Box-Toppers top pitchers by time frame

Here are the top pitchers 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 10 pitchers in each league are shown. For the “all-time” rankings, the top 10 overall pitchers (including retired players) are shown at left and the top 10 active pitchers in career Box-Toppers points are shown at right.


American League National League
2016 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Kluber, Corey 3200 pi sp cle al 21.2 Scherzer, Max 2588 pi sp dc nl 25.7
2 Hamels, Cole 2135 pi sp tex al 17.8 Kershaw, Clayton 2494 pi sp lad nl 24.4
3 Happ, J.A. 2536 pi sp tor al 14.7 Lester, Jon 2173 pi sp chi nl 22.1
4 Verlander, Justin 2112 pi sp det al 14.7 Syndergaard, Noah 3472 pi sp nym nl 16.7
5 Tanaka, Masahiro 3305 pi sp nyy al 14.1 Cueto, Johnny 2400 pi sp sf nl 16.4
6 Sale, Chris 2806 pi sp chi al 13.4 Arrieta, Jake 2738 pi sp chi nl 15.7
7 Fulmer, Michael 3640 pi sp det al 12.7 Strasburg, Stephen 2736 pi sp dc nl 15.1
8 Salazar, Danny 3223 pi sp cle al 12.5 Hill, Rich 2215 pi sp lad nl 14.4
9 Price, David 2593 pi sp bos al 12.4 Lackey, John 1640 pi sp chi nl 13.4
10 Carrasco, Carlos 2885 pi sp cle al 12.4 Hendricks, Kyle 3386 pi sp chi nl 13.4
American League National League
2015-16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Kluber, Corey 3200 pi sp cle al 34.6 Kershaw, Clayton 2494 pi sp lad nl 50.1
2 Price, David 2593 pi sp bos al 33.5 Scherzer, Max 2588 pi sp dc nl 46.7
3 Hamels, Cole 2135 pi sp tex al 33.2 Arrieta, Jake 2738 pi sp chi nl 44.8
4 Sale, Chris 2806 pi sp chi al 32.2 Lester, Jon 2173 pi sp chi nl 34.1
5 Carrasco, Carlos 2885 pi sp cle al 30.4 deGrom, Jacob 3343 pi sp nym nl 32.1
6 Keuchel, Dallas 3050 pi sp hou al 28.4 Greinke, Zack 1871 pi sp ari nl 30.4
7 Happ, J.A. 2536 pi sp tor al 27.8 Bumgarner, Madison 2753 pi sp sf nl 30.0
8 Salazar, Danny 3223 pi sp cle al 25.9 Cueto, Johnny 2400 pi sp sf nl 29.2
9 Hernandez, Felix 2064 pi sp sea al 25.4 Strasburg, Stephen 2736 pi sp dc nl 29.1
10 Archer, Chris 3194 pi sp tb al 25.0 Syndergaard, Noah 3472 pi sp nym nl 27.1
American League National League
2011-16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Hernandez, Felix 2064 pi sp sea al 91.4 Kershaw, Clayton 2494 pi sp lad nl 150.2
2 Price, David 2593 pi sp bos al 89.5 Scherzer, Max 2588 pi sp dc nl 111.3
3 Hamels, Cole 2135 pi sp tex al 84.8 Bumgarner, Madison 2753 pi sp sf nl 100.0
4 Sale, Chris 2806 pi sp chi al 84.4 Greinke, Zack 1871 pi sp ari nl 95.5
5 Verlander, Justin 2112 pi sp det al 84.3 Cueto, Johnny 2400 pi sp sf nl 80.4
6 Shields, James 2157 pi sp chi al 68.6 Lester, Jon 2173 pi sp chi nl 80.3
7 Weaver, Jered 2178 pi sp ana al 67.0 Strasburg, Stephen 2736 pi sp dc nl 75.2
8 Kluber, Corey 3200 pi sp cle al 65.4 Gonzalez, Gio 2626 pi sp dc nl 72.8
9 Liriano, Francisco 2104 pi sp tor al 63.4 Arrieta, Jake 2738 pi sp chi nl 72.5
10 Kennedy, Ian 2723 pi sp kc al 60.5 Wainwright, Adam 2150 pi sp stl nl 61.3
All players (including retired) All active players
’95-’16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Johnson, randy pi sp Retired 278.8 Sabathia, C.C. 1492 pi sp nyy al 185.0
2 Martinez, Pedro J. pi sp Retired 244.8 Kershaw, Clayton 2494 pi sp lad nl 183.7
3 schilling, curt pi sp Retired 194.1 Hernandez, Felix 2064 pi sp sea al 168.7
4 Sabathia, C.C. 1492 pi sp nyy al 185.0 Santana, Johan 1448 pi sp free agent 166.6
5 Kershaw, Clayton 2494 pi sp lad nl 183.7 Greinke, Zack 1871 pi sp ari nl 156.1
6 Halladay, Roy 1178 pi sp Retired 170.7 Colon, Bartolo pi sp nym nl 148.5
7 Hernandez, Felix 2064 pi sp sea al 168.7 Hamels, Cole 2135 pi sp tex al 144.0
8 Santana, Johan 1448 pi sp free agent 166.6 Lester, Jon 2173 pi sp chi nl 143.2
9 clemens, roger pi sp Retired 164.8 Peavy, Jake 1635 pi sp sf nl 141.8
10 smoltz, john pi sp Retired 160.9 Verlander, Justin 2112 pi sp det al 139.3
What are those numbers after players' names?
Active players are shown on the team with whom they finished the 2016 season.

