Box-Toppers top second basemen by time frame (after 2017 season)

Here are the top second basemen in Box-Toppers points (BTP) over the past season (2017), the past two seasons (2016-17), the past six seasons (2012-17) and “all-time”—the past 23 seasons (since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began). For the most recent seasons, the top five second basemen in each league are shown. For the “all-time” rankings, the top five overall second basemen (including retired players) are shown at left and the top five active second basemen in career Box-Toppers points are shown at right. Some players played more than one position, but even if their primary position was not second base, they are listed here.
 

 American League National League
’17 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Ramirez, Jose 3436 3b 2b cle al 10.0 Gennett, Scooter 3254 2b cin nl 10.7
2 Odor, Rougned 3336 2b tex al 8.7 Murphy, Daniel 2589 2b dc nl 7.5
3 Schoop, Jonathan 3307 2b bal al 6.0 Dietrich, Derek 3199 3b lf 2b fla nl 5.5
4 Lowrie, Jed 2437 2b oak al 5.7 Baez, Javier 3395 2b 3b chi nl 5.2
5 Dozier, Brian 3219 2b min al 5.5 Valaika, Patrick 3793 ss 3b 2b ph col nl 5.2
American League National League
’16‑17 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Odor, Rougned 3336 2b tex al 15.2 Murphy, Daniel 2589 2b dc nl 15.0
2 Altuve, Jose 3007 2b hou al 15.0 Gennett, Scooter 3254 2b cin nl 13.2
3 Castro, Starlin 2767 2b nyy al 12.0 LeMahieu, DJ 3091 2b col nl 12.5
4 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 12.0 Carpenter, Matt 2987 3b 1b 2b stl nl 9.5
5 Ramirez, Jose 3436 3b 2b cle al 11.5 Panik, Joe 3401 2b sf nl 8.5
American League National League
’12‑17 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 41.5 Murphy, Daniel 2589 2b dc nl 36.0
2 Altuve, Jose 3007 2b hou al 31.5 Carpenter, Matt 2987 3b 1b 2b stl nl 29.5
3 Kinsler, Ian 2144 2b det al 29.5 LeMahieu, DJ 3091 2b col nl 25.5
4 Phillips, Brandon 1691 2b 3b ana al 26.2 Walker, Neil 2756 2b 1b mil nl 24.5
5 Kipnis, Jason 2933 2b cle al 21.5 Gennett, Scooter 3254 2b cin nl 22.2
All players (including retired) All active players
’95‑17 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 kent, jeff 2b Retired 109.7 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 79.4
2 Cano, Robinson 2092 2b sea al 79.4 Utley, Chase 1861 2b 1b ph lad nl 76.1
3 Utley, Chase 1861 2b 1b ph lad nl 76.1 Phillips, Brandon 1691 2b 3b ana al 66.6
4 Phillips, Brandon 1691 2b 3b ana al 66.6 Kinsler, Ian 2144 2b det al 63.6
5 boone, bret 2b Retired 65.7 Uggla, Dan 2158 2b Free agent 53.7
What are those numbers after players' names?
Active players are shown on the team with whom they finished the 2017 season.

Jeff Kent holds dominating lead in career Box-Toppers points among second basemen since tracking began in 1995

Jeff Kent has a dominating lead in Box-Toppers points among second basemen since tracking began in 1995.

Kent, who played from 1992 to 2008 primarily for the Giants, Dodgers, Mets, Astros and Blue Jays, earned 109.7 Box-Toppers points from 1995 to the end of his career—that’s 30.3 more points than the second-place second baseman since 1995, Robinson Cano of the Mariners (79.4).

And Kent’s large lead doesn’t even account for the fact that Box-Toppers did not track his first few seasons. If his entire career from 1992 were tracked, rough projections put his overall career Box-Toppers point total at 125.

Kent’s 109.7 career Box-Toppers points since 1995 ranks 58th among all players and 17th among all batters.

The chart above shows the top five second basemen over several time frames. For the past season (2017), past two seasons (2016-17) and past six seasons (2012-17) the top five second basemen in each league are shown. The top five overall second basemen since 1995 (including those who have retired) are shown at the bottom left in the chart. The top five active second basemen in career Box-Toppers points are shown at the bottom right.

Scooter Gennett of the Reds leads all second basemen over the past season (10.7 Box-Toppers points in 2017). He ranks second among National League second basemen over the past two seasons (13.2 points over 2016 and 2017).

