How did baseball’s statistical leaders do in Box-Toppers points in 2015?
As usual, leaders in pitching statistical categories in general did better than leaders in batting statistical categories.
Stat leaders’ Box-Toppers points
Here are leaders in seven key statistical categories for the 2015 baseball season and how they fared in Box-Toppers points (BTP). Rank shows each player’s standing among all players in Box-Toppers points.| Batting average | ||||
| Leader | Team | Avg. | BTP | Rank |
| Miguel Cabrera | Tigers | .338 | 4.7 | 201 |
| Home runs | ||||
| Leader | Team | HR | BTP | Rank |
| Chris Davis | Orioles | 47 | 11.0 | 36 |
| Runs batted in | ||||
| Leader | Team | RBI | BTP | Rank |
| Nolan Arenado | Rockies | 130 | 8.5 | 69 |
| Earned run average | ||||
| Leader | Team | ERA | BTP | Rank |
| Zack Greinke | Dodgers | 1.66 | 20.7 | 7 |
| Wins | ||||
| Leader | Team | W | BTP | Rank |
| Jake Arrieta | Cubs | 22 | 29.1 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | ||||
| Leader | Team | K | BTP | Rank |
| Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | 301 | 25.7 | 2 |
| Wins above replacement | ||||
| Leader | Team | WAR | BTP | Rank |
| Bryce Harper | Nationals | 9.9 | 9.0 | 63 |
The leaders in the three exclusively pitching statistical categories were among the top 10 overall in Box-Toppers player rankings. However, none of the four batters leading statistical categories were among the top 10 overall players and only one—home run leader Chris Davis of the Orioles—was among the top 10 overall batters. With 11.0 Box-Toppers points, Davis ranked sixth among all batters.
Box-Toppers overall top-ranked player Jake Arrieta of the Cubs (29.1 Box-Toppers points) led all players in wins (22). Arrieta ranked second in earned run average (1.77) and sixth in strikeouts (236).
Box-Toppers overall top-ranked batter Adrian Beltre of the Rangers (12.5 Box-Toppers points) did not rank first in any key batting statistical category. He ranked 40th in batting average (.287), tied for 73rd in home runs (18) and 40th in runs batted in (83).
Here is a look at the leaders in each statistical category:
Batting average
Only three of the top 10 players in batting average for 2015 are among Box-Toppers’ top 100 players.
Having a high batting average does not often translate into a high Box-Toppers point total.
This year’s overall leader in batting average, Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers, hit .338. But he slumped in Box-Toppers points in 2015, with only 4.7, down from 12.5 in 2014. Though he had a high batting average, Cabrera did not play in many games (119), did not hit for his usual power (18 homers and 76 RBIs), plus the Tigers did not win as many games (74). His 4.7 Box-Toppers points for 2015 ranks 201st among all players and 40th among AL batters.
More details on batting average leaders, including how the top 10 fared in Box-Toppers points.
Home runs
Chris Davis of the Orioles led all players in home runs in 2015 and was among top American League batters in Box-Toppers points.
Davis hit 47 home runs and earned 11.0 Box-Toppers points, ranking fourth among AL batters and 36th among all players.
In general, this year’s top home run hitters did well in Box-Toppers points in 2015. Of the top 10 home run hitters, eight of them were also among their league’s top 10-ranked batters in Box-Toppers points.
More details on home run leaders, including how the top 10 fared in Box-Toppers points.
Runs batted in
Most of baseball’s top 10 leaders in runs batted in are also among their league’s top 10 batters in Box-Toppers points.
Seven of the top 10 players with the most RBIs are among the top 10 batters in Box-Toppers points in the American or National League.
Baseball’s overall leader in RBIs is Nolan Arenado of the Rockies (130) who ranks 10th among NL batters in Box-Toppers points (8.5). He ranks 69th among all players.
More details on runs batted in leaders, including how the top 10 fared in Box-Toppers points.
Earned run average
Zack Greinke of the Dodgers had the lowest earned run average of any pitcher in 2015 and finished seventh in Box-Toppers player rankings.
For the most part, ERA leaders correlated well with Box-Toppers points leaders. Of the 10 players with the lowest ERA, nine of them are among Box-Toppers top 20 players
Greinke led pitchers with an ERA of 1.66. He had 20.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked seventh among all players and fifth among NL pitchers.
More details on earned run average leaders, including how the top 10 fared in Box-Toppers points.
Wins
Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta led all pitchers in wins in 2015 and also led all players in Box-Toppers points.
Arrieta had 22 wins and earned 29.1 Box-Toppers points.
In general, wins leaders did well in Box-Toppers points. The top 10 wins leaders are all among the top 100 players in Box-Toppers points for 2015. Seven of 10 of the top 10 were ranked among the top 10 pitchers in their league in Box-Toppers points.
More details on wins leaders, including how the top 10 fared in Box-Toppers points.
Strikeouts
Ten of the 11 leaders in strikeouts in 2015 were among the top 10-ranked pitchers in their league in Box-Toppers points.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw led all players in strikeouts with 301. He ranked second in Box-Toppers points in 2015 with 25.7.
More details on strikeout leaders, including how the top 10 fared in Box-Toppers points.
Wins above replacement
Leaders for the season in Box-Toppers points diverge from leaders in wins above replacement (WAR). Only four of Box-Toppers’ top 10 players appear among the top 10 in WAR. However, four batters in the WAR top 10 are among their league’s top 10 batters in Box-Toppers points.
Bryce Harper of the Nationals led players in WAR with 9.9. To put that in some context, Baseball Reference says a WAR of 8.0 or more is considered Most Valuable Player quality and a WAR of 5.0 or more is considered All-Star quality. Harper was voted National League MVP. He had a Box-Toppers point total of 9.0 for 2015, which ranked 63rd among all players and seventh among NL batters.
More details on wins above replacement leaders, including how the top 10 fared in Box-Toppers points.