Albert Pujols leads designated hitters in career Box-Toppers points

Albert Pujols of the Angels has the most Box-Toppers points of any designated hitter since tracking began in 1995.

Pujols, who has played from 2001 to the present for the Cardinals and the Angels, has 187.8 career Box-Toppers points. He also leads all active designated hitters in points.

Box-Toppers top designated hitters by time frame

Here are the top designated hitters 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 designated hitters in the American League are shown. (While National League players serve as designated hitters in interleague games, it’s generally not their primary position, so there are no separate standings for NL designated hitters.) For the “all-time” rankings, the top five overall designated hitters (including retired players) are shown at left and the top five active designated hitters in career Box-Toppers points are shown at right. Some players played more than one position, but even if their primary position was not designated hitter, they are listed here.
 

 American League
’17 Player Pos Team BTP
1 Encarnacion, Edwin 2098 dh 1b cle al 12.1
2 Healy, Ryon 3685 dh 1b oak al 9.7
3 Moss, Brandon 2520 dh kc al 7.5
4 Morales, Kendrys 2142 dh tor al 6.5
5 Choo, Shin-Soo 2267 rf dh tex al 6.0
American League
’16‑17 Player Pos Team BTP
1 Encarnacion, Edwin 2098 dh 1b cle al 20.1
2 Healy, Ryon 3685 dh 1b oak al 12.7
3 Morales, Kendrys 2142 dh tor al 15.0
4 Pujols, Albert 1438 dh ana al 13.5
5 Cruz, Nelson 2224 dh sea al 12.0
American League
’12‑17 Player Pos Team BTP
1 Encarnacion, Edwin 2098 dh 1b cle al 55.2
2 Pujols, Albert 1438 dh ana al 38.0
3 Holliday, Matt 1836 dh 1b lf nyy al 36.2
4 Cruz, Nelson 2224 dh sea al 33.0
5 Napoli, Mike 2161 dh 1b tex al 32.7
All players (including retired)
’95‑17 Player Pos Team BTP
1 Pujols, Albert 1438 dh ana al 187.8
2 thome, jim 1b dh Retired 146.7
3 Ortiz, David dh Retired 145.9
4 Beltran, Carlos 1194 dh hou al 108.6
5 thomas, frank dh 1b Retired 106.2
All active players
’95‑17 Player Pos Team BTP
1 Pujols, Albert 1438 dh ana al 187.8
2 Beltran, Carlos 1194 dh hou al 108.6
3 Holliday, Matt 1836 dh 1b lf nyy al 100.8
4 Encarnacion, Edwin 2098 dh 1b cle al 79.2
5 Martinez, Victor 1695 dh det al 73.1
What are those numbers after players' names?
Active players are shown on the team with whom they finished the 2017 season.

Meanwhile, Edwin Encarnacion of the Indians leads American League designated hitters in Box-Toppers points over the past season (12.1 in 2017), past two seasons (20.1 over 2016-17) and past six seasons (55.2 from 2012-17).

The chart adjacent to this post shows the top five designated hitters 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 American League designated hitters are shown. (While National League players serve as designated hitters in interleague games, it’s generally not their primary position, so there are no separate standings for NL designated hitters.) For the “all-time” rankings, the top five overall designated hitters (including retired players) are shown along with the top five active designated hitters in career Box-Toppers points.

While Pujols leads designated hitters in Box-Toppers points on both the “all-time” and active lists, he also ranks fourth among AL DHs over the past two seasons (13.5 over 2016-17) and second over the past six seasons (38.0 from 2012-17). Pujols had 5.5 Box-Toppers points in 2017 and ranked sixth among AL DHs, just outside the top five.

Pujols is listed as a designated hitter since that is the position he primarily played in 2017, including earning all five of his Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors at that spot. In recent years, he has increasingly played designated hitter. But early in his career—and especially with his first 11 seasons in the National League with the Cardinals—Pujols played first base. If Pujols’ career were to end today, Box-Toppers would classify him at first base, since that is the position he played the majority of his career.

During 2017, Pujols rose to first place in career Box-Toppers points among batters since 1995. Pujols’ 187.8 Box-Toppers points passed the previous leader, Alex Rodriguez, with 187.0. Pujols ranks sixth among all players in career points since 1995, when player tracking began.

Encarnacion, who leads designated hitters over the past season, past two seasons and past six seasons, ranks fourth among active designated hitters in career Box-Toppers points with 79.2.

Of the five designated hitters with the most career Box-Toppers points since 1995, two were active in 2017—Pujols and Carlos Beltran of the Astros. Beltran has 108.6 career Box-Toppers points, which ranks fourth among all designated hitters since 1995 and second among all active designated hitters. Beltran earned 3.7 Box-Toppers points in 2017.

But Beltran announced his retirement at the end of 2017. And since Beltran primarily played centerfield much of his career, he will be reclassified as an outfielder going forward and will not appear on future top five DH lists.

Of the top five active designated hitters with the most career Box-Toppers points, all five earned Box-Toppers points in 2017. Encarnacion earned the most (12.1) while Victor Martinez of the Tigers earned the fewest (1.0). Matt Holliday of the Yankees, ranked third among active DHs in career points (100.8) also ranks second among active first basemen in career points and first among active outfielders in career points.

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.