Box-Toppers is voting for four players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the 2023 Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) ballot.
Box-Toppers Hall of Fame ballot
Here are Box-Toppers' ballot selections for the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) 2023 Hall of Fame selections. The ballot requires voters to pick as many as 12 candidates—Box-Toppers chose four. (In the "official" vote by the Baseball Writers Association of America—BBWAA—voters can pick as many as 10 candidates.) There are 28 candidates on both the BBWAA and IBWAA ballots.Shown first in alphabetical order by last name are the four players Box-Toppers is voting for Hall induction, along with their career Box-Toppers point total and the number of years each player has been on the ballot. A brief Box-Toppers-focused biographical synopsis is shown beneath each player.
That is followed by the list of player Box-Toppers is not voting for Hall induction, also in alphabetical order by last name.
| YES: Players Box-Toppers is voting for Hall of Fame | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Career BTP | Year on ballot |
| Todd Helton | 116.4 | 5 |
| • 14th among all batters in career BTPs since 1995, 6th among all first basemen. • Top 10 overall player in 2001 (17.0). • Top NL batter 2 times—2000 (15.2), 2001 (17.0). • Top 10 NL batter 5 times. • Top NL 1B 4 times from 1999-2002. • Top 5 NL 1B 6 times. |
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| Torii Hunter | 115.9 | 3 |
| • Ranks 15th among all batters in career BTPs and 5th among all OFs since 1995. • Led AL OFs 2008 (12.4). • Top 10 AL batter four times. • Top 10 AL OF nine times. |
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| Jeff Kent | 110.2* | 10 |
| • Top-ranked 2B in career points since 1995. • Ranks 17th among all batters in career BTPs since 1995. • Top NL 2B 6 times: 1997 (11.2), 1998 (10.0), 2000 (12.9), 2001 (9.2), 2002 (10.9), 2004 (7.5). • Top 5 NL 2B 11 times. • Top 10 NL batters twice. |
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| Billy Wagner | 108.7 | 8 |
| • Ranked 3rd among all closing pitchers since 1995. • Top NL closer three times: 1998 (12.0), 1999 (15.0), 2010 (13.0). • Seven times top 5 NL closer. • Top 10 NL pitcher twice. |
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| NO: Players Box-Toppers is not voting for Hall of Fame | ||
| Player | Career BTP | Year on ballot |
| Bobby Abreu | 95.5 | 4 |
| • Ranks 15th in career BTPs among all OFs since 1995. • Top 10 AL batter 2008. • Top 10 AL OF 3 times. • Top 10 NL OF twice. |
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| Bronson Arroyo | 85.9 | 1 |
| • Ranks 80th in career BTPs among all pitchers since 1995. • Top 10 AL pitcher 2004. • Top 10 NL pitcher 2006 |
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| Carlos Beltran | 108.6 | 1 |
| • Ranks 7th in career BTPs among all OFs since 1995. • Top 10 AL batter 2001, 2003. • Top 10 AL OF 3 times, including top AL OF 2001, 2003. • Top 10 NL OF 4 times. |
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| Mark Buehrle | 116.7 | 3 |
| • Ranks 41st in career BTPs among all pitchers since 1995. • Top 10 overall 2005. • Top 10 AL pitcher twice. | ||
| Matt Cain | 100.7 | 1 |
| • Ranks 60th in career BTPs among all pitchers since 1995. • Top 10 overall player 2006. • Top 10 NL pitcher 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012. |
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| R.A. Dickey | 83.6 | 1 |
| • Ranks 85th in career BTPs among all pitchers since 1995. • Top 10 overall player 2012. • Top 10 NL pitcher 2012. |
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| Jacoby Ellsbury | 30.0 | 1 |
| • Ranks 157th in career BTPs among all OFs since 1995. • Top 10 AL OF 2011. |
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| Andre Ethier | 52.8 | 1 |
| • Ranks 67th in career BTPs among all OFs since 1995. • Top 10 NL OF 2008, 2009, 2015. |
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| J.J. Hardy | 54.8 | 1 |
| • Ranks 7th in career BTPs among all shortstops since 1995. • Top AL shortstop 2012. • Top 5 NL shortstop 3 times. • Top 5 AL shortstop 4 times. |
