American League | National League | ||||||||
2016 | Player | Pos | Team | BTP | Player | Pos | Team | BTP | |
1 | Altuve, Jose 3007 | 2b | hou al | 12.5 | Carpenter, Matt 2987 | 3b 1b 2b | stl nl | 9.5 | |
2 | Cano, Robinson 2092 | 2b | sea al | 8.0 | LeMahieu, DJ 3091 | 2b | col nl | 8.0 | |
3 | Castro, Starlin 2767 | 2b ss | nyy al | 7.0 | Murphy, Daniel 2589 | 2b | dc nl | 7.5 | |
4 | Odor, Rougned 3336 | 2b | tex al | 6.5 | Panik, Joe 3401 | 2b | sf nl | 5.5 | |
5 | Kinsler, Ian 2144 | 2b | det al | 6.0 | Nunez, Eduardo 2795 | 3b 2b ss | sf nl | 5.5 | |
American League | National League | ||||||||
2015-16 | Player | Pos | Team | BTP | Player | Pos | Team | BTP | |
1 | Altuve, Jose 3007 | 2b | hou al | 19.5 | Carpenter, Matt 2987 | 3b 1b 2b | stl nl | 15.0 | |
2 | Cano, Robinson 2092 | 2b | sea al | 14.5 | LeMahieu, DJ 3091 | 2b | col nl | 15.0 | |
3 | Kinsler, Ian 2144 | 2b | det al | 12.5 | Panik, Joe 3401 | 2b | sf nl | 9.5 | |
4 | Castro, Starlin 2767 | 2b ss | nyy al | 11.5 | Murphy, Daniel 2589 | 2b | dc nl | 9.0 | |
5 | Odor, Rougned 3336 | 2b | tex al | 9.5 | Kendrick, Howie 2191 | 2b lf 1b | lad nl | 8.0 | |
American League | National League | ||||||||
2011-16 | Player | Pos | Team | BTP | Player | Pos | Team | BTP | |
1 | Cano, Robinson 2092 | 2b | sea al | 43.5 | Murphy, Daniel 2589 | 2b | dc nl | 31.0 | |
2 | Kinsler, Ian 2144 | 2b | det al | 31.7 | Phillips, Brandon 1691 | 2b | cin nl | 30.2 | |
3 | Altuve, Jose 3007 | 2b | hou al | 29.0 | Carpenter, Matt 2987 | 3b 1b 2b | stl nl | 29.5 | |
4 | Pedroia, Dustin 2320 | 2b | bos al | 25.4 | Walker, Neil 2756 | 2b | nym nl | 25.0 | |
5 | Castro, Starlin 2767 | 2b ss | nyy al | 24.5 | Zobrist, Ben 2216 | 2b rf lf | chi nl | 23.0 | |
All players (including retired) | All active players | ||||||||
’95-’16 | Player | Pos | Team | BTP | Player | Pos | Team | BTP | |
1 | kent, jeff | 2b | Retired | 109.7 | Cano, Robinson 2092 | 2b | sea al | 75.4 | |
2 | Cano, Robinson 2092 | 2b | sea al | 75.4 | Utley, Chase 1861 | 2b | lad nl | 73.1 | |
3 | Utley, Chase 1861 | 2b | lad nl | 73.1 | Phillips, Brandon 1691 | 2b | cin nl | 64.1 | |
4 | boone, bret | 2b | Retired | 65.7 | Kinsler, Ian 2144 | 2b | det al | 62.1 | |
5 | durham, ray | 2b | Retired | 65.5 | Uggla, Dan 2158 | 2b | free agent | 53.7 |
Active players are shown on the team with whom they finished the 2016 season.
Jeff Kent holds dominating lead among second basemen in Box-Toppers points since 1995
Jeff Kent has a dominating lead in Box-Toppers points among second basemen since tracking began in 1995.
Kent, who played from 1992 to 2008 primarily for the Giants, Dodgers, Mets, Astros and Blue Jays, earned 109.7 Box-Toppers points from 1995 to the end of his career—that’s 34.3 more points than the second-place second baseman since 1995, Robinson Cano of the Mariners (75.4).