Randy Johnson leads pitchers in career Box-Toppers points; Sabathia, Kershaw lead active pitchers in points

Randy Johnson has the most Box-Toppers points of any pitcher since tracking began in 1995.

Johnson, who played from 1988 to 2009 for the Mariners, Diamondbacks, Yankees, Giants, Expos and Astros, earned 278.8 Box-Toppers points from 1995 until he retired in 2009. He also leads all players in Box-Toppers points since 1995, ahead of the second-place player and second-place pitcher Pedro Martinez (244.8 Box-Toppers points).

Meanwhile, Max Scherzer of the Nationals led all pitchers in Box-Toppers points in 2016, Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers led all pitchers in points over both the past two and past six seasons and CC Sabathia holds a narrow lead over Kershaw among active pitchers in career points.

The chart above shows the top 10 pitchers over several time frames—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 10 pitchers in each league are shown. For the “all-time” rankings, the top 10 overall pitchers (including retired players) are shown at left and the top 10 active pitchers in career Box-Toppers points are shown at right.

Johnson holds the overall Box-Toppers points lead even though seven of his seasons were not tracked by Box-Toppers. If they had been, rough projections put his career Box-Toppers point total at about 380—more than 100 more than his 278.8 from 1995 to 2009.

In fact, Johnson’s lead in Box-Toppers points among pitchers would be even more dominating if other pitchers had their pre-1995 Box-Toppers point totals projected over their entire career. Benefitting most from the projection is Roger Clemens, who had 164.8 Box-Toppers points from 1995 to 2007. But if his entire career from 1984 were tracked, rough projections put his career total at 320. That would put him in second behind Johnson’s 380, still 60 points behind. 

Here are the top 10 pitchers with their projected career Box-Toppers point totals. To make this list, a pitcher needed to have at least 100 Box-Toppers points since 1995. So, for example, all-time greats like Walter Johnson or Nolan Ryan (who retired in 1993), are not included. Players with projected point totals are designated with an asterisk (*). Players without an asterisk have had their entire career tracked by Box-Toppers:

  1. Randy Johnson 380*
  2. Roger Clemens 320*
  3. Pedro Martinez 270*
  4. John Smoltz 255*
  5. Greg Maddux 250*
  6. Curt Schilling 232*
  7. Mike Mussina 193*
  8. CC Sabathia 185.0
  9. Clayton Kershaw 183.7
  10. Kevin Brown 180*

Players such as Martinez and Schilling dip in the overall rankings based on entire career projections, but players like Clemens, Smoltz, Maddux, Mussina and Brown rise in the overall rankings.

CC Sabathia

Sabathia of the Yankees leads all active pitchers in career Box-Toppers points with 185.0. But that is a very slim, 1.3-point lead over second-place active pitcher, Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers (183.7). It is likely Kershaw, who has earned 20 or more points each of the past six seasons, will pass Sabathia, who these days earns points sparingly, for the active lead in career points early in the 2017 season.

Sabathia also ranks fourth among all pitchers in Box-Toppers points since 1995.

