How impressive was Madison Bumgarner in postseason? Of 32 total playoff games, he was top player in five

Shawn Plank October 31, 2014

How impressive was Madison Bumgarner’s postseason performance?

The ace starting pitcher earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors five times in the Giants’ World Series-winning playoff run. That means he was top player in 15 percent of the 32 postseason games played. He was top player in 29 percent of the 17 postseason games the Giants played. He was top player in 42 percent of the 12 postseason games the Giants won. And he was top player in 71 percent of the seven games in which he appeared.

By comparison, Bumgarner earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors 15 times in his 33 regular season starts. Bumgarner ranked third among all players in regular season Box-Toppers points with 22.6 (see Box-Toppers top 10 player rankings), so his regular season was pretty impressive. But if he were to maintain his pace this October throughout a regular season, he would have something like 45.0 Box-Toppers points for a season. That would shatter the all-time record for Box-Toppers points in a single season of 33.7 set by Randy Johnson in both 2000 and 2002. (Box-Toppers record keeping began in 1995).

See a recap of who earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors in all 32 of the 2014 postseason games in the chart below. Bumgarner’s five top player honors are highlighted in red text.

Bumgarner’s five Player of the Game honors were far and away the most by any player in the 2014 postseason. Four other players were each Player of the Game twice during the postseason:

• Travis Ishikawa of the Giants: In National League Championship Series Game 3 and Game 5.

• Yusmeiro Petit of the Giants: In NL Division Series Game 2 and NLCS Game 4.

• Wade Davis of the Royals: In American League Championship Series Game 1 and World Series Game 3.

• Lorenzo Cain of the Royals: In ALCS Game 2 and World Series Game 6.

Nineteen players each earned Player of the Game honors once during the 2014 postseason.

Bumgarner also had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Player of the Game in all 32 postseason games. On Oct. 1, in the NL Wild Card Game, Bumgarner had a Box-Toppers game score of +14.0—he pitched a complete game 8-0 shutout over the Pirates, striking out 10.

Bumgarner also had the second-highest Box-Toppers game score of the postseason’s 32 Players of the Game (+13.0 in his World Series Game 5 shutout of the Royals, 5-0). In fact, Bumgarner had five of the 10 highest Box-Toppers game scores of all 2014 postseason Player of the Game honorees (see the chart of the top 10 at the bottom of the post).

Three of Bumgarner’s five Player of the Game honors came during the World Series as the Giants defeated the Royals four games to three.

Wade Davis had the highest Box-Toppers game score for a Player of the Game honoree among Royals players in the postseason. His game score of +6.0 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series ranks as 10th-highest in the 2014 postseason among Player of the Game honorees.

Pitchers monopolized the top 10 chart for highest Box-Toppers game score among Player of the Game honorees. The highest game score among batters was +3.0 by Hunter Pence of the Giants when he was Player of the Game in World Series Game 4.

The lowest Box-Toppers game score to win Player of the Game honors was +1.0 by Travis Ishikawa in Game 3 of the NLCS. The second-lowest Box-Toppers game score to win Player of the Game honors was +2.0 by Oscar Taveras of the Cardinals, who hit a pinch-hit home run in Game 2 of the NLCS. Taveras was killed in a car accident Oct. 26, 12 days after the game.

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.

Box-Toppers Player of the Game for each 2014 postseason game

Listings below are chronological, starting from the first Wild Card Game on Sept. 30 to the final World Series Game on Oct. 29—32 games in all (out of a total of 43 possible games if all series went the distance). On days where more than one game was played, players are listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score. There is a different background color for each postseason round—Wild Card round in yellow, League Division Series round in green, League Championship Series round in blue and World Series in red. Madison Bumgarner’s name is highlighted in red text in his five Player of the Game postseason honors.

  
    Date
    Round
    Score
    Team
    Player of the Game
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    9/30
    ALWC
    2.0
    Royals
    Eric Hosmer   1B
    4
    2
    3
    1
    2
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/1
    NLWC
    14.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    9.0
    4
    0
    0
    1
    10
  

    10/2
    ALDS
    3.0
    Orioles
    Nelson Cruz   DH
    4
    2
    2
    3
    0
    2
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/2
    ALDS
    3.0
    Royals
    Greg Holland (S, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    2
  

    10/3
    ALDS
    4.0
    `Royals
    Yordano Ventura
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.0
    5
    1
    1
    1
    5
  

    10/3
    NLDS
    3.2
    Giants
    Jake Peavy (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    5.2
    2
    0
    0
    3
    3
  

    10/3
    NLDS
    3.0
    Cardinals
    Matt Carpenter   3B
    5
    2
    2
    4
    0
    1
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/3
    ALDS
    3.0
    Orioles
    Delmon Young   PH
    1
    0
    1
    3
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/4
    NLDS
    10.0
    `Dodgers
    Zack Greinke
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.0
    2
    0
    0
    2
    7
  

    10/4
    NLDS
    9.0
    Giants
    Yusmeiro Petit (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    6.0
    1
    0
    0
    3
    7
  

    10/5
    ALDS
    8.1
    Orioles
    Bud Norris (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    6.1
    2
    0
    0
    2
    6
  

    10/5
    ALDS
    3.0
    Royals
    Norichika Aoki   RF
    3
    2
    3
    1
    1
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/6
    NLDS
    7.0
    Cardinals
    John Lackey (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.0
    5
    1
    1
    1
    8
  

    10/6
    NLDS
    3.0
    Nationals
    Doug Fister (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.0
    4
    0
    0
    3
    3
  

    10/7
    NLDS
    3.2
    `Giants
    Ryan Vogelsong
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    5.2
    2
    1
    1
    2
    4
  

    10/7
    NLDS
    2.0
    Cardinals
    Matt Adams   1B
    3
    1
    1
    3
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/10
    ALCS
    6.0
    Royals
    Wade Davis (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    2.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    4
  

    10/11
    NLCS
    9.2
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 2-1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.2
    4
    0
    0
    1
    7
  

    10/11
    ALCS
    2.0
    Royals
    Lorenzo Cain   CF, RF
    5
    2
    4
    1
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/12
    NLCS
    2.0
    Cardinals
    Oscar Taveras   PH
    1
    1
    1
    1
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/14
    ALCS
    3.0
    `Royals
    Kelvin Herrera (H, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    2
  

    10/14
    NLCS
    1.0
    Giants
    Travis Ishikawa   LF
    3
    0
    1
    3
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/15
    NLCS
    5.0
    Giants
    Yusmeiro Petit (W, 2-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    3.0
    1
    0
    0
    1
    4
  

    10/15
    ALCS
    4.1
    Royals
    Jason Vargas (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    5.1
    2
    1
    1
    3
    6
  

    10/16
    NLCS
    2.0
    Giants
    Travis Ishikawa   LF
    3
    1
    1
    3
    1
    1
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/21
    WS
    6.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.0
    3
    1
    1
    1
    5
  

    10/22
    WS
    3.0
    Royals
    Omar Infante   2B
    3
    2
    2
    2
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/24
    WS
    3.0
    `Royals
    Wade Davis (H, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    2
  

    10/25
    WS
    3.0
    Giants
    Hunter Pence   RF
    5
    2
    3
    3
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/26
    WS
    13.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 2-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    9.0
    4
    0
    0
    0
    8
  

    10/28
    WS
    3.0
    Royals
    Lorenzo Cain   CF, RF
    3
    1
    2
    3
    2
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    10/29
    WS
    7.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (S, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    5.0
    2
    0
    0
    0
    4
  

` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.

Most dominating Players of the Game in 2014 postseason

Here are the top 10 Box-Toppers game scores for 2014 postseason Player of the Game honorees, representing the most dominating performances in the 32 playoff games. Madison Bumgarner of the Giants had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Player of the Game in the 2014 postseason (+14.0) and also had five of the top 10 game scores among 2014 postseason Player of the Game honorees.

  
    Date
    Round
    Score
    Team
    Player of the Game
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    10/1
    NLWC
    14.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    9.0
    4
    0
    0
    1
    10
  

    10/26
    WS
    13.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 2-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    9.0
    4
    0
    0
    0
    8
  

    10/4
    NLDS
    10.0
    `Dodgers
    Zack Greinke
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.0
    2
    0
    0
    2
    7
  

    10/11
    NLCS
    9.2
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 2-1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.2
    4
    0
    0
    1
    7
  

    10/4
    NLDS
    9.0
    Giants
    Yusmeiro Petit (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    6.0
    1
    0
    0
    3
    7
  

    10/5
    ALDS
    8.1
    Orioles
    Bud Norris (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    6.1
    2
    0
    0
    2
    6
  

    10/6
    NLDS
    7.0
    Cardinals
    John Lackey (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.0
    5
    1
    1
    1
    8
  

    10/29
    WS
    7.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (S, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    5.0
    2
    0
    0
    0
    4
  

    10/21
    WS
    6.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.0
    3
    1
    1
    1
    5
  

    10/10
    ALCS
    6.0
    Royals
    Wade Davis (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    2.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    4
  

` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.

