Box-Toppers top shortstops by time frame

Here are the top shortstops in Box-Toppers points (BTP) over the past season (2016), the past two seasons (2015-16), the past six seasons (2011-16) and “all-time”—the past 22 seasons (since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began). For the most recent seasons, the top five shortstops in each league are shown. For the “all-time” rankings, the top five overall shortstops (including retired players) are shown at left and the top five active shortstops in career Box-Toppers points are shown at right. Some players played more than one position, but even if their primary position was not shortstop, they are listed here.


American League National League
2016 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Machado, Manny 3087 3b ss bal al 12.7 Story, Trevor 3607 ss col nl 6.5
2 Andrus, Elvis 2582 ss tex al 9.2 Nunez, Eduardo 2795 3b 2b ss sf nl 5.5
3 Correa, Carlos 3506 ss hou al 7.7 Diaz, Aledmys 3612 ss stl nl 5.5
4 Castro, Starlin 2767 2b ss nyy al 7.0 Perez, Hernan 3577 3b ss 2b mil nl 5.0
5 Lindor, Francisco 3586 ss cle al 7.0 Galvis, Freddy 3202 ss phi nl 4.0
American League National League
2015-16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Machado, Manny 3087 3b ss bal al 20.2 Galvis, Freddy 3202 ss phi nl 8.0
2 Correa, Carlos 3506 ss hou al 14.9 Nunez, Eduardo 2795 3b 2b ss sf nl 7.5
3 Castro, Starlin 2767 2b ss nyy al 11.5 Story, Trevor 3607 ss col nl 6.5
4 Andrus, Elvis 2582 ss tex al 9.2 Kang, Jung-Ho 3464 3b ss pit nl 6.5
5 Lindor, Francisco 3586 ss cle al 8.0 Espinosa, Danny 2804 ss 2b dc nl 6.2
American League National League
2011-16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Tulowitzki, Troy 2308 ss tor al 39.1 Cabrera, Asdrubal 2362 ss nym nl 26.7
2 Hardy, J.J. 2071 ss bal al 27.6 Crawford, Brandon 2878 ss sf nl 16.5
3 Castro, Starlin 2767 2b ss nyy al 24.5 Espinosa, Danny 2804 ss 2b dc nl 14.9
4 Machado, Manny 3087 3b ss bal al 23.7 Reyes, Jose 1759 3b ss nym nl 14.0
5 Ramirez, Alexei 2537 ss tb al 23.0 Nunez, Eduardo 2795 3b 2b ss sf nl 13.5
All players (including retired) All active players
95-’16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Tejada, Miguel ss Retired 102.3 Tulowitzki, Troy 2308 ss tor al 59.8
2 Jeter, derek ss Retired 76.4 Hardy, J.J. 2071 ss bal al 54.8
3 Garciaparra, Nomar ss Retired 74.9 Rollins, Jimmy 1516 ss Released 50.4
4 Young, Michael 1498 ss Retired 73.1 Cabrera, Asdrubal 2362 ss nym nl 42.7
5 Renteria, Edgar ss Retired 67.0 Peralta, Jhonny 1815 3b ss stl nl 39.4
What are those numbers after players' names?
Active players are shown on the team with whom they finished the 2016 season.

Miguel Tejada leads shortstops in career Box-Toppers points, though 2nd-place Derek Jeter seen as superior shortstop

Miguel Tejada has the most Box-Toppers points of any shortstop since tracking began in 1995.

Tejada, who played from 1997 to 2013 primarily for the Athletics and Orioles, but also for the Astros, Giants, Padres and Royals, earned 102.3 career Box-Toppers points.

That is 25.9 Box-Toppers points ahead of the second-place shortstop in career Box-Toppers points, Derek Jeter (76.4), who played for the Yankees from 1995 to 2014.

The chart above shows the top five shortstops over several time frames. For the past season (2016), past two seasons (2015-16) and past six seasons (2011-16) the top five shortstops in each league are shown. The top five overall shortstops since 1995 (including those who have retired) are shown at the bottom left in the chart. The top five active shortstops in career Box-Toppers points are shown at the bottom right.

The top five shortstops leading career Box-Toppers points (Tejada, Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra, Michael Young and Edgar Renteria) all began playing in 1995 or after, so their entire careers were tracked by Box-Toppers. In addition, all five of those players are now retired—the active shortstop with the most career Box-Toppers points, Troy Tulowitzki of the Blue Jays (59.8 points), ranks sixth among shortstops in Box-Toppers points since 1995.

Comparing Tejada & Jeter

Here is a season-by-season breakdown of Box-Toppers points (BTP) earned by Miguel Tejada and Derek Jeter over their careers.


