Box-Toppers points leader Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers, Tuesday’s Player of the Day, stays on track to break Randy Johnson’s record for most Box-Toppers points in a single season.
Kershaw struck out eight over eight innings, allowing one run and three hits, in the 4-1 win over the Nationals. He earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, giving him 27.8 for the season. He ranks first among all players this season. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.)
Most BTP single season
Randy Johnson is the all-time leader in Box-Toppers points in a single season—he scored 33.7 twice, in 2000 and 2002. Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers rose into the top 10 list for 2014 on Tuesday, he now has 27.8.| Rank | Player | Team | Pos | Year | BTP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2000 | 33.7 |
| 1 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2002 | 33.7 |
| 3 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 2000 | 33.5 |
| 4 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 1999 | 31.5 |
| 5 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 1999 | 31.4 |
| 6 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2001 | 29.4 |
| 7 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 2002 | 28.8 |
| 8 | Curt Schilling | Dbacks | pi sp | 2002 | 28.4 |
| 9 | *Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | pi sp | 2014 | 27.8 |
| 10 | Roger Clemens | Blue Jays | pi sp | 1997 | 27.4 |
| 11 | Johan Santana | Twins | pi sp | 2004 | 26.8 |
| 12 | Pedro Martinez | Expos | pi sp | 1997 | 26.7 |
| 12 | CC Sabathia | Indians/Brewers | pi sp | 2008 | 26.7 |
| 14 | Randy Johnson | Mariners/Astros | pi sp | 1998 | 26.4 |
| 15 | John Smoltz | Braves | pi sp | 1996 | 26.1 |
| 15 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | pi sp | 2011 | 26.1 |
| 17 | Roger Clemens | Blue Jays | pi sp | 1998 | 25.8 |
| 18 | Johan Santana | Twins | pi sp | 2006 | 25.7 |
| 19 | Cliff Lee | Phillies | pi sp | 2011 | 25.4 |
* Current season
BTP: Box-Toppers points
Kershaw is now within 5.9 Box-Toppers points of Johnson’s record of 33.7 he set with the Diamondbacks in both 2000 and 2002. Kershaw likely has three or four starts remaining. If he is Player of the Day in three upcoming starts, he would score 6.0 Box-Toppers points and pass Johnson with 33.8.
Kershaw’s 27.8 Box-Toppers points is now the ninth-highest single season total since record keeping began in 1995. He has the most points in a single season since 2002, when Johnson tied his record of 33.7 set in 2000. Also in 2002, Pedro Martinez of the Red Sox had 28.8 Box-Toppers points and Curt Schilling of the Diamondbacks had 28.4.
Kershaw also passed his career high for most Box-Toppers points in a season Tuesday—his previous high was 26.1, set in 2011. Kershaw has 129.9 career Box-Toppers points and ranks 24th on the “all-time” list, 16th among pitchers (record keeping began in 1995).
Previous post about Kershaw's chances for breaking Johnson's single-season record.
Orioles pitcher Bud Norris is American League Player of the Day. Norris pitched six scoreless innings and struck out seven in the 5-4 win over the Reds.
Buster Posey of the Giants is National League Batter of the Day. Posey homered, doubled twice and went 3-for-5, scoring three times and driving in four runs, in the 12-7 win over the Rockies.
Daniel Nava of the Red Sox is AL Batter of the Day. Nava homered and went 2-for-3, scoring twice and driving in three runs, in the 9-4 win over the Yankees.
Kershaw receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Norris receives 1.7 for AL Player of the Day. Posey and Nava each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.
All of Tuesday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
Box-Toppers watches the daily performances of selected star players and Box-Toppers points leaders. To see how they performed, click here.
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. Players earn Box-Toppers points 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.
Top player from each game
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 902 | Score | Team | Player | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 9.0 | Dodgers | Clayton Kershaw (W, 17-3) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | |
| AL | 8.0 | Orioles | Bud Norris (W, 12-8) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | |
| 6.0 | Phillies | Kyle Kendrick (W, 8-11) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | ||
| BAT | 5.0 | Giants | Buster Posey 1B | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 5.0 | Mets | Juan Lagares CF | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 5.0 | `Padres | Odrisamer Despaigne | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | ||
| BAT | 4.0 | Red Sox | Daniel Nava RF | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 4.0 | Blue Jays | R.A. Dickey (W, 11-12) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 3.1 | `Tigers | Kyle Lobstein | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5.1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 3.0 | Astros | Jose Altuve 2B | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 3.0 | White Sox | Tyler Flowers C | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 3.0 | Mariners | Endy Chavez RF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Cubs | Luis Valbuena 3B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Cardinals | Peter Bourjos CF | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Royals | Aaron Crow (S, 3) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.