Sixteen teams will make the postseason in 2020, rather than 10 under the previous plan. Eight qualifying teams in each league will be seeded from 1-8 and will faceoff in a best-of-three game Wild Card series played entirely at the home of the higher seed. Winners of the Wild Card will face off in the Division Series and the playoffs will proceed in a similar format to recent years.

Box-Toppers projects 2020 postseason as it expands to 16 teams

Shawn Plank July 29, 2020

One more revision for Box-Toppers postseason predictions now that the playoff format has expanded from 10 to 16 teams. While it provides six more postseason, it doesn’t change our pick of the Yankees over the Nationals in the World Series.

What would a 60-game schedule look like? Here's a Box-Toppers look at 2019 after 60 games on June 4

Shawn Plank July 3, 2020

Imagine a Major League Baseball season beginning normally in the spring and ending on June 4.

That’s what the proposed pandemic-shortened 60-game schedule for 2020 will seem like.

In 2019, most clubs had played at least 60 games by June 4. That was barely more than a third of the regular season’s 162 games (37 percent). But for 2020, if all goes according to plan and the coronavirus doesn’t intervene to cut it even shorter, 60 games will be the complete, entire season.

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’ 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.

World Series preview: In matchup of Box-Toppers’ top 2 teams, Astros hold advantages over Nationals

Shawn Plank October 22, 2019

Box-Toppers’ top two-ranked teams square off in the 2019 World Series. Both have three starting pitchers among the top 15 in Box-Toppers season player rankings.

And while the Washington Nationals are the best possible team to match up against the Houston Astros, Box-Toppers still gives the Astros a considerable edge.

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.

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.

Trade deadline deals help Astros rocket to huge lead in Box-Toppers team rankings

Shawn Plank August 2, 2019

The Houston Astros rocketed to a huge lead in Box-Toppers team rankings this week, mainly due to acquiring Zack Greinke and other players at the July 31 trade deadline.

The Astros lead for the second week, but last week’s narrow lead has exploded to an enormous lead this week, as they gained the most Box-Toppers points of any team in the past week.

Twins’ Jose Berrios tops players for Wednesday, July 31; Dodgers’ Ryu rises to 8th in player rankings

Shawn Plank August 1, 2019

Twins pitcher Jose Berrios is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Wednesday, Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu rises to eighth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.

Box-Toppers’ All-Stars: A look at B-T point leaders by position in each league

Shawn Plank June 14, 2019

With the first round of All-Star voting ending next week, here is a look at who is leading in Box-Toppers points at each position in both leagues.

Actually, because the 2019 season so far is a relatively small sample size—barely 40 percent complete—we’ll also look at top players since the start of the 2018 season.

Tampa Bay Rays maintain lead in Box-Toppers team rankings for 2nd week

Shawn Plank May 10, 2019

The Tampa Bay Rays maintain their lead in Box-Toppers weekly team rankings report for the second week.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers rise to lead National League teams and the Chicago Cubs are the week’s hottest team.

Tampa Bay Rays regain lead in Box-Toppers team rankings; Twins shoot to 2nd after hot week

Shawn Plank May 3, 2019

The Tampa Bay Rays regain the lead in Box-Toppers weekly team rankings report.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals rise to lead National League teams and the Minnesota Twins are the week’s hottest team.

Seattle Mariners regain Box-Toppers team rankings lead, Yankees make big jump after hot week

Shawn Plank April 26, 2019

The Seattle Mariners regain the lead in Box-Toppers team rankings report, rising to the top with a tiebreaking edge over last week’s leader, the Tampa Bay Rays.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks rise to lead National League teams and the New York Yankees are the week’s hottest team.

Yankees top Box-Toppers 2019 preseason team rankings; champion Red Sox fall to 2nd

Shawn Plank March 10, 2019

The New York Yankees are the top-ranked team in Box-Toppers’ 2019 preseason rankings, rising from second place at the end of the 2018 season.

The 2018 World Series-champion Boston Red Sox fall from first at the end of last season to second place in the 2019 preseason rankings.

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds made the biggest offseason improvement in players’ accumulated Box-Toppers points, while the Arizona Diamondbacks had the biggest decline.

A look at Box-Toppers' top 100 players for 2017-18 and 2013-18

Shawn Plank December 24, 2018

Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer is Box-Toppers’ top-ranked player over both the past two seasons and past six seasons.

Scherzer has the most Box-Toppers points over the past two seasons (50.1 over 2017 and 2018) and the most points over the past six seasons (137.0 from 2013 to 2018).

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

Shawn Plank November 3, 2018

Blake Snell tops Box-Toppers list of the top 100 players in 2018.

The Rays pitcher had 27.2 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, which is the 12th-highest single-season point total since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began.

Box-Toppers 2018 year-end All-Star teams

Shawn Plank October 30, 2018

The Box-Toppers All-Star teams for the 2018 regular season are led by overall Box-Toppers points leader, Rays pitcher Blake Snell.

The American League and National League All-Star teams are composed 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 and the top closing pitcher.

Colorado Rockies face the Chicago Cubs in NL Wild Card Game Tuesday

Shawn Plank October 2, 2018

The Colorado Rockies visit the Chicago Cubs in the National League one-game Wild Card playoff game Tuesday.

Red Sox finish 2018 atop Box-Toppers team rankings; Astros, Brewers finish season on hot streak

Shawn Plank October 1, 2018

The Boston Red Sox finish the season atop Box-Toppers team rankings, leading all teams for the ninth straight week.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers maintain their lead among National League teams as they and the Houston Astros were the hottest two teams of the season’s final 10 days.

Boston Red Sox maintain lead in Box-Toppers team rankings for eighth week

Shawn Plank September 21, 2018

The Boston Red Sox maintain their lead in Box-Toppers team rankings for the eighth straight week.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers maintain their lead among National League teams and the Los Angeles Dodgers are the hottest team of the past week.