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Here’s an overview of Box-Toppers point leaders for 2024. The chart shows:
• Overall top 10 leaders and top 10 pitchers and batters in the American and National leagues.
• Top batters by position—top 10 for outfielders and top five for other positions.
• The top 10 players with the biggest declines ("dippers") and increases ("risers") in points from 2023.
• Top relief pitchers, featuring the top five closing (CP) and middle relief (MR) pitchers in both leagues.
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Three players were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday—Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.
All three received the necessary 75 percent support of voters from the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). Box-Toppers supported Sabathia and Wagner in separate voting by the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA), but notably did not support Suzuki, who was a near-unanimous choice.
Read MoreBox-Toppers is voting for four players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the 2025 Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) ballot.
Box-Toppers is voting for these players: Felix Hernandez, Torii Hunter, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.
Notably, Box-Toppers is not voting for Ichiro Suzuki, who is on the Hall ballot for the first time for 2025. While Suzuki is expected to be a shoo-in for the Hall and to possibly be only the second player inducted on a unanimous vote, I devoted a previous post to why Box-Toppers doesn’t view him as a Hall of Famer. In addition, this post which will show how unfavorably he compares in Box-Toppers rankings to even this year’s Hall candidates, may even make a more stark case why I don’t see Suzuki as a Hall of Famer.
Read MoreCubs pitcher Shota Imanaga is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, pitching seven innings of a combined no-hitter, and rising to first place in season player rankings.
Imanaga and two Cubs relievers threw the combined no-hitter in the 12-0 win over the Pirates. Imanaga struck out seven over seven scoreless and hitless innings, allowing two walks. Imanaga faced 25 batters (two reached base on walks and two reached on errors) and threw 95 pitches.
Read MoreNationals pitcher DJ Herz is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Saturday, Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga rises to first place among National League pitchers in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors, rising to second place overall. In addition, Mariners pitcher George Kirby rises to fourth place overall in 2024 Box-Toppers points.
Read MoreGuardians pitcher Tanner Bibee is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to sixth place in season player rankings.
Also Friday, Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck rises to fourth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors. Plus, Aaron Judge of the Yankees rises to first place among American League batters in Box-Toppers rankings and Starling Marte of the Mets earns Box-Toppers points in his 13th consecutive season.
Read MoreRangers pitcher Cody Bradford is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Friday, Royals pitcher Brady Singer rises to first place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors. Plus, two players extend significant streaks of consecutive seasons earning Box-Toppers points after earning Player of the Game honors Friday—Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel (15 seasons) and Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola (10 seasons).
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Three players were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday, all of whom Box-Toppers supported for induction.
Adrian Beltre, Joe Mauer and Todd Helton all received the necessary 75 percent support of voters from the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA).
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Box-Toppers is voting for six players for 2024 Hall of Fame induction on the internet writers’ ballot—Adrián Beltré, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Torii Hunter, Joe Mauer and Billy Wagner.
Box-Toppers is voting for six players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the 2024 Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) ballot.
Box-Toppers is voting for these players, listed alphabetically by last name: Adrian Beltre, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Torii Hunter, Joe Mauer and Billy Wagner.
Read MoreBlue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Bassitt pitched a complete-game, two-hit shutout, striking out eight and walking two, in the 3-0 win over the Braves.
Read MoreThird baseman Scott Rolen was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday in his sixth year on the baseball writers’ ballot.
Box-Toppers did not vote Rolen for induction in a separate internet baseball writers ballot, favoring four other candidates who were not elected.
Read MoreHere is a detailed look at Box-Toppers point leaders for 2022.
The chart accompanying this post shows points leaders for the season by several different categories and classifications.
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Box-Toppers is voting for four players for 2023 Hall of Fame induction on the internet writers’ ballot—Todd Helton, Torii Hunter, Jeff Kent and Billy Wagner.
Box-Toppers is voting for four players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the 2023 Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) ballot.
Box-Toppers is voting for these players: Todd Helton, Torii Hunter, Jeff Kent and Billy Wagner.
Read MoreMariners pitcher George Kirby is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Kirby struck out eight over six innings, allowing one run, three hits and no walks, in the 3-1 win over the Braves.
Read MoreMets pitcher Jacob deGrom is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Wednesday, Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove rises to sixth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.
Read MoreRockies pitcher Austin Gomber is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Meanwhile, Ty France of the Mariners rises to eighth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning American League Batter of the Day honors.
Read MoreThough Box-Toppers would not have voted David Ortiz as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, it’s hard to argue that his performance on the field was not worthy.
Yet, several other candidates with Hall-of-Fame worthy careers were not voted for induction Tuesday because of their ties to the steroid era. In fact, it can be argued that righteous baseball writers did a noble thing Tuesday by blocking three such candidates—Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa—for their 10th and final time on the ballot.
Read MoreDavid Ortiz is the only player inducted into internet baseball writers’ Hall of Fame for 2022.
None of the nine candidates Box-Toppers voted for Hall induction received the necessary 75 percent support. And Box-Toppers also did not vote for Ortiz.
Read MoreHere is a detailed look at Box-Toppers point leaders for 2021.
The chart accompanying this post shows points leaders for the season by several different categories and classifications,
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.