Blog
The New York Yankees and New York Mets lead Box-Toppers offseason rankings after landing the winter’s two biggest free agents.
The Yankees rank first after Carlos Rodon Thursday agreed to a free agent deal. Rodon earned 19.8 Box-Toppers points in 2022 with the Giants, sixth overall and third among National League pitchers. He ranked second among all free agents going into the 2023 season.
Read MoreThe Box-Toppers All-Star teams for the 2022 regular season are led by overall Box-Toppers points leader, Astros pitcher Justin Verlander.
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.
Read MoreThe Los Angeles Dodgers lead Box-Toppers team rankings report for the second week.
Meanwhile, the Houston Astros rise to lead American League teams, passing the New York Yankees, who led AL teams for the past 13 weeks. Plus, the Atlanta Braves are the week’s hottest team, rising to second place overall.
Read MoreThe Los Angeles Dodgers rise past the New York Yankees to take the lead in Box-Toppers team rankings this week.
The Yankees, who led all teams for the previous seven weeks, remain in the lead of American League teams. Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs are the week’s hottest team.
Read MoreTrade deadline deals helped both the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres rise closer to the top of Box-Toppers team rankings this week.
But the top two spots in Box-Toppers team rankings remain the same with the New York Yankees in first place and the top National League team, the Los Angeles Dodgers in second.
Read MoreThe New York Yankees lead Box-Toppers weekly team rankings report for the fifth straight week.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the week’s hottest team, rise to lead National League teams.
Read MoreThe New York Yankees lead Box-Toppers weekly team rankings report for the third straight week and are also the week’s hottest team for the second straight week.
Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres lead National League teams for the second week in a row.
Read MoreThe Milwaukee Brewers maintain the lead in Box-Toppers weekly team rankings report for the second week.
Meanwhile, the New York Yankees remain top American League team and the Boston Red Sox are the week’s hottest team.
Read MoreThe Milwaukee Brewers regain the lead in Box-Toppers weekly team rankings report.
Meanwhile, the New York Yankees, last week’s overall leader, fall to second place, but still lead American League teams. Plus, the Boston Red Sox are the week’s hottest team.
Read MoreThe New York Yankees, the week’s hottest team, rise to lead Box-Toppers weekly team rankings report.
Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers, last week’s overall leader, fall to second place, but still lead National League teams.
Read MoreBox-Toppers picks the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the 2022 World Series, beating the predicted American League champion Chicago White Sox.
Box-Toppers projects the Dodgers will have the most wins among all teams—111—and will be the only team with more than 100 wins this season.
Read MoreRandy Johnson leads all players in career Box-Toppers points and the two active players most likely to pass his total won’t likely do it until 2023 at the very earliest.
Johnson earned 282.5 Box-Toppers points from the time Box-Toppers record keeping began in 1995 until he retired in 2009.
Read MoreDodgers pitcher Max Scherzer tops Box-Toppers list of the top 100 players of 2021.
Scherzer had 25.1 Box-Toppers points during the regular season. It is his fourth season with 25.0 or more Box-Toppers points. Only two other players have as many or more seasons with 25.0 or more points.
Read MoreAnalyzing 27 years of Box-Toppers points leaders among American League and National League pitchers and batters each season.
Read MoreThe Box-Toppers All-Star teams for the 2021 regular season are led by overall Box-Toppers points leader, Dodgers pitcher Max Scherzer.
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.
Read MoreAstros pitcher Luis Garcia is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Friday’s clinching American League Championship Series Game 6.
Garcia struck out seven over 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk, in the 5-0 win over the Red Sox. The Astros win the best-of-seven game series, 4-2, and advance to the World Series.
Read MoreChris Taylor of the Dodgers is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Thursday’s National League Championship Series Game 5.
Taylor hit three home runs and went 4-for-5, scoring three times and driving in six runs, in the 11-2 win over the Braves. The Dodgers trail the Braves in the best-of-seven game series, 3-2.
Taylor had a Box-Toppers game score Thursday of +8.0, best among Dodgers players. In the 2021 regular season, there were only eight instances of batters earning Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors with a higher game score, led by the +11.0 achieved by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. of the Blue Jays on Sept. 12 (2HR 2-3 5R 7BI).
Dodgers starting pitcher Joe Kelly had a Box-Toppers game score of -5.8 (0.2IP 2H 2R 0BB 0K ND). AJ Pollock of the Dodgers had a Box-Toppers game score of +5.0 (2HR 3-5 3R 4BI).
Braves starting pitcher Max Fried had a game score of -12.8 (4.2IP 8H 5R 2BB 3K L). Freddie Freeman of the Braves had a game score of 0.0 (HR 1-4 R 2BI).
Taylor earned 4.7 Box-Toppers points in the 2021 regular season, 203rd among all players and 34th among NL batters.
The series resumes with Game 6 in Atlanta on Saturday.
| BTG | Game | Player | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +8.0 | LAD 11, ATL 2 | Chris Taylor, 3B | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
Coming Friday:
The pitching matchup:
Red Sox—Nathan Eovaldi, 14.1 Box-Toppers points, 16th among all players, sixth among AL pitchers.
This is Eovaldi’s fifth appearance of the 2021 postseason. He was Player of the Game Oct. 5 in the AL Wild Card Game win over the Yankees. He also started Oct. 10 in the AL Division Series Game 3 win over the Rays, started Oct. 16 in the AL Championship Series win over the Astros and served as closer Oct. 19 in the ALCS loss to the Astros.
Astros—Luis Garcia, 10.0 Box-Toppers points, 49th among all players, 18th among AL pitchers.
This is Garcia’s third appearance of the 2021 postseason. He started Oct. 10 in the AL Division Series Game 3 loss to the White Sox and Oct. 16 in the AL Championship Series loss to the Red Sox.
Box-Toppers preview of the ALCS from Oct. 14
About Box-Toppers—Box-Toppers tracks who most helps their team win the most games. Using standard box score statistics, Box-Toppers uses a simple formula to determine a Player of the Game for each Major League Baseball game played. That player is the person who contributed most to his team’s win. In regular season games, players earn 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being named Player of the Game and can earn bonus points for being Player of the Day or top player or batter in their league for the day.
Box-Toppers strives for accuracy. See a mistake in a post? A wrong name, wrong team, grammar error, spelling goof, etc.? Thanks for pointing it out! Contact Box-Toppers here. Let's fix it and make it right.
Astros pitcher Framber Valdez and Eddie Rosario of the Braves are Box-Toppers Player of the Game winners in Wednesday’s two league championship series games.
Read MoreDodgers closing pitcher Kenley Jansen and Astros middle reliever Kendall Graveman are Box-Toppers Player of the Game winners in Tuesday’s two league championship series games.
Read MoreJ.D. Martinez of the Red Sox is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Monday’s American League Championship Series Game 3.
Martinez homered, doubled and went 2-for-3, scoring twice and driving in two runs, in the 12-3 win over the Astros. The Red Sox take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven game series.
Read MoreBox-Toppers tracks who most helps their team win the most games. Using standard box score statistics, Box-Toppers uses a simple formula to determine a Player of the Game for each Major League Baseball game played. That player is the person who contributed most to his team’s win. Players earn Box-Toppers points for being named Player of the Game and can earn bonus points for being Player of the Day or top player or batter in their league for the day.
