Ryan Braun, the top National League batter in Box-Toppers points over the past five seasons, has been suspended for the rest of the year by Major League Baseball under its performance-enhancing drug policy.
Braun was suspended Monday without pay and did not contest the suspension, which will run the final 65 games of the season and any postseason games that his team, the Milwaukee Brewers, may play in.
Braun has been one of the most productive players in Box-Toppers scoring in his seven seasons (see the chart below for season-by-season statistics and their context).
He has the most points among NL batters from 2008 to the present (63.0). He scored 10.0 or more points in five consecutive seasons (2008-2012) and was in the top 10 among NL batters each year. Last year, in 2012, he led all NL batters with 12.5 Box-Toppers points. Despite his time away this year with injury and bereavement leave, he is still in second place among NL batters in points since the start of the 2012 season (16.0).
Braun was named NL Most Valuable Player in 2011. He had 10.5 Box-Toppers points that year and was in sixth place among NL batters, behind category leader and then-Brewers teammate Prince Fielder, with 15.7 points.
Braun has led all NL outfielders in points for four straight seasons (from 2009-2012).
Braun has 68.2 career Box-Toppers points and ranks 146th among all players since Box-Toppers record-keeping began in 1995 (here is a recent look at the top 100 since 1995 ).
Ryan Braun Box-Toppers statistics
A season-by-season look at his numbers and their context
| YEAR | POS | TEAM | BTP | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 3b | mil nl | 5.2 | NL Rookie of the Year |
| 2008 | lf | mil nl | 11 | 9th among NL batters, 3rd among NL OF |
| 2009 | lf | mil nl | 10.5 | 5th among NL batters, 1st among NL OF |
| 2010 | lf | mil nl | 15 | 2nd among NL batters (Albert Pujols 15.4), 1st among NL OF |
| 2011 | lf | mil nl | 10.5 | 6th among NL batters (Prince Fielder had 15.7), 1st among NL OF, NL MVP |
| 2012 | lf | mil nl | 12.5 | 1st among NL batters, NL home run leader |
| 2013 | lf | mil nl | 3.5 | Ranked 164th overall as of 7/22, ranked 13th among NL OF as of 7/22 |
| TOTAL | 68.2 | Ranked 146th overall, ranked 32nd among OF | ||
| 2008-13 | 63 | Ranked 16th overall, ranked 1st among all NL batters, OF | ||
| 2012-13 | 16 | Ranked 41st overall, ranked 2nd among NL batters |
BTP: Box-Toppers points