Jose Ramirez of the Indians leads all American League second basemen over the past season (10.0 Box-Toppers points in 2017). He ranks fifth among AL second basemen over the past two seasons (11.5 points over 2016 and 2017). Ramirez earned Player of the Game honors eight times in 2017, four times as a third baseman and four times as a second basemen, so he is listed at both positions.

Rougned Odor of the Rangers leads all second basemen over the past two seasons (15.2 Box-Toppers points over 2016 and 2017). He ranks second among AL second basemen in 2017 (8.7).

Daniel Murphy of the Nationals leads all NL second basemen over both the past two seasons (15.0 Box-Toppers points over 2016 and 2017) and the past six seasons (36.0 points from 2012-2017). He ranked second among NL second basemen in 2017 (7.5).

Robinson Cano of the Mariners leads all second basemen over the past six seasons (41.5 Box-Toppers points from 2012-2017). He also leads in career points among active second basemen (79.4). Cano’s career total ranks second in Box-Toppers points among all second basemen since player tracking began in 1995, behind only Kent. Also, Cano ranks fourth among AL second basemen over the past two seasons (12.0 points in 2016 and 2017). Cano had 4.0 points in 2017 and ranked outside the top five AL second basemen for 2017.

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was voted AL Most Valuable Player in 2017, but only had 2.5 Box-Toppers points and ranked outside the top five AL second basemen, in 11th place. (Why AL MVP Altuve had so few Box-Toppers points in 2017.) However, Altuve did lead AL second basemen in Box-Toppers points in 2017 and so still ranks second among AL second basemen over the past two seasons (15.0 Box-Toppers points in 2016 and 2017, just 0.2 behind second base leader for the period, Rougned Odor). Altuve also ranks second among AL second basemen over the past six seasons (31.5 points from 2012-2017).

Of the top five second basemen in “all-time” career Box-Toppers points, two are retired and three are active. The two retired are:

  • “All-time” career leader Jeff Kent.
  • Bret Boone with 65.7 career points, ranked fifth among all second basemen since Box-Toppers tracking began in 1995.

The three active players are:

  • Robinson Cano of the Mariners, ranked second with 79.4 career points, first among active second basemen.
  • Chase Utley of the Dodgers, ranked third with 76.1 career points, second among active second basemen.
  • Brandon Phillips of the Angels, ranked fourth with 66.6 career points, third among active second basemen.

Of the top five active second basemen in career Box-Toppers points, four of the five played and earned Box-Toppers points in 2017 and one did not play. The top three—Cano, Utley and Phillips—all played and earned points, along with the fourth-ranked second basemen in career points, Ian Kinsler of the Tigers (63.6 points). Only fifth-ranked second basemen Dan Uggla (53.7 points) did not earn Box-Toppers points or play in 2017. Uggla, 37, is listed as a free agent but has not played since 2015 and last earned Box-Toppers points on April 28, 2015, when he played for the Nationals. Asdrubal Cabrera of the Mets ranks sixth in career points among active second basemen with 45.7.

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 (2017), past two seasons (2016-17), past six seasons (2012-17) and “all-time” (since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began):

  • First base: Miguel Cabrera leads all-time (career Box-Toppers points since 1995). He also leads all active first basemen in career points and leads all first basemen over the past six seasons. Anthony Rizzo leads past season.
  • Second base: Jeff Kent leads all-time. Scooter Gennett leads past season.
  • Shortstop: Miguel Tejada leads all-time over Derek Jeter. Elvis Andrus leads past season (and also past two seasons).
  • Third base: Alex Rodriguez leads all-time. Jose Ramirez leads past season.
  • Catcher: Mike Piazza leads all-time. Buster Posey leads past season (and also past two and past six seasons).
  • Outfield: Manny Ramirez leads all-time. Giancarlo Stanton leads past season (and also past two seasons).
  • Designated hitter: Albert Pujols leads all-time (and also leads active DHs in career points). Edwin Encarnacion leads past season (and also past two seasons and past six seasons).
  • Pitcher: Randy Johnson leads all-time. Clayton Kershaw leads active pitchers in career points (and also leads over past six seasons). Chris Sale leads past season. Max Scherzer leads past two seasons.
  • Closing pitcher: Trevor Hoffman leads all-time over all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera. Craig Kimbrel leads active closers in career points (and also leads over past two seasons and past six seasons). Edwin Diaz leads over past six seasons.
  • Overall: Johnson leads all players in Box-Toppers points since 1995. Kershaw leads active players in career points and also leads all players over the past six seasons. Chris Sale led players in 2017. Max Scherzer leads players over the past two seasons.