Madison Bumgarner earns Box-Toppers Player of the Game for third time in World Series, leading Giants to title in Game 7, Wednesday, Oct. 29

Shawn Plank October 30, 2014

Madison Bumgarner won Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors Wednesday for the third time in this World Series and led the Giants to its third title in five years.

Bumgarner, who pitched five scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits, striking out four and earning the save, is top player in the decisive Game 7. The Giants beat the Royals in the game 3-2 and won the series 4-3. The Giants previously won the World Series in 2010 and 2012.

Bumgarner had a Box-Toppers game score of +7.0, highest of any Giants player. He had been Player of the Game in World Series Game 1 and Game 5—both games he started. In Game 7, pitching on two-days’ rest, the Giants ace entered the game in unfamiliar territory for him— in relief in the fifth inning with the Giants already leading 3-2.

In the Giants four wins in the World Series, Bumgarner—who won World Series Most Valuable Player—was Box-Toppers Player of the Game in three of them. The only game in which Bumgarner was not Player of the Game was in Game 4, the Giants’ second win of the series. The honor that game went to Hunter Pence.

Bumgarner also earned Player of the Game honors five times during the postseason. Previously, he was Player of the Game:

• Oct. 1 in the National League Wild Card win over the Pirates.

• Oct. 11 in the NL Championship Series Game 1 win over the Cardinals.

• Oct. 21 in the World Series Game 1 win over the Royals.

• Oct. 26 in the World Series Game 5 win over the Royals.

Bumgarner was top player in nearly half the games the Giants won this postseason—five of 12. No other player earned Player of the Game honors more than twice during the postseason. The players who won it twice:

• Travis Ishikawa of the Giants: In National League Championship Series Game 3 and Game 5.

• Yusmeiro Petit of the Giants: In NL Division Series Game 2 and NLCS Game 4.

• Wade Davis of the Royals: In American League Championship Series Game 1 and World Series Game 3.

• Lorenzo Cain of the Royals: In ALCS Game 2 and World Series Game 6.

During the regular season, Bumgarner earned 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranking third among all players and second among NL pitchers. He was the highest-ranked player remaining in the postseason and the only player in the World Series in Box-Toppers top 10 player rankings.

Bumgarner had originally been credited with a win in the game, even though he entered the game with the Giants already leading. That was corrected by official scorers within an hour after the game, giving the win to Jeremy Affeldt and the save to Bumgarner who was a five-inning closer. Affeldt, who pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief, was the pitcher of record when the Giants took the lead.

Had Bumgarner been pulled in favor of a closer—possibly Santiago Casilla—in the ninth inning, he still likely would have won Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors, even though Casilla would have been credited with the save and Bumgarner would have earned a no decision (no win or save). Under Box-Toppers rules, non-decision-earning pitchers are eligible to earn Player of the Game honors if they pitch three or more innings. After eight innings, Bumgarner pitched four innings and had a Box-Toppers game score of +6.0.

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Giants have clear Box-Toppers advantage over Royals in World Series, but since 2014 is underdog year, watch out for David slaying 'Giant'

Royals sweep Giants in series—in regular season, interleague series back in August, that is

Can a Royals diehard fan of the 1970s rekindle lapsed fandom with Kansas City's 2014 World Series team? A personal essay

Top 4 players in World Series Game 7

Here are the top four Giants players in Wednesday’s World Series Game 7, ranked from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score (how game score is calculated). Madison Bumgarner, who had a Box-Toppers game score of +7.0, is Player of the Game (POG). Pablo Sandoval was the Giants’ batter with the highest Box-Toppers game score of +2.0. Only four Giants players had Box-Toppers game scores of 0.0 or above.

  
    1029
    Score
    Team
    Player
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    7.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (S, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    5.0
    2
    0
    0
    0
    4
  

    
    2.0
    Giants
    Pablo Sandoval   3B
    3
    2
    3
    0
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    1.1
    Giants
    Jeremy Affeldt (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    2.1
    1
    0
    0
    0
    0
  

    
    0.0
    Giants
    Michael Morse   DH
    3
    0
    1
    2
    0
    2
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

Lorenzo Cain tops players as Royals blow out Giants in World Series Game 6, Tuesday, Oct. 28

Shawn Plank October 29, 2014

Lorenzo Cain led an offensive onslaught in World Series Game 6 as the Royals beat the Giants 10-0, pushing the series to a decisive seventh game Wednesday. Cain is Tuesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Cain doubled and went 2-for-3, scoring once and driving in three runs as the Royals evened the series 3-3.

Cain had a Box-Toppers game score of +3, highest of any Royals player in Tuesday’s game. It is the second time this postseason he has earned Player of the Game honors. Previously, he was top player in the American League Championship Series Game 2 win over the Orioles on Oct. 11.

During the regular season, Cain had 2.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 421st among all players, 107th among AL batters and 50th among AL outfielders.

Royals starting pitcher in Game 6, Yordano Ventura, also had a Box-Toppers game score of +3, the same as Cain’s. But under Box-Toppers rules, in cases of game score ties, batters hold the tiebreaker over pitchers. Ventura pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed three hits, walked five and struck out four, earning the win.

Giants starting pitcher in Game 6, Jake Peavy, who picked up the loss, had a Box-Toppers game score of −13.9. He gave up five runs and six hits over 1 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out two.

The baseball season ends Wednesday:

World Series Game 7: Giants at Royals, series tied 3-3

The pitching matchup Wednesday:

Royals: Jeremy Guthrie, 7.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 113rd among all players, 40th among AL pitchers.

Giants: Tim Hudson, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 71st among all players, 34th among NL pitchers.

This is a rematch of Game 3 of the World Series, won by the Royals 3-2. Guthrie picked up the win (5IP 4H 2R 0K) and Hudson picked up the loss (5.2IP 4H 3R BB 2K). Royals middle relief pitcher Wade Davis was Box-Toppers Player of the Game.

Guthrie has started twice this postseason and Hudson has started three times. Neither pitcher has earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors so far this postseason.

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Giants have clear Box-Toppers advantage over Royals in World Series, but since 2014 is underdog year, watch out for David slaying 'Giant'

Royals sweep Giants in series—in regular season, interleague series back in August, that is

Can a Royals diehard fan of the 1970s rekindle lapsed fandom with Kansas City's 2014 World Series team? A personal essay

Top 7 players in World Series Game 6

Here are the top seven Royals players in Friday's World Series Game 6, ranked from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score (how game score is calculated). Lorenzo Cain, who had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.0, is Player of the Game (POG). Starting pitcher Yordano Ventura also had a Box-Toppers game score of +3, but under Box-Toppers rules, batters hold the tiebreaker over pitchers in cases of game score ties.

  
    1028
    Score
    Team
    Player
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    3.0
    Royals
    Lorenzo Cain   CF, RF
    3
    1
    2
    3
    2
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    3.0
    Royals
    Yordano Ventura (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.0
    3
    0
    0
    5
    4
  

    
    2.0
    Royals
    Mike Moustakas   3B
    4
    2
    2
    2
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    2.0
    Royals
    Tim Collins
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    1
    0
    0
    0
    2
  

    
    0.0
    Royals
    Eric Hosmer   1B
    5
    1
    2
    2
    0
    2
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    0.0
    Royals
    Omar Infante   2B
    4
    2
    2
    0
    0
    1
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    0.0
    Royals
    Norichika Aoki   RF
    3
    1
    1
    1
    1
    1
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

Box-Toppers 2014 All-Star teams led by Kershaw, Kluber, Abreu, Tulowitzki

Shawn Plank October 28, 2014

The Box-Toppers All-Star teams for the 2014 regular season are led by overall top player for the second straight season, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

Nine teams each have two different players on the teams and a total of 20 teams are represented on the American League and National League teams.

The All-Star teams are comprised of the players with the highest Box-Toppers point totals by position in each league. In addition to the batters—eight in the NL and nine (including the designated hitter) in the AL—are the top four starting pitchers in each league, the top player who was predominately a middle-reliever and the top closing pitcher.

Kershaw was Box-Toppers Player of the Season, the top overall player, with 31.5 Box-Toppers points. Indians pitcher Corey Kluber is the top AL player with 25.8 Box-Toppers points, ranked second overall.

The top AL batter is White Sox rookie first baseman Jose Abreu with 15.5 points, ranked 14th overall. The top NL batter is Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki with 11.6 points, ranked 39th overall. (Tulowitzki was out with injuries nearly half the season, but still surpassed all other NL batters in Box-Toppers points—second among NL batters is Giants catcher Buster Posey with 8.5 points.)

Nine teams each had two players make the teams. In the AL, the Mariners, Angels, Orioles, Indians and Tigers each had two players. In the NL, the Giants, Braves, Marlins and Cardinals each had two players.

Three players from the All-Star teams are still active in the World Series:

• Wade Davis of the Royals, who led AL middle relief pitchers with 7.0 Box-Toppers points.

