Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw takes the lead in Box-Toppers player rankings Saturday after earning Player of the Day honors.
Kershaw pitched seven shutout innings and struck out 10 in the 4-0 win over the Padres. He earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points, giving him 20.7 for the season, rising from third to first place in player rankings (see the top 10 list on the home page). Kershaw passes Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright (19.2 Box-Toppers points), who had led since Wednesday.
Kershaw is the first player this season to 20.0 Box-Toppers points (last year, three players broke 20.0). This is the third straight season Kershaw has earned 20.0 or more points (2011: 26.1, 2012: 20.8). Kershaw also broke 100.0 Box-Toppers points for his career. Since his debut in 2008, Kershaw has earned 101.1 Box-Toppers points and ranks 56th among all players since 1995 (when Box-Toppers record keeping began).
This is the third time Kershaw has led in Box-Toppers player rankings this season. He led briefly in April and again from Aug. 17 to Sept. 6.
Kershaw had a Box-Toppers game score of 12.0 Saturday, the same as Indians pitcher Scott Kazmir. Both Kershaw and Kazmir won their games, pitched seven innings and struck out 10. But Kershaw was given the nod as overall Player of the Day Saturday because he gave up fewer hits than Kazmir (three vs. four).
Kazmir is American League Player of the Day for his effort in the 4-1 win over the Astros. Kazmir earns 1.7 Box-Toppers points for AL Player of the Day, giving him 11.1 for the season, putting him in 40th place overall.
Alerto Callaspo of the Athletics is AL Batter of the Day. Callaspo homered, drove in three runs and went 4-for-5 in the 9-1 win over the Twins.
David Wright of the Mets is National League Batter of the Day. Wright homered and went 2-for-3 in the 5-4 win over the Phillies.
Notables: Two other players who earned Player of the Game honors Saturday are among the top 50 in Box-Toppers player rankings for the season:
- Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn rises to 15th place. He earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being Player of the Game (6.1IP 1R 7K W in the 7-2 win vs. Brewers), giving him 15.1 for the season.
- Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle rises to 48th place. He earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being Player of the Game (6IP 1R W in 4-2 win vs. Red Sox), giving him 10.4 for the season.
Coming Sunday: Two pitchers in Box-Toppers player rankings top 10 are scheduled to start Sunday:
- Zack Greinke of Dodgers is scheduled to start against the Padres. Greinke is ranked fourth in player rankings with 18.4 Box-Toppers points.
- Patrick Corbin of the Diamondbacks is scheduled to start against the Rockies. Corbin is ranked fifth in player rankings with 17.4 Box-Toppers points.
However, neither Greinke nor Corbin can catch the new leader Clayton Kershaw (20.7) Sunday, since the most they can earn is 2.0 Box-Toppers points. But both could put themselves in position to pass Kershaw if they have another start in the final week of the season.
Kershaw receives 2.0 Box-Toppers
points for being Player of the Day. Kazmir receives 1.7 for AL Player
of the Day. Callaspo and Wright each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.
All of Saturday's other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
Top player from each game
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 921 | Score | Team | BATTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | - | - | PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 12.0 | Dodgers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Clayton Kershaw (W, 15-9) | 7.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | ||
| AL | 12.0 | Indians | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Scott Kazmir (W, 9-9) | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 11.1 | Rays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Alex Cobb (W, 10-3) | 8.1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | |||
| 9.0 | Yankees | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ivan Nova (W, 9-5) | 9.0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | |||
| 8.0 | Pirates | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | A.J. Burnett (W, 9-11) | 7.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12 | |||
| 5.2 | `Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Rick Porcello | 6.2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | |||
| 5.0 | Rangers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Matt Garza (W, 4-5) | 8.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |||
| BAT | 4.0 | Athletics | Alberto Callaspo 2B | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 4.0 | Angels | Collin Cowgill LF | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 4.0 | Blue Jays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Mark Buehrle (W, 12-9) | 6.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | |||
| 4.0 | Cubs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Pedro Strop (S, 1) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||
| 3.1 | Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Lance Lynn (W, 14-10) | 6.1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | |||
| BAT | 2.0 | Mets | David Wright 3B | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1.0 | Diamondbacks | Matt Davidson 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.