Yankees top Box-Toppers 2020 preseason team rankings; champion Nationals rank 2nd

Shawn Plank March 9, 2020

The New York Yankees are the top-ranked team in Box-Toppers’ 2020 preseason rankings, rising from fifth place at the end of the 2019 season.

The 2019 World Series-champion Washington Nationals, ranked second at the end of 2019, maintain second place in the 2020 preseason rankings.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays made the biggest offseason improvement in players’ accumulated Box-Toppers points, while the Houston Astros—2019’s top-ranked team and American League champion—had the biggest decline.

A look at Box-Toppers season-by-season AL & NL pitching & batting leaders, 1995-2019

Shawn Plank March 4, 2020

Analyzing 25 years of Box-Toppers points leaders among American League and National League pitchers and batters each season.

A look at Box-Toppers’ top 100 players for 2018-19 and 2014-19

Shawn Plank February 11, 2020

Astros pitcher Justin Verlander is Box-Toppers’ top-ranked player over the past two seasons while Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer ranks first in points over the past six seasons.

Verlander earned 51.6 Box-Toppers points combined in 2018 and 2019 to lead all players in that span while Scherzer earned 134.3 points from 2014-2019, most in that span.

A look at Box-Toppers’ top 100 players for 2019

Shawn Plank January 13, 2020

Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole tops Box-Toppers list of the top 100 players in 2019.

Cole had 32.2 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, which is the fourth-highest single-season point total in the 25 seasons of Box-Toppers tracking, which began in 1995. It was 1.5 points short of the record, 33.7, set by Randy Johnson of the Diamondbacks in both 2000 and 2002.

ALCS Preview: Rocketing Astros face the rising, resilient, rehabilitating Yankees

Shawn Plank October 12, 2019

Do the New York Yankees even stand a chance facing the rocketing Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series?

Astros players accumulated by far the most Box-Toppers points of any team (158.1). The Yankees had 123.4 points, ranked fifth overall. The Astros top three pitchers are among Box-Toppers’ top-10 ranked players in 2019. Meanwhile, the Yankees top player, James Paxton (14.1 Box-Toppers points), ranks 19th overall.

Morton, Scherzer, Torres, Goldschmidt top players in Monday's four league division series games

Shawn Plank October 8, 2019

In four league division series playoff games Monday these are Box-Toppers Players of the Game:

Rays pitcher Charlie Morton, Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, Gleyber Torres of the Yankees and Paul Goldschmidt of the Cardinals.

Braves’ Mike Soroka, Dodgers’ Russell Martin top players in Sunday's pair of NLDS games

Shawn Plank October 7, 2019

Braves pitcher Mike Soroka and Russell Martin of the Dodgers are Sunday’s Box-Toppers top players in a pair of National League Division Series games.

Astros’ Gerrit Cole, Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka top players in Saturday's pair of ALDS games

Shawn Plank October 6, 2019

Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole and Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka are Saturday’s Box-Toppers top players in a pair of American League Division Series games.

Verlander, Strasburg among top players in Friday's four league division series games

Shawn Plank October 5, 2019

In four league division series playoff games Friday these are Box-Toppers Players of the Game: Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, Braves pitcher Mike Foltynewicz, Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, and DJ LeMahieu of the Yankees.

Box-Toppers’ AL Division Series previews: Rays vs. Astros, Twins vs. Yankees

Shawn Plank October 4, 2019

Both American League Division Series begin Friday.

The AL Wild Card champion Tampa Bay Rays face the AL West champion Houston Astros in one best-of-five game series and the AL Central champion Minnesota Twins take on the New York Yankees, champions of the AL East, in the other series.

Houston Astros finish 2019 with large lead in Box-Toppers team rankings

Shawn Plank September 30, 2019

The Houston Astros finish the 2019 season with a large lead in Box-Toppers team rankings.

The Astros lead the rankings for the 10th straight week, while the Washington Nationals continue to lead National League teams in the rankings and were the hottest team since the last rankings report Sept. 19.

Houston Astros maintain Box-Toppers team rankings for eighth straight week

Shawn Plank September 13, 2019

The Houston Astros maintain the lead in Box-Toppers team rankings, leading for the eighth straight week.

Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals maintain their lead among National League teams and the Milwaukee Brewers are the week’s hottest team.

Houston Astros regain lead in Box-Toppers team rankings, passing Dodgers

Shawn Plank July 26, 2019

The Houston Astros rise to regain the lead in Box-Toppers team rankings this week, passing the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had led for the past four weeks.

The Dodgers maintain their lead among National League teams, while the St. Louis Cardinals are the week’s hottest team.

Dodgers, Red Sox have most players—six–among Box-Toppers’ top 100 for 2019 at All-Star break

Shawn Plank July 9, 2019

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox have the most players—six each—among the top 100 in Box-Toppers’ 2019 player rankings at the All-Star break.

The Dodgers also are Box-Toppers’ top-ranked team going into the All-Star break, with its players accumulating 72.6 Box-Toppers points this season. The defending World Series champion Red Sox, while they have as many representatives among the top 100 players, rank lower—in 13th place overall, with 55.9 Box-Toppers points.

Los Angeles Dodgers maintain lead in Box-Toppers team rankings for third week

Shawn Plank July 8, 2019

The Los Angeles Dodgers maintain the lead in Box-Toppers team rankings for the third week.

Meanwhile, the Houston Astros regain the lead among American League teams and the Washington Nationals are the week’s hottest team going into the All-Star break.

Los Angeles Dodgers maintain lead in Box-Toppers team rankings for second week

Shawn Plank June 28, 2019

The Los Angeles Dodgers maintain the lead in Box-Toppers team rankings for the second week.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Twins pass the Houston Astros to lead American League teams and the Cleveland Indians are the week’s hottest team.

Houston Astros lead Box-Toppers team rankings for fifth straight week

Shawn Plank June 14, 2019

The Houston Astros maintain the lead in Box-Toppers weekly team rankings for the fifth straight week.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers maintain their lead among National League teams and the Atlanta Braves are the week’s hottest team.

Houston Astros lead Box-Toppers team rankings for fourth straight week

Shawn Plank June 7, 2019

The Houston Astros maintain the lead in Box-Toppers weekly team rankings for the fourth straight week and are the week’s hottest team.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers maintain their lead among National League teams.

Houston Astros top Box-Toppers team rankings for third straight week

Shawn Plank May 31, 2019

The Houston Astros maintain the lead in Box-Toppers weekly team rankings for the third straight week.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers maintain their lead among National League teams and the Tampa Bay Rays are the week’s hottest team.

Houston Astros maintain lead in Box-Toppers weekly team rankings report

Shawn Plank May 24, 2019

The Houston Astros maintain the lead in Box-Toppers weekly team rankings for the second week.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers maintain their lead among National League teams and the Miami Marlins are the week’s hottest team.