• Madison Bumgarner of the Giants, who ranked second among NL pitchers with 22.6 points.

• Buster Posey of the Giants, who led NL catchers with 8.5 points.

Six players were on Box-Toppers’ 2013 All-Star team s and returned to the 2014 teams:

• AL 2B: Robinson Cano, last year with the Yankees, this year with the Mariners (12.5 points in 2013, 6.5 in 2014).

• AL OF: Adam Jones, Orioles (8.0 points in 2013, 11.5 in 2014).

• AL Starting pitcher: Max Scherzer, Tigers (18.1 points in 2013, 22.1 in 2014).

• NL Starting pitcher: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers (21.7 points in 2013, 31.5 in 2014).

• NL Starting pitcher: Adam Wainwright, Cardinals (20.2 points in 2013, 18.7 in 2014).

• NL Closing pitcher: Craig Kimbrel, Braves (12.7 points in 2013, 11.0 in 2014).

End-of-season 2014 Box-Toppers All-Star teams

Here are the Box-Toppers All-Stars by position for both leagues. It includes players with the highest Box-Toppers points (BTP) by position in each league. Also included is the players' overall rank among all players.

  
    Pos
    American League
    Team
    BTP
    Rank
    
    National League
    Team
    BTP
    Rank
    
  

    1B
    Jose Abreu
    White Sox
    15.5
    14
    
    Lucas Duda
    Mets
    8.5
    79
    
  

    2B
    Robinson Cano
    Mariners
    6.5
    135
    
    Jedd Gyorko
    Padres
    7.2
    103
    
  

    SS
    Erick Aybar
    Angels
    6.0
    155
    
    Troy Tulowitzki
    Rockies
    11.6
    39
    
  

    3B
    Josh Donaldson
    Athletics
    10.5
    40
    
    Aramis Ramirez
    Brewers
    5.0
    194
    
  

    CA
    Brian McCann
    Yankees
    6.5
    136
    
    Buster Posey
    Giants
    8.5
    76
    
  

    OF
    Adam Jones
    Orioles
    11.5
    40
    
    Justin Upton
    Braves
    8.2
    80
    
  

    OF
    Nelson Cruz
    Orioles
    8.5
    77
    
    Marcell Ozuna
    Marlins
    8.0
    88
    
  

    OF
    Mike Trout
    Angels
    8.5
    78
    
    Matt Holliday
    Cardinals
    7.5
    97
    
  

    DH
    Edwin Encarnacion
    Blue Jays
    9.5
    63
    
    
    
    
    
    
  

    SP
    Corey Kluber
    Indians
    25.8
    2
    
    Clayton Kershaw
    Dodgers
    31.5
    1
    
  

    SP
    Max Scherzer
    Tigers
    22.1
    5
    
    Madison Bumgarner
    Giants
    22.6
    3
    
  

    SP
    Felix Hernandez
    Mariners
    20.8
    6
    
    Johnny Cueto
    Reds
    22.4
    4
    
  

    SP
    David Price
    Tigers
    19.1
    7
    
    Adam Wainwright
    Cardinals
    18.7
    8
    
  

    MR
    Wade Davis
    Royals
    7.0
    117
    
    Michael Dunn
    Marlins
    6.0
    159
    
  

    CP
    Carlos Carrasco
    Indians
    10.7
    52
    
    Craig Kimbrel
    Braves
    11.0
    45
    
  

Giants' Madison Bumgarner earns fourth postseason Player of Game honors in World Series Game 5, Sunday, Oct. 26

Shawn Plank October 27, 2014

Madison Bumgarner pitched a complete game shutout, leading the Giants Sunday to a World Series Game 5 win, moving them within one game of the title and earning Box-Toppers Player of the Day honors.

Bumgarner allowed four hits, walked none and struck out eight in the 5-0 win over the Royals. The Giants now have a 3-2 game lead in the best-of-seven World Series.

Bumgarner had a Box-Toppers game score of +13.0, the most of any Giants player. The second-highest Box-Toppers game score was +3.0, by Juan Perez (who went 1-for-1 with a run and two RBIs).

This was the fourth time this postseason Bumgarner earned Player of the Game honors, the most of any player in the postseason. No other player has been Player of the Game more than twice. Bumgarner was Player of the Game previously:

• Oct. 1 in the National League Wild Card win over the Pirates.

• Oct. 11 in the NL Championship Series Game 1 win over the Cardinals.

• Oct. 21 in the World Series Game 1 win over the Royals.

During the regular season, Bumgarner earned 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranking third among all players and second among NL pitchers. He is the highest-ranked player remaining in the postseason and the only player in the World Series in Box-Toppers top 10 player rankings.

The World Series takes a day off Monday and resumes Tuesday in Kansas City:

World Series Game 6: Giants lead Royals, 3-2

The pitching matchup Tuesday:

Giants: Jake Peavy, 5.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 165th among all players, 58th among NL pitchers.

Royals: Yordano Ventura, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 75th among all players, 33rd among AL pitchers.

This is a rematch of Game 2 starting pitchers, won by the Royals, 7-2. Peavy earned the loss in that game.

Both pitchers have earned Player of the Game honors once during the postseason, both on Oct. 3 in each team’s League Division Series games—Peavy in NLDS Game 1 vs. the Nationals and Ventura in ALDS Game 2 vs. the Angels.

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Giants have clear Box-Toppers advantage over Royals in World Series, but since 2014 is underdog year, watch out for David slaying 'Giant'

Royals sweep Giants in series—in regular season, interleague series back in August, that is

Can a Royals diehard fan of the 1970s rekindle lapsed fandom with Kansas City's 2014 World Series team? A personal essay

Top 5 players in World Series Game 5

Here are the top five Giants players in Sunday’s World Series Game 3, ranked from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score (how game score is calculated). Madison Bumgarner, who had a Box-Toppers game score of +13.0, is Player of the Game (POG). Juan Perez was the Giants’ batter with the highest Box-Toppers game score of +3.

  
    1026
    Score
    Team
    Player
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    13.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 2-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    9.0
    4
    0
    0
    0
    8
  

    
    3.0
    Giants
    Juan Perez   PR, LF
    1
    1
    1
    2
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    1.0
    Giants
    Brandon Crawford   SS
    4
    0
    2
    3
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    0.0
    Giants
    Pablo Sandoval   3B
    4
    2
    2
    0
    0
    1
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    0.0
    Giants
    Hunter Pence   RF
    4
    2
    2
    0
    0
    1
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

Giants' Hunter Pence tops players in World Series Game 4, Saturday, Oct. 25

Shawn Plank October 26, 2014

Hunter Pence had three hits, three RBIs and two runs, earning Box-Toppers Player of the Day honors Saturday, as the Giants evened the World Series with the Royals at two games apiece.

Pence went 3-for-5 in Game 4 in which the Giants defeated the Royals 11-4. Pence had a Box-Toppers game score of +3, highest of any Giants player.

During the regular season, Pence had 2.5 Box-Toppers points, ranked 367th among all players, 82nd among National League batters and 35th among NL outfielders. This is the first time this postseason Pence has earned Player of the Game honors.

Coming Sunday:

World Series Game 5: Royals at Giants, series tied 2-2

The pitching matchup Sunday:

Royals: James Shields, 13.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 22nd among all players, 11th among AL pitchers.

Giants: Madison Bumgarner, 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked third among all players, second among NL pitchers.

This is a rematch of Game 1 starting pitchers, won by the Giants, 7-1. Bumgarner was Player of the Game. Bumgarner has been Player of the Game three times this postseason, more than any other player. The other two times: NL Wild Card Game and NL Championship Series Game 1.

Shields has not earned Player of the Game honors this postseason.

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Giants have clear Box-Toppers advantage over Royals in World Series, but since 2014 is underdog year, watch out for David slaying 'Giant'

Royals sweep Giants in series—in regular season, interleague series back in August, that is

Can a Royals diehard fan of the 1970s rekindle lapsed fandom with Kansas City's 2014 World Series team? A personal essay

Top 7 players in World Series Game 4

Here are the top seven Giants players in Saturday’s World Series Game 4, ranked from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score (how game score is calculated). Hunter Pence, who had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.0, is Player of the Game (POG). Yusmeiro Petit, who pitched the fourth through sixth innings and earned the win, also had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.0. But under Box-Toppers rules, batters beat pitchers in cases of game score ties.

  
    1025
    Score
    Team
    Player
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    3.0
    Giants
    Hunter Pence   RF
    5
    2
    3
    3
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    3.0
    Giants
    Yusmeiro Petit (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    3.0
    2
    0
    0
    0
    2
  

    
    2.0
    Giants
    Joe Panik   2B
    4
    2
    2
    2
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    1.0
    Giants
    Matt Duffy   PH
    1
    1
    1
    0
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    1.0
    Giants
    Michael Morse   PH
    0
    1
    0
    0
    1
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    1.0
    Giants
    Sergio Romo
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    1
    0
    0
    0
    1
  

    
    1.0
    Giants
    Hunter Strickland
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    1
    0
    0
    0
    1
  

Royals' Wade Davis, pitching scoreless 8th, tops players in World Series Game 3, Friday, Oct. 24

Shawn Plank October 25, 2014

Reliever Wade Davis held the lead for the Royals, shutting down the Giants in the eighth inning and earned Box-Toppers Player of the Day honors for Friday in Game 3 of the World Series.