And Kent’s large lead doesn’t even account for the fact that Box-Toppers did not track his first few seasons. If his entire career from 1992 were tracked, rough projections put his overall career Box-Toppers point total at 125.
Kent’s 109.7 career Box-Toppers points since 1995 ranks 55th among all players and 17th among all batters.
The chart above shows the top five second basemen over several time frames. For the past season (2016), past two seasons (2015-16) and past six seasons (2011-16) the top five second basemen in each league are shown. The top five overall second basemen since 1995 (including those who have retired) are shown at the bottom left in the chart. The top five active second basemen in career Box-Toppers points are shown at the bottom right.
Jose Altuve of the Astros leads all first basemen over the past season (12.5 Box-Toppers points in 2016) and over the past two seasons (19.5 points over 2015-16). Altuve also ranks third among American League batters over the past six seasons (29.0 points over 2011-16).
Robinson Cano of the Mariners is the active leader in career Box-Toppers points with 75.4 (which puts him at second behind Kent among all players since 1995, including those who have retired). During 2016, Cano passed Chase Utley of the Dodgers to become the active career leader in Box-Toppers points among second basemen; Utley currently ranks second with 73.1 points. Cano also leads second basemen in Box-Toppers points over the past six seasons (43.5 over 2011-16).
Matt Carpenter of the Cardinals led National League second basemen in 2016 with 9.5 Box-Toppers points. He also led NL second basemen over the past two seasons with 15.0 points over 2015-16. Carpenter ranks third among NL second basemen over the past six seasons with 29.5 points over 2011-16. Box-Toppers qualifies Carpenter as a second baseman even though he split his time between first, second and third base in 2016, primarily playing third. In the nine games in which he earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors, he played third base in five, first base in three and second base in one. In the five seasons in which he’s earned Box-Toppers points, he was predominantly a second baseman in two of them.
Daniel Murphy of the Nationals leads NL second basemen over the past six seasons, with 31.0 Box-Toppers points over 2011-16, just ahead of Brandon Phillips of the Reds with 30.2. Murphy also ranks third among NL second basemen over the past season (7.5 Box-Toppers points in 2016) and fourth among NL second basemen over the past two seasons (9.0 points over 2015-16).
Ian Kinsler of the Tigers is listed in four of Box-Toppers rankings of second basemen. He is fifth among AL second basemen over the past season (6.0 Box-Toppers points in 2016), third among AL second basemen over the past two seasons (12.5 points over 2015-16), second among AL second basemen over the past six seasons (31.7 points over 2011-16) and fourth in career points among all active second basemen (62.1).
Dan Uggla is listed fifth among active second basemen in career Box-Toppers points (53.7) even though he was a free agent throughout 2016 and last earned Box-Toppers points on April 28, 2015, when he played for the Nationals.
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.
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Related:
- Top 100 players “all-time” (since 1995), past six seasons (2011-2016), past two seasons (2015-16) and past season (2016).
- Top 10 overall players, plus top 10 batters and pitchers “all-time” (since 1995).
- Top 10 overall players, plus top 10 batters and pitchers by league past six seasons (2011-2016), past two seasons (2015-16) and past season (2016).
Related Box-Toppers High by Position posts showing Box-Toppers points leaders by position over several time frames—past season (2016), past two seasons (2015-16), past six seasons (2011-16) and “all-time” (since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began):
- First base: Albert Pujols leads all-time, Miguel Cabrera leads past season and past six seasons.
- Second base: Jeff Kent leads all-time, Jose Altuve leads past season.
- Shortstop: Miguel Tejada leads all-time over Derek Jeter.
- Third base: Alex Rodriguez leads all-time, Manny Machado and Adrian Beltre lead in recent seasons.
- Catcher: Mike Piazza leads all-time, Brian McCann leads active catchers in career points.
- Outfield: Manny Ramirez leads all-time, Carlos Beltran leads active outfielders in career points, Mike Trout leads in recent seasons.
- Designated hitter: Albert Pujols leads all-time, Kendrys Morales and Edwin Encarnacion lead in recent seasons.
- Pitcher: Randy Johnson leads all-time, CC Sabathia and Clayton Kershaw lead active pitchers in career points.
- Closing pitcher: Trevor Hoffman leads all-time over all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera.