Alex Rodriguez led active players in career Box-Toppers points since 2011; Sabathia, Pujols are new active leaders

Alex Rodriguez led all active players in career Box-Toppers points and also led all batters in career points for more than five years.

All-time leaders: 4/2/2011

Here are Box-Toppers top 10 players since record keeping began in 1995 as of April 2, 2011, the day Alex Rodriguez became the active leader in career Box-Toppers points and the “all-time” leader among batters in career points:


Player Pos Team BTP
1 Randy Johnson pi sp retired 278.8
2 Pedro Martinez pi sp retired 244.8
3 Curt Schilling pi sp retired 194.1
4 Alex Rodriguez 3b nyy al 168.6
5 Manny Ramirez lf dh tb al 167.2
6 Roger Clemens pi sp retired 164.8
7 John Smoltz pi sp retired 160.9
8 Johan Santana pi sp nym nl 155.9
9 Mike Mussina pi sp retired 155.6
10 Barry Bonds lf retired 153.2

All-time leaders: 8/13/2016

Here are Box-Toppers top 10 players since record keeping began in 1995 as of Aug. 13, 2016, the day after Alex Rodriguez’s last game with the Yankees:


Player Pos Team BTP
1 Randy Johnson pi sp retired 278.8
2 Pedro Martinez pi sp retired 244.8
3 Curt Schilling pi sp retired 194.1
4 Alex Rodriguez dh released 187.0
5 CC Sabathia pi sp nyy al 182.0
6 Albert Pujols 1b dh ana al 181.3
7 Clayton Kershaw pi sp lad nl 179.3
8 Roy Halladay pi sp retired 170.7
9 Manny Ramirez lf dh retired 167.2
10 Johan Santana pi sp free agent 166.6

On April 2, 2011, Rodriguez of the Yankees passed Manny Ramirez of the Rays in career Box-Toppers points (168.6-167.2) to take the lead among active players in career points and the lead among all batters since 1995 (when Box-Toppers tracking began). He also rose to fourth place among all players, a spot he still occupies.

Ramirez retired only several days after he was passed by Rodriguez (though he likely had no idea A-Rod had just passed him in something called “Box-Toppers points”). Ramirez retired April 8, 2011, after failing a drug test. He eventually returned to baseball and served a suspension, but never played in the Major Leagues after that and still has the same 167.2-point total he had when A-Rod passed him.

Upon A-Rod’s release after his final game Friday with the Yankees, he is still leader among batters in career points since Box-Toppers tracking began in 1995 (187.0). Second place among batters is Albert Pujols of the Angels (181.3). Pujols now becomes the active leader in career points among batters.

A-Rod’s teammate, Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, now becomes the active player with the most Box-Toppers points (182.0). However, Sabathia’s lead is slim—he’s 0.7 points ahead of Pujols. Plus, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw is close behind with 179.3 career Box-Toppers points.

More on Alex Rodriguez's career viewed through Box-Toppers.

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.