Davis pitched a scoreless inning and struck out two, as the Royals beat the Giants 3-2 to take a 2-1 game lead in the best-of-seven series.

Davis had a Box-Toppers game score of +3, the highest of any Royals player in Friday’s game. It is the second time this postseason he has earned Player of the Game honors. Previously, he was top player in the American League Championship Series Game 1 win over the Orioles. In the Royals’ 10 postseason wins this year, Davis is the first player from the team to earn Player of the Game honors more than once.

Davis did not earn a win or a save in the game and earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors in a roundabout, but not uncommon fashion. Davis earned the honor because:

• He had a higher Box-Toppers game score than the winning or saving pitcher who otherwise would have been Player of the Game.

• He had the same or more innings pitched as that player.

In Game 3, Royals closer Greg Holland—who earned the save—would have been Player of the Day, pitching a scoreless ninth inning and striking out one. He had a Box-Toppers game score of +1. However, two other Royals pitchers (see the chart below) had a higher Box-Toppers game score than Holland:

• Brandon Finnegan (0.2IP 0R K, Box-Toppers game score +1.2). However, Finnegan would not qualify for Player of the Game because though his game score was higher than Holland’s, he had fewer innings pitched.

• Davis, who beat Holland for the honor because he had the same number of innings pitched (one) and had a higher Box-Toppers game score (+3.0 vs. +1.0).

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.

In close, low-scoring games, such as Game 3, Player of the Game honors often goes to relief pitchers who can hold the lead. In fact, only one Royals batter had a Box-Toppers game score of 0 or better—Alcides Escobar (2B 2-4 2R) had a game score of 0. Only five Royals (including four relief pitchers) had game scores of 0 or better.

Royals starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who earned the win, had a Box-Toppers game score of -3 (5IP 4H 2R 0K). Giants starting pitcher Tim Hudson, who earned the loss, had a Box-Toppers game score of -3.8 (5.2IP 4H 3R BB 2K).

Coming Saturday:

World Series Game 4: Royals lead Giants, 2-1

The pitching matchup Saturday:

Royals: Jason Vargas, 7.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 107th among all players, 38th among AL pitchers.

Giants: Ryan Vogelsong, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 74th among all players, 36th among NL pitchers.

Vargas has started twice this postseason (ALDS Game 1 and ALCS Game 4) and Vogelsong has started twice (NLDS Game 4 and NLCS Game 4). Both have earned Player of the Game honors once:

• Vargas in ALCS Game 4.

• Vogelsong in NLDS Game 4.

Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Giants have clear Box-Toppers advantage over Royals in World Series, but since 2014 is underdog year, watch out for David slaying 'Giant'

Royals sweep Giants in series—in regular season, interleague series back in August, that is

Can a Royals diehard fan of the 1970s rekindle lapsed fandom with Kansas City's 2014 World Series team? A personal essay

Top 5 players in World Series Game 3

Here are the top five Royals players in Friday's World Series Game 3, ranked from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score (how game score is calculated). Wade Davis, who had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.0, is Player of the Game (POG). Only five Royals players had game scores of 0 or better. Alcides Escobar was the Royals' highest-scoring batter, with a game score of 0.

  
    1024
    Score
    Team
    Player
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    3.0
    Royals
    Wade Davis (H, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    2
  

    
    1.2
    Royals
    Brandon Finnegan (H, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    0.2
    0
    0
    0
    0
    1
  

    
    1.0
    Royals
    Greg Holland (S, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
  

    
    0.1
    Royals
    Kelvin Herrera (H, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.1
    0
    0
    0
    2
    1
  

    
    0.0
    Royals
    Alcides Escobar   SS
    4
    2
    2
    0
    0
    1
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

Royals' Omar Infante tops players in World Series Game 2, Wednesday, Oct. 22

Shawn Plank October 23, 2014

Omar Infante of the Royals is Box-Toppers.com Player of the Day in Wednesday’s Game 2 of the World Series.

Infante doubled and hit a two-run homer, going 2-for-3 and scoring twice in the 7-2 win over the Giants. The Royals tie the best-of-seven game World Series 1-1.

Infante had a Box-Toppers game score of +3, the best of any Royals player Wednesday. (Pitchers Greg Holland and Wade Davis of the Royals also had Box-Toppers game scores of +3—see the chart below—but in cases of game score ties, Box-Toppers rules have batters finishing ahead of pitchers.)

During the regular season, Infante had 4.0 Box-Toppers points, ranking 243rd among all players, 51st among all AL batters and eighth among all AL second basemen.

This was the first time this postseaon Infante has earned Player of the Game honors. In fact, in the Royals’ nine postseason wins of 2014, a different player has earned Player of the Game honors each time. The previous eight are listed in this earlier post. (To compare, five different players have earned Player of the Game honors in the Giants' nine postseason wins of 2014.)

The World Series takes a day off Thursday before resuming Friday in San Francisco:

World Series Game 3: Royals at Giants, series tied, 1-1

The pitching matchup Friday:

Royals: Jeremy Guthrie, 7.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 113rd among all players, 40th among AL pitchers.

Giants: Tim Hudson, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 71st among all players, 34th among NL pitchers.

Guthrie has started once this postseason and Hudson has started twice. Neither pitcher has earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors so far this postseason.

Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Giants have clear Box-Toppers advantage over Royals in World Series, but since 2014 is underdog year, watch out for David slaying 'Giant'

Royals sweep Giants in series—in regular season, interleague series back in August, that is

Can a Royals diehard fan of the 1970s rekindle lapsed fandom with Kansas City's 2014 World Series team? A personal essay

Top 6 players in World Series Game 2

Here are the top six Royals players in Wednesday's World Series Game 2, ranked from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score (how game score is calculated). Omar Infante, who had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.0, is Player of the Game (POG). Under Box-Toppers rules, batters beat pitchers in cases of game score ties, so Infante finished ahead of two pitchers who also had game scores of +3.0—Greg Holland and Wade Davis.

  
    1022
    Score
    Team
    Player
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    3.0
    Royals
    Omar Infante   2B
    3
    2
    2
    2
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    3.0
    Royals
    Greg Holland
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    1
    0
    0
    0
    3
  

    
    3.0
    Royals
    Wade Davis
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    2
  

    
    1.0
    Royals
    Billy Butler   DH
    3
    0
    2
    2
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    1.0
    Royals
    Terrance Gore   PR, DH
    0
    1
    0
    0
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    0.2
    Royals
    Kelvin Herrera (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.2
    0
    0
    0
    2
    1
  

Giants ace Madison Bumgarner tops players in World Series Game 1, Tuesday, Oct. 21

Shawn Plank October 22, 2014

Madison Bumgarner allowed one run in seven innings to lead the Giants to a World Series Game 1 win Tuesday. He is Box-Toppers.com Player of the Day.

Bumgarner allowed three hits, one walk and struck out five in the 7-1 win over the Royals. The Giants take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven game World Series.

Bumgarner had a Box-Toppers game score of +6, more than any other Giants player Tuesday. It is the third time this postseason Bumgarner has earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors. He did it previously:

• Oct. 1 in the National League Wild Card win over the Pirates.

• Oct. 11 in the NL Championship Series Game 1 win over the Cardinals.

Coming Wednesday:

World Series Game 2: Giants lead Royals, 1-0

The pitching matchup Wednesday:

Giants: Jake Peavy, 5.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 165th among all players, 58th among NL pitchers.

Royals: Yordano Ventura, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 75th among all players, 33rd among AL pitchers.

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Giants have clear Box-Toppers advantage over Royals in World Series, but since 2014 is underdog year, watch out for David slaying 'Giant'

Royals sweep Giants in series—in regular season, interleague series back in August, that is

Can a Royals diehard fan of the 1970s rekindle lapsed fandom with Kansas City's 2014 World Series team? A personal essay

Top 6 players in World Series Game 1

Here are the top six Giants players in Tuesday’s World Series Game 1, ranked from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score (how game score is calculated). Madison Bumgarner, who had a Box-Toppers game score of +6.0, was Player of the Game (POG). Hunter Pence was the Giants’ top batter, hitting a homer and a double and going 2-for-3, scoring twice and driving in two runs. He had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.0.

  
    1021
    Score
    Team
    Player
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    6.0
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.0
    3
    1
    1
    1
    5
  

    
    3.0
    Giants
    Hunter Pence   RF
    3
    2
    2
    2
    2
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    3.0
    Giants
    Hunter Strickland
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    2
  

    
    1.0
    Giants
    Gregor Blanco   CF
    3
    2
    1
    1
    2
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    0.0
    Giants
    Pablo Sandoval   3B
    5
    1
    2
    2
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    
    0.0
    Giants
    Javier Lopez
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    1
    0
    0
    0
    0
  

Tryin' to get the feelin': Boyhood team Royals in World Series—but where did my fandom go?