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| Andruw Jones | 96.5 | 6 |
| • Ranks 14th in career BTPs among all OFs since 1995. • Top 10 NL batter twice. • Top 10 NL OF 6 times. |
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| John Lackey | 127.2 | 1 |
| • 33rd in career BTPs among all pitchers since 1995. • Top 10 AL pitcher 4 times. • Top 10 NL pitcher 2016 |
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| Mike Napoli | 60.7 | 1 |
| • Ranks 8th in career BTPs among all catchers since 1995. • Led AL catchers in 2011. • Top 10 AL batter 2011. • Top 5 AL catcher 3 times. • Top 5 AL 1B 2011. |
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| Jhonny Peralta | 39.4 | 1 |
| • Ranks 15th in career BTPs among all shortstops since 1995. • Top 5 AL shortstop 2005. • Top 5 NL shortstop 2014. |
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| Andy Pettitte | 138.5 | 5 |
| • 25th in career BTPs among all pitchers since 1995. • Top 10 AL pitcher 4 times, never higher than 8th. |
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| Manny Ramirez | 166.2* | 7 |
| • Steroids. • 16th in career BTPs among all players since 1995, 3rd among all batters. • Top 10 players twice, 1998 & 1999. • Top AL batter 1999 (19.9). • Top 10 AL batter 7 times. • Top 10 NL batter once. • Top AL OF three times 1999 (19.9), 2000 (13.2), 2005 (14.0). • Top AL OF 9 times. • Top 5 AL DH three times. • Top NL OF 2008 (13.9). |
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| Alex Rodriguez | 187.0* | 2 |
| • Steroids. • 10th in career BTPs among all players since 1995, 2nd among all batters. • Top 10 players, 2000 & 2007. • Top AL batter 2007 (18.9). • Top 10 AL batter 10 times. • Top AL shortstop 5 times, 1996 (11.2), 1999 (13.7), 2000 (17.0), 2001 (12.5), 2002 (15.2). • Top 5 AL SS 8 times. • Top AL 3B twice, 2005 (11.9), 2007 (18.9). • Top 5 AL 3B 7 times. • Top 5 AH DH 2015 (13.9). |
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| Francisco Rodriguez | 63.4 | 1 |
| • 11th in career BTPs among all closing pitchers since 1995. • Top 5 AL closing pitcher 2005, 2006, 2008. |
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| Scott Rolen | 97.6 | 6 |
| • 5th in career BTPs among all 3Bs since 1995. • Top 10 NL batters three times. • Top NL 3B three times 2002 (10.0), 2004 (13.5), 2010 (12.0). • Top 5 NL 3B 6 times. |
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| Jimmy Rollins | 50.4 | 2 |
| • 9th in career BTPs among all shortstops since 1995. • Top NL SS 2008 (7.0). • Top 5 NL SS 6 times. |
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| Gary Sheffield | 124.1* | 9 |
| • Steroids. • 11th among batters in career BTPs since 1995. • Would have about 155 BTP if career from 1988 were tracked. • Top 10 overall in 2004. • Top AL batter in 2004 (16.2). • Top 10 AL batter twice. • Top 10 NL batter four times. • Top AL OF in 2004 (16.2). • Top 10 AL OF twice. • Top 5 AL DH once. • Top NL OF in 2000 (14.2). • Top 10 NL OF four times. |
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| Huston Street | 51.0 | 1 |
| • 29th in career BTPs among all closing pitchers since 1995. • Top 5 AL closing pitcher 2006, 2008. • Top 5 NL closing pitcher 2011. |
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| Omar Vizquel | 42.2* | 6 |
| • 12th in career BTPs among SSs since 1995. • Top 5 AL SS twice. • Top 5 NL SS once. |
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| Jered Weaver | 127.8 | 1 |
| • 30th in career BTPs among all pitchers since 1995. • Top 10 overall 2010, 2011. • Top 10 AL pitcher 5 times, 2006, 2009-2012. |
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| Jayson Werth | 50.2 | 1 |
| • 75th in career BTPs among OF since 1995. • Top 10 NL batter 2010. • Top 10 NL OF 2010, 2013, 2016. |
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Box-Toppers is voting for these players, listed alphabetically by last name:
All four players return to the ballot after not receiving the necessary votes to make the Hall last year, including Kent, who is on the ballot for his 10th and final year.
