Cubs | Luis Valbuena 3B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Cardinals | Peter Bourjos CF | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Royals | Aaron Crow (S, 3) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Orioles pitcher Bud Norris is Monday’s Player of the Day. Norris struck out five over seven innings in the 8-2 win over the White Sox.
Of all eight players earning Player of the Game honors Monday, Norris has the highest Box-Toppers points total for the season. He earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, giving him 6.0 for the season and ranks 101st among all players.
Phillies pitcher Jerome Williams is National League Player of the Day. Williams gave up one run over seven innings in the 4-1 win over the Mariners.
Erik Kratz of the Royals is American League Batter of the Day. Kratz hit two solo home runs in the 6-4 win over the Twins.
Jason Heyward of the Braves is NL Batter of the Day. Heyward homered and went 3-for-4, driving in two runs, in the 7-3 win over the Pirates.
Norris receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Williams receives 1.7 for NL Player of the Day. Kratz and Heyward each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.
All of Monday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
Box-Toppers watches the daily performances of selected star players and Box-Toppers points leaders. To see how they performed, click here.
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.
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 818 | Score | Team | Player | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 5.0 | Orioles | Bud Norris (W, 11-7) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | |
| BAT | 4.0 | Royals | Erik Kratz PH, C | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| NL | 3.0 | Phillies | Jerome Williams (W, 1-0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| 3.0 | Cubs | Kyle Hendricks (W, 5-1) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| BAT | 2.0 | Braves | Jason Heyward RF | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 2.0 | Angels | Kole Calhoun RF | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Cardinals | Jhonny Peralta SS | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Nationals | Wilson Ramos C | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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.