Shawn Plank October 21, 2014

My Kansas City Royals are in the World Series.

That’s actually a weird thing to say since it’s been more than 30 years since I actively rooted for the Royals.

The Royals were my boyhood team. I celebrated their wins and I was in a funk over their losses. Did I cry when they lost? Oh yes, when they lost year after year to the hated New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series—in 1976, in 1977, in 1978—I sobbed inconsolably.

Where did my fandom go?

Did I grow up and grow out of it?

Was I upset at having my heart broken so many times that I could never commit so loyally to a team for fear of being hurt again?

Was it just that in high school and college, I was too busy?

Was it the baseball strike of 1981? During the strike, which lasted from June to August, I lost interest in baseball. When baseball came back, I didn’t. I never made any angry declaration I was done with the sport, but at age 16, I stopped collecting baseball cards, my subscription to The Sporting News lapsed and I impassively moved on.

So for me to say “my” Royals are in the World Series seems funny. Let’s face it, they were “my” team for only six years, starting in 1975 when I made my one and only visit to Royals (now Kauffman) Stadium. Today, six years in the dim, dark past is a tiny sample of my life. But at 16, that was a long time. I could barely remember a time before I was a Royals fan. It seemed to be part of my core being.

The pinnacle of my fandom was 1980 when the Royals finally beat the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. I’m not sure what it says about me, but I don’t remember a lot of that series. Somehow, I remember the losing more than the winning. In my memory, the Royals always lost to the Yankees in the playoffs. I see Chris Chambliss hitting the game- and series-winning homer for the Yankees in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 5 in 1976 and getting mobbed by fans as he tries to round the bases. But I know the Royals beat the Yankees in 1980 because I do vividly remember the Royals losing that year's World Series to the Phillies.

I didn’t lose my fandom because the Royals stopped being successful. In fact, after I stopped being a fan, they had their greatest success. In 1985, the Royals won the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. That Royals team still had a core group of players who stuck around from 1980. It was a team I would have still known well.

But by then, they weren’t really “my” Royals. I was aware of the Royals’ win but paid little attention. I remember thinking that “after all those years of my suffering,” the Royals had “at long last” won a World Series. Again, my fandom was only six years, the Royals in 1985 were only in their 17th season of existence. (For comparison and to drive the point home at how temporally naive I was, the Chicago Cubs at the time were only in their 77th year without a World Series title—the streak is now at 106 years.)

While the 1981 strike seemed to end my baseball fandom, I became a fan again in 1994, oddly, the same year as an even more devastating strike cancelled much of the season and the entire postseason.

I came back to baseball not really a fan of any team. The only thing I was able to commit myself to was a hatred of the Yankees, which has sort of been my baseball constant, thanks to my being a Royals fan. Hating the Yankees, I became a casual fan of their rivals—the Atlanta Braves of the 1990s and the Boston Red Sox of the 2000s.

Of course, it would not have been easy to be a Royals fan for the 20 years since I turned my attention back to baseball. Royals teams languished and were downright bad. Until this year, they had the longest playoff drought (29 years, since the 1985 World Series) of any team in the four major sports.

Since my return to baseball, I have never been able to fully love any team like I loved the Royals. Why? What is holding me back?

Fear of embarrassment for aligning oneself with a potential loser?

Fear of the pain when they will inevitably lose? (Even the Yankees lose.)

Fear of appearing childish for tying my emotional fortunes to one team?

Plus, if I finally decide to root for the Royals, I would hate to appear like a fair-weather fan jumping on the bandwagon. But I never jumped on the bandwagon in 1985 when it would have been so easy—I knew the team, I knew most of the players.

“Team loyalty is a hard thing to justify. The players are always changing. You’re actually rooting for the clothes when you get right down to it. You are standing and cheering and yelling for your clothes to beat the clothes from another city. Laundry! We’re rooting, we’re screaming about laundry here.”

— Jerry Seinfeld

Frankly, I knew very little about this 2014 Royals team prior to the postseason. My ties to this team are tenuous. My only connection to the past is George Brett—the Hall-of-Fame Royals third baseman and favorite player of my youth. He’s now a team executive, seen on TV cheering each time Kansas City advances in the playoffs.

If I root for the Royals am I simply, as Jerry Seinfeld says, rooting for the laundry?

“Team loyalty is a hard thing to justify,” he says. “The players are always changing. You’re actually rooting for the clothes when you get right down to it. You are standing and cheering and yelling for your clothes to beat the clothes from another city. Laundry! We’re rooting, we’re screaming about laundry here.”

So, just for argument’s sake, let’s say I still can lay claim to being a fan of the Royals. What made me a Royals fan in the first place?

Was it simply geography? I grew up in southeast Iowa, far from any Major League city but there were six teams within a six-hour driving radius—Cubs, White Sox, Brewers, Twins, Cardinals, Royals.

Was it because Royals Stadium is where I went for my first Major League game? I saw the Royals beat the Yankees (who I hadn’t yet learned to hate) in August 1975.

Was it because I listened to the Royals on a local affiliate of the team’s radio network most summer nights? (I only recently began listening to Royals broadcasts again on the Internet and was pleasantly surprised to hear Denny Matthews still doing play-by-play all these years later, a voice that transported me back to my 1970s bedroom radio.)

Or was it simply because I wore glasses like Darrell Porter’s, the Royals catcher of the era?

If I can lay claim to being a fan of any team, it’s the Royals. It helps that this year’s team, as I’ve gotten to know them in the postseason, is both exciting and humble. They play as a team. Unlike a team with a high payroll that can buy free agents who hit for power and pitchers who rack up strikeouts, the Royals are largely a homegrown team with a strong work ethic and know their strengths. They are speedy on the bases. Their speed contributes to their defense. They lay down the bunt and sacrifice themselves for the good of the team. And they have the three-headed monster of a bullpen of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland that can shut teams down after the sixth inning. And they hang out in Kansas City bars with their fans after games to celebrate playoff series victories. How cool is that?

On the one hand, you don’t want fans to jump on your team’s bandwagon just because they are winning. But on the other hand, if the way the team is winning attracts fans to your cause, how can you do anything as a true fan but help pull new converts aboard the bandwagon and say, “Welcome!”

There can be a great joy in returning to the things you loved as a child. I returned to baseball as a fan in 1994 because it reminded me of my childhood. But without a team of my own, I never really fully came back.

So maybe it’s time to change that. Maybe it’s time to fully commit again. It is crazy to try to justify my fandom with logic, since fandom can be so illogical. But it’s logical I root for the Royals. I just need to relax, forget whatever reservations, whatever fear of pain or loss I have and say simply: Go Royals!

Shawn Plank writes the Box-Toppers blog (at Box-Toppers.com/blog) covering Major League Baseball and created the Box-Toppers points statistic it is based on in 1995.

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Giants have clear Box-Toppers advantage over Royals in World Series, but since 2014 is underdog year, watch out for David slaying 'Giant'

Royals sweep Giants in series—in regular season, interleague series back in August, that is

Shawn Plank October 19, 2014

On Friday, Aug. 8, two teams that seemed destined to meet in the World Series began a regular season interleague series.

Yes, the Baltimore Orioles faced the St. Louis Cardinals. The Orioles, up five games in the American League East and the Cardinals, a game out in the National League Central.

Incidentally, two other teams faced each other in another interleague series beginning that night. But these were two ragtag teams struggling to hold on to their Wild Card spots, both in second place in their division. Few people were likely touting this as a possible World Series preview, few even could find intrigue in matching up two teams from different leagues with no trace of geographical or historical rivalry of any kind.

But it was on the schedule, so the San Francisco Giants traveled to Kansas City to face the Royals in a three-game series. A little more than two months later, these two unlikely teams have made their way to the World Series to face each other again.

The Royals swept the three-game series in August. Here is a series recap with Box-Toppers Players of the Game for each game:

Friday, Aug. 8: Royals 4, Giants 2

Player of the Game: Billy Butler of the Royals hit a home run and went 2-for-3, driving in three runs. Butler earned 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being Player of the Game and finished the season with 2.5 Box-Toppers points.

Madison Bumgarner was starting pitcher for the Giants and picked up the loss. He pitched a complete game (eight innings) and allowed seven hits and four runs, striking out five. Bumgarner finished the season with 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked third among all players, second among NL pitchers.

Complete Box-Toppers results for Aug. 8.

Saturday, Aug. 9: Royals 5, Giants 0

Player of the Game: Royals pitcher James Shields pitched a complete game shutout, allowing four hits and striking out five. Shields earned 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being Player of the Game and finished the season with 13.7 Box-Toppers points.

Giants pitcher Tim Hudson (6IP 6H 3R K) picked up the loss.