There are 28 players on the ballot, including 14 players returning from last year and 14 first-year candidates. Box-Toppers is voting for none of the new Hall candidates.
Among players on the IBWAA ballot for whom Box-Toppers is not voting for induction are:
This ballot is separate from the “official” ballot conducted by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) for actual induction into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., but it includes the same players.
The chart on this page shows a brief Box-Toppers-focused biographical synopsis of each of the 28 players on the official BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot.
In general, Box-Toppers favors players for Hall induction who have at least 100 career Box-Toppers points and/or have led their league’s batters or pitchers in points for at least one season. Box-Toppers also considers players whose career Box-Toppers point total puts them among the few best players of their era or players who consistently led their league in Box-Toppers points at their position. There are some instances of players—especially pitchers—who have more than 100 Box-Toppers points who Box-Toppers didn’t deem worthy of Hall induction. That’s because despite their career accomplishment, they weren’t necessarily ever among the top players in any season or any era.
While Box-Toppers generally tries to stick to its numbers to determine Hall candidacy, we do fold our arms and frown at players who bend or break rules, taking that into consideration when determining Hall of Fame worthiness. For example, Box-Toppers has voted against players who allegedly used of were suspected of using performance enhancing drugs, including Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Roger Clemens, who are no longer on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Here is a look at players Box-Toppers is voting for Hall induction:
Todd Helton
The first baseman who played from 1997 to 2013 for the Rockies has 116.4 career Box-Toppers points, 14th among all batters and sixth among all first basemen since 1995.
He led National League batters in Box-Toppers points in two different seasons—2000 (15.2) and 2001 (17.0). He led NL first basemen in points four straight seasons from 1999 to 2002.
He was among the top 10 overall players in 2001 (ranking eighth with 17.0 points) and was among the top 10 NL batters in five seasons and a top five NL first basemen six times. This is Helton’s fifth year on the ballot. Box-Toppers has voted for him each year.
Torii Hunter
The outfielder who played from 1997 to 2015 for the Twins, Angels and Tigers has 115.9 career Box-Toppers points, 15th among all batters since 1995, fifth among all outfielders in that span.
Hunter led all AL outfielders in 2008 with 12.4 points with the Angels. He was a top 10 AL batter four times—2002 (11.5, ranked seventh) and 2007 (9.5, ranked 10th) with the Twins and 2008 (12.4, ranked second) and 2010 (8.5, ranked 10th) with the Angels. He was among the top 10 AL outfielders in Box-Toppers points nine times.
This is his third year on the ballot.
Jeff Kent
The second baseman who played from 1992 to 2008 for the Mets, Giants, Astros and Dodgers has 110.2 career Box-Toppers points since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began, which is most among all second basemen in that span.
Kent’s career started in 1992, before the advent of Box-Toppers tracking, and estimates put his actual career total at 125 points. Still, given his career points since 1995, he ranks 17th among all batters.
He led NL second basemen in Box-Toppers points in six different seasons—1997 (11.2), 1998 (10.0), 2000 (12.9), 2001 (9.2), 2002 (10.9), all with the Giants and 2004 (7.5) with the Astros. Kent was among the top five NL second basemen 11 times. He ranked among the top 10 NL batters twice—2000 (12.9, ranked fourth) and 2002 (10.9, ranked sixth), both with the Giants.
