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

Here are the top third 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 third basemen in each league are shown. For the “all-time” rankings, the top five overall third basemen (including retired players) are shown at left and the top five active third 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 third 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 Arenado, Nolan 3306 3b col nl 9.2
2 Sano, Miguel 3527 3b min al 8.5 Shaw, Travis 3544 3b mil nl 8.0
3 Donaldson, Josh 3144 3b tor al 8.0 Rendon, Anthony 3258 3b dc nl 8.0
4 Machado, Manny 3087 3b bal al 7.0 Lamb, Jake 3517 3b ari nl 6.9
5 Gallo, Joey 3485 3b lf 1b tex al 6.5 Bryant, Kris 3465 3b chi nl 6.0
American League National League
’16‑17 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Machado, Manny 3087 3b bal al 19.7 Arenado, Nolan 3306 3b col nl 19.9
2 Donaldson, Josh 3144 3b tor al 17.7 Bryant, Kris 3465 3b chi nl 16.5
3 Beltre, Adrian 1141 3b tex al 14.0 Shaw, Travis 3544 3b mil nl 15.0
4 Ramirez, Jose 3436 3b 2b cle al 11.5 Rendon, Anthony 3258 3b dc nl 13.5
5 Sano, Miguel 3527 3b min al 11.5 Suarez, Eugenio 3355 3b cin nl 12.0
American League National League
’12‑17 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Beltre, Adrian 1141 3b tex al 47.9 Arenado, Nolan 3306 3b col nl 29.9
2 Donaldson, Josh 3144 3b tor al 47.6 Carpenter, Matt 2987 3b 1b 2b stl nl 29.5
3 Machado, Manny 3087 3b bal al 30.7 Bryant, Kris 3465 3b chi nl 25.0
4 Seager, Kyle 3031 3b sea al 30.5 Prado, Martin 2511 3b fla nl 20.5
5 Frazier, Todd 2929 3b nyy al 29.6 Freese, David 2710 3b pit nl 20.2
All players (including retired) All active players
’95‑17 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Rodriguez, Alex 3b Released 187.0 Beltre, Adrian 1141 3b tex al 115.8
2 jones, chipper 3b Retired 149.0 Wright, David 1911 3b nym nl 75.1
3 Beltre, Adrian 1141 3b tex al 115.8 Phillips, Brandon 1691 2b 3b ana al 66.6
4 Ramirez, Aramis 1364 3b Retired 105.8 Longoria, Evan 2423 3b tb al 49.0
5 Rolen, Scott 3b Retired 97.6 Uribe, Juan 1542 3b Free agent 47.7
What are those numbers after players' names?
Active players are shown on the team with whom they finished the 2017 season.

Alex Rodriguez leads third basemen in Box-Toppers points since 1995; Adrian Beltre leads all active third basemen

Alex Rodriguez has the most Box-Toppers points of any third baseman since tracking began in 1995.

Rodriguez, who played from 1994 to 2016 for the Yankees, Mariners and Rangers, earned 187.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked seventh among all players since 1995 and second among all batters. Rodriguez is 38.0 Box-Toppers points ahead of Chipper Jones, who ranks second among third basemen on the “all-time” career Box-Toppers points list with 149.0.

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

Rodriguez is listed as a third basemen, even though he also played shortstop and designated hitter at times during his career. However, third base was his primary position throughout most of his career. He earned Box-Toppers points primarily as a third baseman in 10 seasons, primarily at shortstop in eight seasons and primarily as a designated hitter in one.

Rodriguez’s playing career apparently ended Aug. 13, 2016, when he was released by the Yankees. However, Rodriguez, 42, has not officially announced his retirement and while it is possible he could resume his playing career elsewhere, it appears unlikely. Still, when he was released by the Yankees, Box-Toppers treated that as a retirement and he lost his status as the active player with the most Box-Toppers points. 

However, since Rodriguez was technically released and did not officially retire, we normally would list him among the top “active” third basemen—and until now, we have. But since he’s effectively retired, we’re going to exclude him from the list of top active third basemen. And moving forward in 2018, Box-Toppers will change his classification from “released” to “retired”—unless and until he actually attempts a comeback.

With A-Rod now out of the picture, the top active third baseman in Box-Toppers points is Adrian Beltre of the Rangers, who has 115.8 career Box-Toppers points. Beltre ranks third among all third basemen in career Box-Toppers points since 1995, when tracking began.

Beltre also leads all third basemen in Box-Toppers points over the past six seasons (47.9 over 2012-2017). He ranks third over the past two seasons (14.0 in 2016-17). Beltre had 4.5 points in 2017, outside the top five AL third basemen.

Jose Ramirez of the Indians led third basemen in Box-Toppers points in 2017 with 10.0. He also ranks fourth among AL third basemen over the past two seasons (11.5 in 2016 and 2017).

Nolan Arenado of the Rockies led National League third basemen in Box-Toppers points over the past season (9.2 in 2017), over the past two seasons (19.9 in 2016 and 2017) and over the past six seasons (29.9 from 2012 to 2017). 

Manny Machado leads AL third basemen in Box-Toppers points over the past two seasons (19.7 in 2016 and 2017). He also ranks fourth among AL third basemen this past season (7.0 in 2017) and third among AL third basemen over the past six seasons (30.7 from 2012-2017).

Of the five third basemen on Box-Toppers “all-time” top five in career points, four of them are retired or no longer active—Rodriguez, Chipper Jones (149.0), Aramis Ramirez (105.8) and Scott Rolen (97.6).

Of the five who lead active third basemen in career Box-Toppers points, four played during the 2017 season and three earned Box-Toppers points. Juan Uribe, 38, in fifth place with 47.7 Box-Toppers points is listed as a free agent, has not played since 2016 and appears to be retired, though no formal announcement has been detected. (Though if he is retired, his classification switches from third base to shortstop, the position he at which he earned the most Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors in his career.)

David Wright, 35, of the Mets, who ranked second among active third basemen in career Box-Toppers points (75.1), earned no Box-Toppers points in 2017 and played only 37 games, battling injuries. Wright has only earned 1.0 Box-Toppers point in the past three seasons (in 2016) and only 2.5 in the past four seasons.

The three other top five third basemen in active career Box-Toppers points each earned points in 2017, including Beltre, Brandon Phillips of the Reds (66.6 career points) and Evan Longoria of the Rays (49.0).

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.