Complete Box-Toppers results for Aug. 9.

Sunday, Aug. 10: Royals 7, Giants 4

Player of the Game: Norichika Aoki of the Royals went 2-for-2, scoring twice and driving in a run. Aoki earned 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being Player of the Game and finished the season with 2.0 Box-Toppers points. Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum (3.1IP 7H 6R 2K) picked up the loss.

Complete Box-Toppers results for Aug. 10.

That same weekend, as mentioned previously, the Orioles and the Cardinals met—two teams that seemed more likely to go to the World Series, but two teams that would both go on to lose their league championship series. For what it’s worth, the Orioles took two out of three in that series.

Top player from each game

Here are the Players of the Game from each of the three games played between the Giants and Royals in August. The Royals swept the series, 3-0.

  
    Date
    Score
    Team
    Player of the Game
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    8/8
    3.0
    Royals
    Billy Butler   1B
    3
    1
    2
    3
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

    8/9
    9.0
    Royals
    James Shields (W, 11-6)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    9.0
    4
    0
    0
    1
    5
  

    8/10
    3.0
    Royals
    Norichika Aoki   RF
    2
    2
    2
    1
    2
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

Previously: Box-Toppers World Series preview: Giants have clear Box-Toppers advantage over Royals in World Series, but since 2014 is underdog year, watch out for David slaying 'Giant'

Giants have clear Box-Toppers advantage over Royals in World Series, but since 2014 is underdog year, watch out for David slaying 'Giant'

Shawn Plank October 18, 2014

The San Francisco Giants have the clear Box-Toppers advantage over the Kansas City Royals in the upcoming 2014 World Series.

Giants players accumulated more Box-Toppers points during the regular season and position-by-position match-ups tend to favor Giants in both batting and pitching.

But in a postseason dominated by underdog Davids beating baseball’s Goliaths, it would be folly to rule out the Royals slaying these Giants.

The best-of-seven game World Series begins Tuesday in Kansas City.

Both teams entered the postseason as Wild Cards with no division title. Both had to endure a one-game Wild Card playoff. Both went on to beat the top-seeded team in their league in their League Division Series. All around them, the mighty teams fell, leaving two final teams no one could have predicted.

The Giants have the fewest Box-Toppers points of any team to qualify to play in one of the National League Division Series—they are ranked eighth among all teams with 110.8 Box-Toppers points. The Royals have the fewest Box-Toppers points of any American League team to qualify for the playoffs—they are ranked 10th, with 101.1 Box-Toppers points.

With the downtrodden, underdog quality of both teams, it’s hard to cast the Giants as “Goliath.” If anything, the 2014 World Series between the Royals and Giants will not be a contest of David and Goliath, but one of David and a slightly-larger David.

But is it possible that in this topsy-turvy postseason that being the lesser team actually is the thing that gives a team the advantage? If so, then the Royals are bound to win. They are the bigger underdog, having not won a World Series since 1985 and have endured a playoff drought ever since. Meanwhile, the Giants win the Fall Classic every even-numbered year. (But the Royals bigger underdog status does have one flaw—they actually won more games during the regular season than did the Giants—89 to 88.)

The Royals may also have the advantage in the bullpen with three pitchers closing down teams at the end of playoff games. They may also have an advantage with speed on the bases and defense, factors Box-Toppers doesn’t directly measure.

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.

Matching up 15 key players against each other position-by-position, the Giants have the advantage in nine spots, the Royals only in six spots (the players with the advantage below are denoted with a checkmark in the “Adv” column). The Giants have the advantage in both batting and pitching. In the nine key batting positions, the Giants have the advantage in five spots, the Royals four. In six key pitching spots, the Giants have the advantage, 4-2.

When adding the Box-Toppers points of those 15 key players together, the Giants have the advantage over the Royals—92.1 Box-Toppers points to 83.1.

The Giants have two players who will be on Box-Toppers end-of-season NL All-Star team:

• Madison Bumgarner, starting pitcher, 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked third among all players and second among NL pitchers.

• Buster Posey, catcher, 8.5 Box-Toppers points, ranked second among NL batters.

The Royals have one player who will be on Box-Toppers end-of-season AL All-Star team:

• Wade Davis, middle relief pitcher, 7.0 Box-Toppers points, first among AL middle relievers.

We have taken some liberties with the “starting” players listed below. We’ve plugged Michael Morse into the designated hitter spot for the Giants (when they play in Kansas City) because he is the batter with the most regular season Box-Toppers points who hasn’t regularly started in postseason games. Tim Lincecum has not pitched yet this postseason and hasn’t started a game since August, but he is listed because he is still on postseason rosters and still has the second-most Box-Toppers points among Giants starters this season (he pitched a no-hitter on June 25). Sergio Romo is listed as closer for the Giants (even though Santiago Casilla has been closing games recently) because Romo has more Box-Toppers points.

World Series Game 1: Giants at Royals

The pitching matchup Tuesday:

Giants: Madison Bumgarner, 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked third among all players, second among NL pitchers.

Royals: James Shields, 13.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 22nd among all players, 11th among AL pitchers.

World Series player comparisons

Likely starting players for the Giants and Royals listed by position with their Box-Toppers point total (BTP) for the 2014 regular season and their overall player rank among all players. The column "Adv" shows which team's position player has a higher Box-Toppers player ranking.

  
    

    Giants
    BTP
    Rank
    Adv
    

    Royals
    BTP
    Rank
    Adv
  

    1B
    Brandon Belt
    2.0
    412
    
    
    Eric Hosmer
    2.5
    368
    ✓
  

    2B
    Joe Panik
    1.0
    701
    
    
    Omar Infante
    4.0
    243
    ✓
  

    SS
    Brandon Crawford
    3.0
    322
    
    
    Alicides Escboar
    5.0
    190
    ✓
  

    3B
    Pablo Sandoval
    4.5
    220
    ✓
    
    Mike Moustakas
    4.0
    251
    
  

    CA
    Buster Posey
    8.5
    76
    ✓
    
    Salvador Perez
    4.7
    210
    
  

    CF
    Gregor Blanco
    3.0
    346
    ✓
    
    Lorenzo Cain
    2.0
    421
    
  

    LF
    Travis Ishikawa
    1.0
    644
    
    
    Alex Gordon
    3.0
    203
    ✓
  

    RF
    Hunter Pence
    2.5
    367
    ✓
    
    Norichika Aoki
    2.0
    443
    
  

    DH
    Michael Morse
    6.5
    144
    ✓
    
    Billy Butler
    2.5
    365
    
  

    SP
    Madison Bumgarner
    22.6
    3
    ✓
    
    James Shields
    13.7
    22
    
  

    SP
    Tim Lincecum
    10.4
    54
    ✓
    
    Danny Duffy
    10.0
    58
    
  

    SP
    Tim Hudson
    8.7
    71
    ✓
    
    Yordano Ventura
    8.7
    75
    
  

    SP
    Ryan Vogelsong
    8.7
    74
    ✓
    
    Jason Vargas
    7.0
    107
    
  

    CP
    Sergio Romo
    4.0
    242
    
    
    Greg Holland
    7.0
    106
    ✓
  

    PI
    Jake Peavy
    5.7
    165
    
    
    Jeremy Guthrie
    7.0
    113
    ✓
  

Travis Ishikawa, with 3-run homer to win NL pennant for Giants, tops players for Thursday, Oct. 16

Shawn Plank October 17, 2014

Travis Ishikawa’s three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth Thursday sent the San Francisco Giants to the World Series and made Ishikawa Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Ishikawa’s walk-off blast gave the Giants a 6-3 win over the Cardinals in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. The Giants won the best-of-five game series 4-1 and advance to the World Series. Game 1 will be Tuesday in Kansas City against the American League champion Royals.

Ishikawa, who went 1-for-3 with the run and three RBIs, had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Giants player of +2.

During the regular season, Ishikawa had 1.0 Box-Toppers point, ranked 644th among all players and 159th among NL batters.

While Ishikawa only earned Player of the Game honors once during the season (on Aug. 20), he has earned Player of the Game honors twice during the postseason, both times in the NLCS and previously just two days ago, when he was Player of the Game in the Giants’ Game 3 win.

The Giants were ranked eighth in Box-Toppers team rankings during the regular season. Giants players accumulated 110.8 Box-Toppers points. The Cardinals were ranked fifth with 114.8 Box-Toppers points.

The Giants were the lowest-ranked of four NL teams qualifying for the NL Division Series. In the World Series, they will face the lowest-ranked American League team to qualify for the playoffs—the Kansas City Royals, ranked 10th in Box-Toppers team rankings with 101.1 Box-Toppers points.

The starting pitchers in Game 5, Madison Bumgarner of the Giants and Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals, were the final two players in Box-Toppers player rankings top 10 who were still active in the playoffs.

Bumgarner (22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked third) had a Box-Toppers game score Thursday of 0. He gave up three runs and five hits over eight innings, striking out five and walking two. He earned a no decision.