Despite his sustained offensive excellence and his dominance among all players at second base over the past quarter century (the second-place second basemen since 1995 is Robinson Cano of the Mets with 85.4—which is 24.8 points behind), Kent has not been elected to the Hall in nine previous tries.
This is Kent’s 10th and final season on the writers’ Hall of Fame ballot.
Billy Wagner
The closing pitcher played from 1995 to 2010 primarily for the Astros, Mets, Phillies and Braves and has 108.7 career Box-Toppers points, third among all closing pitchers since 1995, behind Trevor Hoffman (129.4) and Mariano Rivera (126.4), both Hall of Famers.
He led NL closing pitchers in Box-Toppers points three times, 1998 (12.0) and 1999 (15.0) with the Astros and in 2010 (13.0) with the Braves. He was among the top five NL closers seven times and was among the top 10 overall NL pitchers twice.
Wagner has been passed over for Hall induction for seven years.
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Here are players Box-Toppers is not voting for Hall induction:
Bobby Abreu—The outfielder played from 1996 to 2014 primarily for the Phillies, Angels and Yankees and has 95.5 career Box-Toppers points, 15th among all outfielders since 1995. He was never among his league’s top three outfielders in any season, but ranked among the top 10 NL outfielders twice (1998 and 2003) and among the top 10 AL outfielders three times (2006, 2007 and 2008). He also was among the overall top 10 AL batters in 2008 with the Yankees (ninth, 9.2 points).
Bronson Arroyo—The pitcher played from 2000 to 2017 for the Reds, Pirates, Red Sox and Diamondbacks and had 85.9 career Box-Toppers points, 80th among all pitchers since 1995. He was a top 10 AL pitcher in 2004 with the Red Sox (seventh with 10.4 points) and a top 10 NL pitcher in 2006 with the Reds (fifth with 14.7 points).
Carlos Beltran—The outfielder played from 1998 to 2017 for the Royals, Mets, Yankees, Cardinals, Astros, Rangers and Giants and has 108.6 career Box-Toppers points, seventh among all outfielders since 1995. He led AL outfielders in 2001 (11.2 points) and 2003 (13.9 points), both with the Royals. He was a top 10 AL batter both of those seasons, was a top 10 AL outfielder three times and a top 10 NL outfielder four times.
With just over 100 career Box-Toppers points and with two seasons leading his league at his position, Beltran would seem to squeak past the line of Hall worthiness. And if it had not been for the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal in 2017, we likely would have voted for him. Beltran was the only 2017 Astros player named in the commissioners’ report on the scandal, which resulted in sanctions against the club and the Astros firing their manager and general manager. No players were directly punished by baseball in the report, released in 2019 and focusing on the Astros’ 2017 World Series-winning season. However, prior to the report, Beltran had been hired as New York Mets manager for the 2020 season and was fired after the release of the report before he managed any games.
Mark Buehrle—The pitcher played from 2000 to 2015 for the White Sox, Blue Jays and Marlins and has 116.7 career Box-Toppers points, 41st among all pitchers since 1995. In his best season, 2005 with the White Sox, he had 17.7 Box-Toppers points, which was fifth among all players and second among AL pitchers, behind Johan Santana of the Twins (24.1). He never led AL pitchers in points and had only one other top 10 finish among AL pitchers—2004 with the White Sox when he had 12.7 points, ranked fourth.
Matt Cain—The pitcher played from 2005 to 2017 for the Giants and has 100.7 career Box-Toppers points, 60th among all pitchers since 1995. He ranked among the top 10 overall players in 2006 (seventh with 16.0 Box-Toppers points) and was among the top 10 NL pitchers four times—2006 (third with 16.0 points), 2009 (seventh with 14.1 points), 2010 (seventh with 16.1 points) and 2012 (10th with 14.7 points).
Despite having 100 career Box-Toppers points, winning two World Series titles (and contributing to a third when he was out injured midway through the 2014 season) and pitching a perfect game in 2012, Cain never led his league in Box-Toppers points at his position, so we are voting against hall induction in Cain’s first year of eligibility.
R.A. Dickey—The pitcher played from 2001 to 2017 for the Rangers, Blue Jays, Mets, Twins, Braves and Mariners and has 83.6 career Box-Toppers points, 85th among all pitchers since 1995. He had just one season with 10.0 or more Box-Toppers points—2012 with the Mets, when he had 19.1, third among NL pitchers and fourth among all players. Dickey won the NL Cy Young Award that season.
Jacoby Ellsbury—The outfielder played from 2007 to 2017 for the Red Sox and Yankees and has 30.0 career Box-Toppers points, 157th among all outfielders since 1995. His best season was 2011 when he had 7.5 Box-Toppers points with the Red Sox, sixth among AL outfielders.
Andre Ethier—The outfielder played from 2006 to 2017 for the Dodgers and has 52.8 career Box-Toppers points, 67th among all outfielders since 1995. He was a top 10 NL outfielder three times—2008 (7.5 points, ninth), 2009 (8.2 points, eighth) and 2015 (6.5 points, ninth).
J.J. Hardy—The shortstop played from 2005 to 2017 for the Orioles, Brewers and Twins and has 54.8 career Box-Toppers points, seventh among all shortstops since 1995. He led AL shortstops in 2012 with the Orioles with 7.2 Box-Toppers points. He was a top five NL shortstop for three seasons with the Brewers—2007 (7.5 points, third), 2008 (6.5 points, second) and 2009 (6.5 points, third) and was a top five AL shortstop for four seasons with the Orioles—2011 (4.5 points, fifth), 2012 (7.2 points, first), 2013 (5.5 points, third) and 2014 (4.2 points, fourth).
Andruw Jones—The outfielder played from 1996 to 2012 primarily for the Braves and Yankees and has 96.5 career Box-Toppers points, 14th among outfielders since 1995.
Jones is an edge case for the Hall. He nearly reached the 100-point career Box-Toppers threshold. He was among the top three NL outfielders twice (2005, third with 11.5 and 2006, first with 12.7), both seasons he was among the NL’s top 10 batters. He was among the top 10 NL outfielders six times. But Jones was not a consistent leader at his position and fell just short of the 100-point career threshold, so I leave him off the ballot again in his sixth year of Hall eligibility.
John Lackey—The pitcher played from 2002 to 2017 for the Angels, Red Sox, Cardinals and Cubs and has 127.2 career Box-Toppers points, 33rd among all pitchers since 1995. He was among the top 10 AL pitchers four times, with his best season in 2006 with the Angels, when he had 14.4 points, third among AL pitchers. He also ranked ninth among NL pitchers in 2016 with the Cubs, when he had 13.4 points.
Though Lackey had more than 100 career Box-Toppers points, we vote against his Hall candidacy because he never led his league’s pitchers in Box-Toppers points in any season.
Mike Napoli—The catcher who played from 2006 to 2017 for the Angels, Rangers, Red Sox and Indians has 60.7 career Box-Toppers points, eighth among all catchers since 1995. In his best season, 2011 with the Rangers, he earned 9.0 Box-Toppers points, most among all catchers and ninth among AL batters. He also ranked second among AL first basemen in 2011, qualifying to rank at both catcher and first base that season. Napoli ranked among the top five catchers for three seasons. In addition to 2011, he was second in 2008 with the Angels (7.5 points) and second in 2012 with the Rangers (8.2 points).
While Napoli led AL catchers for one season, his career point total and career Box-Toppers ranking among all catchers was too low for Box-Toppers to consider him for Hall induction.