Miguel
Tejada		 Derek
Jeter
Year Team BTP Team BTP
1995 nyy al 0.0
1996 nyy al†† 4.5
1997 oak al 2.0 nyy al 2.0
1998 oak al 5.0 nyy al 10.0
1999 oak al 11.0 nyy al 2.0
2000 oak al 9.2 nyy al 2.5
2001 oak al 10.5 nyy al 5.0
2002 oak al† 10.5 nyy al 5.0
2003 oak al 10.2 nyy al 2.5
2004 bal al 10.7 nyy al 8.7
2005 bal al 5.7 nyy al 4.0
2006 bal al 6.5 nyy al 6.7
2007 bal al 2.0 nyy al 7.0
2008 hou nl 5.0 nyy al 3.0
2009 hou nl 4.5 nyy al 1.0
2010 bal a//sd nl 6.5 nyy al 5.0
2011 sf nl 3.0 nyy al 4.5
2012 Inactive 0.0 nyy al 3.0
2013 kc al 0.0 nyy al 0.0
2014 nyy al 0.0
Career 102.3 76.4
† Tejada won American League Most Valuable Player honors in 2002.
†† Jeter won American League Rookie of the Year honors in 1996.

While Jeter is widely considered to be the superior shortstop during the era in which he played (and a sure-fire, first-ballot Hall of Famer when he is eligible in 2020), his Box-Toppers point total is lower—and considerably lower—than Tejada’s for a couple of reasons. First, Jeter tended to hit for less power than Tejada, hitting home runs and runs batted in less often. Tejada hit 100 or more RBIs in six seasons (including leading the American League in RBIs in 2004 with 150), while Jeter hit 100 or more just once (in 1999, he hit 102). Tejada hit 30 or more home runs in four seasons; Jeter never hit more than 24 in a season.

Jeter also played for better teams (playing in 16 postseasons and winning five World Series titles) with high quality players and had to compete with those teammates for Player of the Game honors. Among players who were Jeter’s Yankees teammates from 1996 to 2012 (when they made the postseason every year except 2008) and who rank higher than Jeter in career Box-Toppers points are:

  • Alex Rodriguez, who has 187.0 career Box-Toppers points, ranked fourth among all players.
  • CC Sabathia, 185.0 points, ranked fifth.
  • Roger Clemens, 164.8 points, ranked 12th.
  • Mike Mussina, 155.6 points, ranked 16th.
  • Andy Pettitte, 138.5 points, ranked 29th.
  • Jason Giambi, 133.4 points, ranked 30th.
  • Mariano Rivera, 126.4 points, ranked 37th.
  • Gary Sheffield, 124.1 points, ranked 38th.
  • Mark Teixeira, 101.3 points, ranked 70th.
  • Bobby Abreu, 95.5 points, ranked 86th.
  • Bernie Williams, 93.8 points, ranked 91st.
  • David Wells, 87.5 points, ranked 103rd.
  • Alfonso Soriano, 82.4 points, ranked 115th.
  • Tino Martinez, 81.4 points, ranked 117th.
  • Orlando Hernandez, 79.9 points, ranked 121st.
  • Jorge Posada, 79.5 points, ranked 124th.

Jeter may have had far more Box-Toppers points if he didn’t have to compete against these teammates for Player of the Game honors. Considering the talent on his team, it’s remarkable Jeter was able to earn as many Box-Toppers points as he did.

Tejada, by contrast, only played in the postseason four times with the Athletics from 2000 to 2003, losing each time in the AL Division Series, twice to Jeter’s Yankees and had fewer quality teammates to compete against to earn Player of the Game honors. Only three of his teammates from any of those seasons had more career Box-Toppers points than Tejada:

  • Tim Hudson, 157.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 14th.
  • Jason Giambi, 133.4 points, ranked 30th (who was later a teammate of Jeter’s).
  • Barry Zito, 117.4 points, ranked 42nd.

One other factor in Jeter’s favor and to Tejada’s detriment is that Tejada was associated with baseball’s performance enhancing drug scandal. Several times through his career he was linked to steroid use, including pleading guilty in 2009 of lying to Congress in 2005 about performance enhancing drug usage. In 2013, he was suspended 105 games for testing positive for amphetamines.

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Manny Machado of the Orioles leads all shortstops over the past season (12.7 Box-Toppers points in 2016) and over the past two seasons (20.2 points over 2015-16). Machado also ranks fourth among American League shortstops over the past six seasons (23.7 points over 2011-16).

Troy Tulowitzki of the Blue Jays leads all active shortstops in career Box-Toppers points (59.8, which is sixth-most among all shortstops since Box-Toppers tracking began in 1995). Tulowtizki also leads all shortstops over the past six seasons (39.1 points over 2011-16).

Trevor Story of the Rockies leads all National League shortstops over the past season (6.5 Box-Toppers points in 2016, sixth-most among all shortstops). Story, a rookie in 2016, also ranks third among NL shortstops over the past two seasons with the same 6.5 point total.

Freddy Galvis of the Phillies leads all NL shortstops over the past two seasons (8.0 Box-Toppers points in 2015-16). He also ranks fifth among NL shortstops over the past season (4.0 points in 2016).

Asdrubal Cabrera of the Mets leads all NL shortstops over the past six seasons (26.7 Box-Toppers points over 2011-16). Cabrera ranks third among active shortstops in career Box-Toppers points (42.7).

Jimmy Rolllins ranks third among active shortstops in career Box-Toppers points (50.4) even though he was released by the White Sox during the season. Rollins was signed by the Giants in the offseason.

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: 

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.