Clayton Kershaw

Kershaw leads all pitchers in Box-Toppers points over the past two seasons (50.1 over 2015-16) and past six seasons (150.2 over 2011-16). He is a close second in career points among active pitchers (183.7, only 1.3 behind Sabathia) and was a close second this past season (with 24.4, behind Scherzer’s 25.7). Kershaw also ranks fifth in career points among all pitchers since 1995 (183.7). Kershaw appears in the most top 10 pitcher lists shown here, five.

Max Scherzer

Scherzer led all pitchers in Box-Toppers points in 2016 with 25.7. He also ranked second in points in both the past two seasons (46.7 over 2015-16) and past six seasons (111.3 over 2015-16). Scherzer ranks 11th among active pitchers in career points (131.7).

Corey Kluber

Kluber of the Indians led American League pitchers in Box-Toppers points in 2016 (21.2) and also led AL pitchers over the past two seasons (34.6 over 2015-16). Kluber ranked eighth among AL pitchers over the past six seasons (65.4 over 2011-16).

Felix Hernandez

Hernandez of the Mariners led AL pitchers over the past six seasons (91.4 Box-Toppers points over 2011-16). Hernandez also ranked ninth among AL pitchers over the past two seasons (25.4 over 2015-16), third among active pitchers in career points (168.7) and seventh among all pitchers in career points since 1995 (168.7).

Other notable pitchers:

  • Cole Hamels of the Rangers appears in four top 10 pitcher lists: He is second among AL pitchers over the past season (17.8 in 2016), third among AL pitchers over the past two seasons (33.2 over 2015-16), third among AL pitchers over the past six seasons (84.8 over 2011-16) and seventh among active pitchers in career points (144.0).
  • Jon Lester of the Cubs appears in four top 10 pitcher lists: He is third among NL pitchers over the past season (22.1 in 2016), fourth among NL pitchers over the past two seasons (34.1 over 2015-16), sixth among NL pitchers over the past six seasons (80.3 over 2011-16) and eighth among active pitchers in career points (143.2).
  • Justin Verlander of the Tigers appears in three top 10 pitcher lists: He is fourth among AL pitchers over the past season (14.7 in 2016), fifth among AL pitchers over the past six seasons (84.3 over 2011-16) and 10th among active pitchers in career points (139.3).
  • Chris Sale of the White Sox (who has since signed with the Red Sox for 2017) appears in three top 10 pitcher lists: He is sixth among AL pitchers over the past season (13.4 in 2016), fourth among AL pitchers over the past two seasons (32.2 over 2015-16) and fourth among AL pitchers over the past six seasons (84.4 over 2011-16).
  • David Price of the Red Sox appears in three top 10 pitcher lists: He is ninth among AL pitchers over the past season (12.4 in 2016), second among AL pitchers over the past two seasons (33.5 over 2015-16) and second among AL pitchers over the past six seasons (89.5 over 2011-16).
  • Johnny Cueto of the Giants appears in three top 10 pitcher lists: He is fifth among NL pitchers over the past season (16.4 in 2016), eighth among NL pitchers over the past two seasons (29.2 over 2015-16) and fifth among NL pitchers over the past six seasons (80.4 over 2011-16).
  • Jake Arrieta of the Cubs appears in three top 10 pitcher lists: He is sixth among NL pitchers over the past season (15.7 in 2016), third among NL pitchers over the past two seasons (44.8 over 2015-16) and ninth among NL pitchers over the past six seasons (72.5 over 2011-16).
  • Stephen Strasburg of the Nationals appears in three top 10 pitcher lists: He is seventh among NL pitchers over the past season (15.1 in 2016), ninth among NL pitchers over the past two seasons (29.1 over 2015-16) and seventh among NL pitchers over the past six seasons (75.2 over 2011-16).
  • Zack Greinke of the Diamondbacks appears in three top 10 pitcher lists: He is sixth among NL pitchers over the past two seasons (30.4 over 2015-16), fourth among NL pitchers over the past six seasons (95.5 over 2011-16) and fifth among active pitchers in career points (156.1).
  • Johan Santana, who last pitched in the Majors in 2012 for the Mets, is listed as a free agent still attempting a comeback and so is listed as an active player. So Santana’s 166.6 career Box-Toppers points ranks fourth among active pitchers and eighth among all pitchers since 1995. If Santana were excluded from the active pitchers’ list, the 11th-place active pitcher in career points, Max Scherzer (131.7), would rank 10th.

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.