Jhonny Peralta—The shortstop played from 2003 to 2017 for the Indians, Cardinals and Tigers and had 39.4 career Box-Toppers points, 15th among all shortstops since 1995. He ranked among his league’s top five shortstops twice—in 2005 with Cleveland, he was second among AL shortstops with 6.7 points and in 2014 with the Cardinals, he was second among NL shortstops with 6.0 points.
Andy Pettitte—The starting pitcher played from 1995 to 2013 for the Yankees and Astros and has 138.5 career Box-Toppers points, 25th among all pitchers since 1995. He was among the top 10 AL pitchers four times, but never ranked higher than eighth place, including 2002, when he had 11.7 points. Despite being a key piece of the Yankees dynasty, helping to win five World Series championships, Pettitte’s regular seasons, while commendable, are not dominant enough for Hall induction. This is his fifth year of Hall eligibility.
Manny Ramirez—I’m disqualifying Ramirez for consideration because of his ties to the steroids era. Other voters are, too, as this is his seventh year of Hall eligibility. He played from 1993 to 2011 primarily for the Red Sox, Indians and Dodgers and has 166.2 career Box-Toppers points, 16th among all players since 1995 and third among all batters. (He would have an estimated 173 points if his career from 1993 were tracked.) He was top AL batter in 1999 with Cleveland (19.9), top AL outfielder three times and top NL outfielder once. He ranked among the overall top 10 players twice, his league’s top 10 batters eight times, his league’s top 10 outfielders 10 times and was a top five AL designated hitter three times. Without the steroid cloud, Box-Toppers would vote Ramirez for the Hall.
Alex Rodriguez—I’m disqualifying Rodriguez for consideration because of his ties to the steroids era, including a yearlong suspension in 2014 for performance enhancing drug use. Here is Box-Toppers’ career recap on Rodriguez during his final week as a player in August 2016: Bioexodus: Alex Rodriguez leaves field after long career with taint, but as active career Box-Toppers points leader.
The third baseman and shortstop played from 1994 to 2016 for the Yankees, Mariners and Rangers and has 187.0 career Box-Toppers points, 10th among all players, second among all batters and first among all third basemen since 1995.
When Rodriguez left baseball in 2016, he led all batters in career points since 1995, but now ranks second behind Albert Pujols (207.8).
He led AL batters in 2007 with the Yankees with 18.9 Box-Toppers points. That year, he ranked second among all players, one of only three times a batter has ranked as high as second overall. It was also done in 1996 by Albert Belle of the Indians (20.4 points) and 2006 by Lance Berkman of the Astros (20.8 points). Rodriguez also ranked seventh among all players in 2000 with the Mariners with 17.0 points.
Rodriguez led AL shortstops five times and led AL third basemen twice. He was among the top 10 AL batters 10 times, top five AL shortstops eight times, top five AL third basemen seven times and top five AL designated hitters five times.
Rodriguez is in his second year on the ballot.
Francisco Rodriguez—The closing pitcher played from 2002 to 2017 for the Angels, Brewers, Mets, Tigers and Orioles and has 63.4 career Box-Toppers points, 11th among all closing pitchers since 1995. He was a top five AL closing pitcher three times, all with the Angels—2005 (10.0 points, ranked second), 2006 (8.0 points, ranked fourth) and 2008 (10.0 points, ranked third).
Scott Rolen—The third basemen played from 1996 to 2012 primarily for the Phillies, Cardinals and Reds and has 97.6 career Box-Toppers points, fifth among all third basemen since 1995. While he did lead NL third basemen three times (2002 with 10.0 points, 2004 with 13.5 points and 2010 with 12.0 points), he fell just short of 100 career Box-Toppers points. He also ranked among the top 10 NL batters three times and among the top five NL third basemen six times.
Rolen is in his sixth year on the ballot.
Jimmy Rollins–The shortstop played from 2000 to 2016 for the Phillies, Dodgers and White Sox and has 50.4 career Box-Toppers points, ninth among all shortstops since 1995.
He led NL shortstops in 2008 (7.0 Box-Toppers points) and was among the top five NL shortstops six times, all with the Phillies—2002 (5.0 points, fifth), 2003 (3.7 points, fifth), 2004 (3.5 points, fifth), 2007 (4.7 points, fourth), 2008 (7.0 points, first) and 2012 (4.0 points, fifth).
Rollins is in his second year on the ballot.
Gary Sheffield—I’m disqualifying Sheffield for consideration because of his ties to the steroids era. Other voters are, too, as this is his ninth year of Hall eligibility. He played from 1988 to 2009 for the Marlins, Dodgers, Brewers, Yankees, Braves, Padres, Tigers and Mets and has 124.1 career points since 1995, 11th among all batters. He would have an estimated 155 career points if his entire career from 1988 were tracked. Sheffield led AL batters in 2004 with the Yankees when he had 16.2 points. He led NL outfielders in 2000 with the Dodgers when he had 14.2 points. He was among the top 10 overall players once, was among his league’s top 10 batters six times, his league’s top 10 outfielders six times and was a top five AL designated hitter once. Without the steroid cloud, Box-Toppers would vote Sheffield for the Hall.
Huston Street—The closing pitcher played from 2005 to 2017 for the Athletics, Angels, Rockies and Padres and has 51.0 career Box-Toppers points, 29th among all closing pitchers since 1995. He was among the AL top five closing pitchers twice with the Athletics—2006 (8.0 points, ranked fifth) and 2008 (8.0 points, ranked fourth) and was among the top five NL closing pitchers in 2011 with the Rockies (5.0 points, ranked fifth).
Omar Vizquel—The shortstop played from 1989 to 2012 primarily for the Indians, Mariners, Giants and White Sox. He had 42.2 career Box-Toppers points since 1995, 12th among all shortstops since 1995. Vizquel ranked among the top five AL shortstops in Box-Toppers points twice and among the top five NL shortstops once. This is his sixth year on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Jered Weaver—The pitcher played from 2006 to 2017 for the Angels and Padres and has 127.8 career Box-Toppers points, 30th among all players since 1995. He ranked in the top 10 overall twice with the Angels—2010 (19.4 points, ranked fifth) and 2011 (22.8 points, ranked fifth). He was among the top 10 AL pitchers with the Angels five times—2006 (12.0 points, ranked ninth), 2009 (15.0 points, ranked seventh), 2010 (19.4 points, ranked third), 2011 (22.8 points, ranked second) and 2012 (15.4 points, ranked sixth).
Despite having more than 100 career points and earning more than 20 points one season (22.8 in 2011), Weaver never led his league’s pitchers in Box-Toppers points in any season. Though Weaver is an edge case, he is not included on Box-Toppers’ Hall ballot.
Jayson Werth—The outfielder played from 2002 to 2017 for the Nationals, Phillies, Dodgers and Blue Jays and has 50.2 career Box-Toppers points, 75th among all outfielders since 1995. He was a top 10 NL batter in 2010 with the Phillies (9.0 points, ranked seventh). He was a top 10 NL outfielder three times 2010 (9.0 points with the Phillies, ranked fourth), 2013 (6.5 points with the Nationals, ranked ninth) and 2016 (6.0 points with the Nationals, ranked 10th).
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Players are eligible to be included on the Hall of Fame ballot if they played at least 10 years and have not been playing for five years. They require a 75-percent vote to be inducted in the hall. If they do not reach 75 percent, they remain on the writers’ ballot for 10 seasons. Also, if they don’t receive at least 5 percent of writers’ votes, they are removed from the following year’s ballot.
BBWAA voters are allowed to vote for up to 10 candidates for official Hall induction. IBWAA voters are allowed to vote for up to 12 players. Box-Toppers is voting for four of the 28 listed candidates.
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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