Wainwright (18.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked eighth) had a Box-Toppers game score of +4. He gave up two runs and four hits over seven innings, striking out seven and walking two. He earned a no decision—however, when he exited the game, the Cardinals had a 3-2 lead.

Top player from each game

Players of the Game (POG) listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score

  
    1015
    Score
    Team
    Player of the Game
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    2.0
    Giants
    Travis Ishikawa   LF
    3
    1
    1
    3
    1
    1
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

Giants' Petit, Royals' Vargas top players for Wednesday, Oct. 15; Royals advance to World Series

Shawn Plank October 16, 2014

Yusmeiro Petit shut down the Cardinals in innings four, five and six, winning Game 4 of the National League Championship Series for the Giants and earning Box-Toppers Player of the Day honors for Wednesday.

Petit pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit, one walk and striking out four in the Giants’ 6-4 win over the Cardinals. The Giants take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven game series.

Petit, who entered the game with the Giants trailing 4-3, picked up the win after the Giants took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning. He had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Giants player of 5.0.

During the regular season, Petit, normally a starter, had 4.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 247th among all players, 78th among NL pitchers.

ALCS Game 4, Royals win series over Orioles, 4-0

The Kansas City Royals are returning to the World Series for the first time in 29 years. Jason Vargas, who started and won the game Wednesday to secure the AL pennant for the Royals, is Box-Toppers.com Player of the Game.

Vargas gave up one run over 5 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and striking out six in the 2-1 win over the Orioles. He was top player in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series which the Royals won four games to zero.

Vargas had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Royals player of 4.1.

During the regular season, Vargas had 7.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 107th among all players, 38th among AL pitchers.

The Royals are 10th in Box-Toppers team rankings with 101.1 Box-Toppers points. They sweep the Orioles, ranked sixth with 113.4 Box-Toppers points.

The Royals have also won eight straight consecutive postseason games and a different player has earned Player of the Game honors in each of the wins:

• Sept. 30, AL Wild Card Game: Eric Hosmer

• Oct. 2, AL Division Series Game 1: Greg Holland

• Oct. 3, ALDS Game 2: Yordano Ventura

• Oct. 5, ALDS Game 3: Norichika Aoki

• Oct. 10, AL Championship Series Game 1: Wade Davis

• Oct. 11, ALCS Game 2: Lorenzo Cain

• Oct. 14, ALCS Game 3: Kelvin Herrera

• Oct. 15, ALCS Game 4: Jason Vargas

The Royals await the winner of the NL pennant in the World Series. Game 1 is Tuesday, Oct. 21, in Kansas City.

Coming Thursday:

NLCS Game 5: Giants lead Cardinals, 3-1

In Box-Toppers player rankings top 10 list, only two players remain active in the postseason—Adam Wainwright and Madison Bumgarner. They face each other again Thursday. In their previous match-up in Game 1 of the NLCS on Oct. 11, the Giants won the game and Bumgarner was Box-Toppers Player of the Day:

Cardinals: Adam Wainwright, 18.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked eighth among all players, fourth among NL pitchers.

Giants: Madison Bumgarner, 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked 3rd overall, 2nd among NL pitchers.

Top player from each game

Players of the Game (POG) listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score

  
    1014
    Score
    Team
    Player of the Game
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    5.0
    Giants
    Yusmeiro Petit (W, 2-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    3.0
    1
    0
    0
    1
    4
  

    POG
    4.1
    Royals
    Jason Vargas (W, 1-0)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    5.1
    2
    1
    1
    3
    6
  

Royals' Herrera, Giants' Ishikawa top players in LCS games, Tuesday, Oct. 14

Shawn Plank October 15, 2014

Kelvin Herrera, who pitched a perfect seventh inning in relief for the Royals in their Game 3 American League Championship Series win over the Orioles, is Box-Toppers.com Player of the Day for Tuesday.

Herrera struck out two in one scoreless inning in the 2-1 win, as the Royals took a three games to zero lead over the Orioles in the best-of-seven game ALCS.

Herrera, who held the lead for the Royals, is an unconventional player to earn Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors—he did not pick up a win or a save and pitched only one inning. He had a Box-Toppers game score of 3.0, the highest of any Royals player Tuesday.

Normally, a pitcher without a win or a save who pitched fewer than three innings is not even considered for Player of the Game. But they can win the honor if they pitch the same or more innings as the pitcher who otherwise would earn Player of the Game honors and have a higher Box-Toppers game score.

In this game, Jason Frasor, who pitched the sixth inning for the Royals and earned the win (because the Royals scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth) would normally be Player of the Game with a Box-Toppers game score of +1. But two other players who also pitched one inning actually had higher Box-Toppers game scores—Wade Davis, who pitched the eighth inning, struck out one and held the lead, had a Box-Toppers game score of +2. And Herrera, Player of the Game, had a game score of +3.

No Royals batter had a positive Box-Toppers game score in the low-scoring contest. The highest score was Jarrod Dyson’s, who had a Box-Toppers game score of 0—he went 0-for-1 with a run.

Three Royals relievers have earned Player of the Game honors so far during the postseason. Previously, closer Greg Holland was Player of the Game in the ALDS Game 1 on Oct. 2. Wade Davis was Player of the Day in the ALCS Game 1 on Oct. 10.

Herrera had 2.0 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, ranking 439th among all players and 114th among AL pitchers.

NLCS Game 3: Giants 5, Cardinals 4

Travis Ishikawa drove in three runs on a first inning double and is Box-Toppers.com Player of the Game in the Giants’ National League Championship Series Game 3 win over the Cardinals.

Ishikawa went 1-for-3, driving in three runs, in the 5-4, 10-inning win over the Cardinals, as the Giants take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven game series. He had a Box-Toppers game score of +1.

Giants reliever Santiago Casilla (1IP 1K) actually had a higher Box-Toppers game score than Ishikawa of +2. However, because Casilla pitched fewer than three innings and did not earn the win or save, the only way he could be considered for Player of the Game is if he had a higher Box-Toppers game score and the same or more innings pitched as a pitcher who otherwise would have earned Player of the Game.

During the regular season, Ishikawa had 1.0 Box-Toppers point, ranked 644th among all players and 159th among NL batters.

Coming Wednesday:

ALCS Game 4: Royals lead Orioles, 3-0

The pitching matchup Wednesday:

Orioles: Miguel Gonzalez, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 70th among all players, 31st among AL pitchers.

Royals: Jason Vargas, 7.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 107th among all players, 38th among AL pitchers.

NLCS Game 4: Giants lead Cardinals, 2-1

The pitching matchup Wednesday:

Cardinals: Shelby Miller, 9.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 64th among all players, 30th among NL pitchers.

Giants: Ryan Vogelsong, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 74th among all players, 36th among NL pitchers.

Top player from each game

Players of the Game (POG) listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score

  
    1013
    Score
    Team
    Player of the Game
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    3.0
    `Royals
    Kelvin Herrera (H, 1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    1.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    2
  

    POG
    1.0
    Giants
    Travis Ishikawa   LF
    3
    0
    1
    3
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.

Rain was top player for Monday, Oct. 13; LCS Game 3s on tap for Tuesday

Shawn Plank October 14, 2014

Rain was Monday’s Player of the Day, postponing the American League Championship Series Game 3 in Kansas City with the Orioles against the Royals.

There are two league championship series games Tuesday:

NLCS Game 3, Cardinals at Giants, series tied 1-1

The pitching matchup Tuesday:

Cardinals: John Lackey, 10.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 50th among all players, 24th among NL pitchers.

Giants: Tim Hudson, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 71st among all players, 34th among NL pitchers.

ALCS Game 3, Royals lead Orioles, 2-0

The pitching matchup Tuesday:

Orioles: Wei-Yin Chen, 6.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 131st among all players, 50th among AL pitchers.

Royals: Jeremy Guthrie, 7.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 113rd among all players, 40th among AL pitchers.

Cardinals' Oscar Taveras tops players in NLCS Game 2, Sunday, Oct. 12

Shawn Plank October 13, 2014

Oscar Taveras hit a pinch-hit, seventh-inning homer for the Cardinals to tie the National League Championship Series Game 2 against the Giants at 3-3 and is Box-Toppers.com Player of the Day for Sunday.

The Cardinals went on to win the game 5-4 on a walk-off homer by Kolten Wong in the bottom of the ninth, tying the best-of-seven game series with the Giants, 1-1.

Taveras hit the solo home run in his only at bat, going 1-for-1 with a run and an RBI, giving him a Box-Toppers game score of +2, the highest of any Cardinals player.

During the regular season he had 1.0 Box-Toppers point, ranking 719th among all players, 173rd among NL batters.

Wong, who hit the walk-off homer, had a Box-Toppers game score of 0—he went 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI.

The series resumes Tuesday in San Francisco.

Coming Monday:

ALCS Game 3, Royals lead Orioles, 2-0

The pitching matchup Monday:

Orioles: Wei-Yin Chen, 6.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 131st among all players, 50th among AL pitchers.

Royals: Jeremy Guthrie, 7.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 113rd among all players, 40th among AL pitchers.

Top player from each game

Players of the Game (POG) listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score

  
    1012
    Score
    Team
    Player of the Game
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    2.0
    Cardinals
    Oscar Taveras   PH
    1
    1
    1
    1
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

Giants' Bumgarner, Royals' Cain top players in LCS games, Saturday, Oct. 11

Shawn Plank October 12, 2014

Madison Bumgarner pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings, leading the Giants to a Game 1 National League Championship Series win over the Cardinals and earning Box-Toppers.com Player of the Day honors for Saturday.

Bumgarner struck out seven and allowed four hits in the 3-0 win as the Giants take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven game series. Bumgarner had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Giants player of +9.2.

During the regular season, Bumgarner had 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked third among all players, second among NL pitchers.

Bumgarner is the first player to earn Player of the Game honors for a second time during this postseason. He was also Player of the Day on Oct. 1 in the Giants’ NL Wild Card win over the Pirates.

Bumgarner outdueled Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright, who picked up the loss. Wainwright gave up three runs (two earned) and six hits over 4 2/3 innings, striking out two. He had a Box-Toppers game score of −7.8. During the regular season, Wainwright had 18.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked eighth among all players, fourth among NL pitchers.

ALCS Game 2: Royals 6, Orioles 4

Lorenzo Cain went 4-for-5 to earn Player of the Game honors Saturday in the Royals win over the Orioles in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.

Cain also doubled, scored twice and drove in a run in the 6-4 win. He had the Royals’ high Box-Toppers game score of +2.

During the regular season, Cain had 2.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 421st among all players and 107th among AL batters.

The Royals take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven game series. Game 3 is Monday in Kansas City.

Coming Sunday:

NLCS Game 2, Giants lead Cardinals, 1-0

The pitching matchup Sunday:

Giants: Jake Peavy, 5.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 165th among all players, 58th among NL pitchers.

Cardinals: Lance Lynn, 10.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 48th among all players, 22nd among NL pitchers.

Top player from each game

Players of the Game (POG) listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score

  
    1011
    Score
    Team
    Player of the Game
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    BB
    K
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    9.2
    Giants
    Madison Bumgarner (W, 2-1)
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    
    7.2
    4
    0
    0
    1
    7
  

    POG
    2.0
    Royals
    Lorenzo Cain   CF, RF
    5
    2
    4
    1
    0
    0
    
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
    -
  

Royals' Wade Davis tops players in ALCS Game 1, Friday, Oct. 10

Shawn Plank October 11, 2014

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:

ALCS Game 2, Royals lead Orioles, 1-0

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.

NLCS Game 1, Giants at Cardinals

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.

Top player from each game

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
  

NLCS Preview: Cardinals have slight Box-Toppers points edge, but Giants have 2 of NL's top stars

Shawn Plank October 10, 2014

The St. Louis Cardinals are fifth in Box-Toppers team rankings, the highest-ranked team remaining in the playoffs. That would seem to give them the advantage as they take on the eighth-ranked San Francisco Giants in the National League Championship Series.

But the Giants can lay claim to two of the league’s top players—pitcher Madison Bumgarner (22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked third among all players and second among NL pitchers) and catcher Buster Posey (8.5 Box-Toppers points, ranked second among NL batters). The best-of-seven game NLCS begins Saturday in St. Louis.

Cardinals players accumulated more Box-Toppers points than the Giants during the regular season—114.8 vs. 110.8. (Team rankings report.)

Both the Cardinals and Giants will have two players each on Box-Toppers end-of-season NL All-Star team. Bumgarner and Posey are the Giants’ All-Stars—Posey led NL catchers in Box-Toppers points and Bumgarner was second among NL pitchers. Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright (18.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked fourth among NL pitchers) and Matt Holliday (7.5 points, ranked third among NL outfielders) will also be on Box-Toppers NL All-Star team.

Matching up the eight prospective starting batters on each team position-by-position, the teams are evenly split—both have the advantage in four positions. However, the Giants may have the advantage from the bench. Their top batter who has not started recently is Mike Morse, who has 6.5 Box-Toppers points.

Matching up pitchers from highest to lowest Box-Toppers points, the Giants have the advantage matching up Bumgarner’s 22.6 Box-Toppers points against anyone, including Wainwright and his 18.7. But after that, the Cardinals have the advantage matching up the remaining three starting pitchers, the closing pitchers and the next highest-rated pitcher. We’ve listed Sergio Romo as the closer for the Giants (even though Santiago Casilla has been closing games recently) because Romo has more Box-Toppers points.

Adding up Box-Toppers points for the eight batters and six pitchers listed below, the Cardinals have the slight point total advantage—85.8 Box-Toppers points vs. 85.6.

The Giants had the largest opening day payroll of the four playoff teams remaining, $154 million, ranked seventh among all teams. The Cardinals had an opening day payroll of $111 million, ranked 13th, above both American League Championship Series teams (Orioles, 15th and the Royals, 19th).

NLCS Game 1, Giants at Cardinals

Both teams will start their aces 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.

NL Championship Series player comparisons

Likely starting players for the Giants and Cardinals listed by position with their Box-Toppers point total (BTP) for the 2014 regular season and their overall player rank among all players

  
    Pos
    Giants
    BTP
    Rank
    
    Cardinals
    BTP
    Rank
  

    1B
    Brandon Belt
    2.0
    412
    
    Matt Adams
    1.0
    530
  

    2B
    Joe Panik
    1.0
    701
    
    Kolten Wong
    5.5
    182
  

    SS
    Brandon Crawford
    3.0
    322
    
    Jhonny Peralta
    6.0
    112
  

    3B
    Pablo Sandoval
    4.5
    220
    
    Matt Carpenter
    2.0
    407
  

    CA
    Buster Posey
    8.5
    76
    
    Yadier Molina
    0
    754
  

    CF
    Gregor Blanco
    3.0
    346
    
    Jon Jay
    3.0
    314
  

    LF
    Travis Ishikawa
    1.0
    644
    
    Matt Holliday
    7.5
    97
  

    RF
    Hunter Pence
    2.5
    367
    
    Randal Grichuk
    -*
    -*
  

    SP
    Madison Bumgarner
    22.6
    3
    
    Adam Wainwright
    18.7
    8
  

    SP
    Tim Lincecum
    10.4
    54
    
    Lance Lynn
    10.7
    48
  

    SP
    Tim Hudson
    8.7
    71
    
    John Lackey
    10.7
    50
  

    SP
    Ryan Vogelsong
    8.7
    74
    
    Shelby Miller
    9.0
    64
  

    CP
    Sergio Romo
    4.0
    242
    
    Trevor Rosenthal
    5.0
    187
  

    PI
    Jake Peavy
    5.7
    165
    
    Justin Masterson
    6.7
    124
  

* Randal Grichuk has yet to earn Player of the Game honors and has not made his Box-Toppers debut. He made his Major League debut April 28 and played in 47 regular season games.

Box-Toppers Player of the Game for each 2014 postseason game

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Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Top 4 players in World Series Game 7

World Series Game 7: Giants at Royals, series tied 3-3

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Top 7 players in World Series Game 6

End-of-season 2014 Box-Toppers All-Star teams

World Series Game 6: Giants lead Royals, 3-2

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Top 5 players in World Series Game 5

World Series Game 5: Royals at Giants, series tied 2-2

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Top 7 players in World Series Game 4

World Series Game 4: Royals lead Giants, 2-1

Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Top 5 players in World Series Game 3

World Series Game 3: Royals at Giants, series tied, 1-1

Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Top 6 players in World Series Game 2

World Series Game 2: Giants lead Royals, 1-0

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Top 6 players in World Series Game 1

Previous Box-Toppers 2014 World Series previews:

Friday, Aug. 8: Royals 4, Giants 2

Saturday, Aug. 9: Royals 5, Giants 0

Sunday, Aug. 10: Royals 7, Giants 4

Top player from each game

World Series Game 1: Giants at Royals

World Series player comparisons

Top player from each game

ALCS Game 4, Royals win series over Orioles, 4-0

NLCS Game 5: Giants lead Cardinals, 3-1

Top player from each game

NLCS Game 3: Giants 5, Cardinals 4

ALCS Game 4: Royals lead Orioles, 3-0

NLCS Game 4: Giants lead Cardinals, 2-1

Top player from each game

NLCS Game 3, Cardinals at Giants, series tied 1-1

ALCS Game 3, Royals lead Orioles, 2-0

ALCS Game 3, Royals lead Orioles, 2-0

Top player from each game

ALCS Game 2: Royals 6, Orioles 4

NLCS Game 2, Giants lead Cardinals, 1-0

Top player from each game

ALCS Game 2, Royals lead Orioles, 1-0

NLCS Game 1, Giants at Cardinals

Top player from each game

NLCS Game 1, Giants at Cardinals

NL Championship Series player comparisons

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.