Cleveland Indians had most players—seven—among Box-Toppers’ top 100 at the All-Star break

(This post was edited Thursday, November 22, 2018, to correct an error in the Box-Toppers point total of Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom . During the 2018 season, an extra, unearned point was added to his total. There is more information about this at the bottom of the post.)

Top 100 players of 2018

Here are Box-Toppers Top 100 players of 2018 at the All-Star break (as of Wednesday, July 18), ranked by Box-Toppers points (BTP).
Click here to see Box-Toppers top 10 player rankings through the games of Monday, July 23

Player Pos Team BTP
1 Severino, Luis 3567 pi sp nyy al 16.7
2 Scherzer, Max 2588 pi sp dc nl 16.4
3 Berrios, Jose 3791 pi sp min al 15.1
4 Nola, Aaron 3569 pi sp phi nl 14.4
5 Paxton, James 3280 pi sp sea al 14.0
6 Sale, Chris 2806 pi sp bos al 13.7
7 Cole, Gerrit 3232 pi sp hou al 13.0
8 Snell, Blake 3688 pi sp tb al 12.7
9 Verlander, Justin 2112 pi sp hou al 12.4
10 Morton, Charlie 2503 pi sp hou al 11.8
11 Corbin, Patrick 3027 pi sp ari nl 11.0
12 Kluber, Corey 3200 pi sp cle al 10.7
13 McCullers, Lance 3488 pi sp hou al 10.7
14 Bauer, Trevor 3065 pi sp cle al 10.4
15 Rodriguez, Eduardo 3480 pi sp bos al 9.7
16 Pivetta, Nick 3825 pi sp phi nl 9.7
17 Teheran, Julio 3176 pi sp atl nl 9.7
18 Gonzales, Marco 3408 pi sp sea al 9.4
19 Greinke, Zack 1871 pi sp ari nl 9.0
20 Carrasco, Carlos 2885 pi sp cle al 8.7
21 Maeda, Kenta 3609 pi sp lad nl 8.7
22 Happ, J.A. 2536 pi sp tor al 8.7
23 Foltynewicz, Mike 3455 pi sp atl nl 8.7
24 Stripling, Ross 3629 pi sp lad nl 8.7
25 Martinez, J.D. 2922 lf dh rf bos al 8.5
26 deGrom, Jacob 3343 pi sp nym nl 8.4
27 Quintana, Jose 3040 pi sp chi nl 8.1
28 German, Domingo 3957 pi mr nyy al 8.0
29 Lindor, Francisco 3586 ss cle al 7.9
30 Manaea, Sean 3637 pi sp oak al 7.7
31 Gray, Jon 3634 pi sp col nl 7.7
32 Mikolas, Miles 3034 pi sp stl nl 7.7
33 Suarez, Eugenio 3355 3b cin nl 7.5
34 Crawford, Brandon 2878 ss sf nl 7.5
35 Betts, Mookie 3404 rf bos al 7.2
36 Mazara, Nomar 3614 rf tex al 7.0
37 Anderson, Tyler 3656 pi sp col nl 7.0
38 Trivino, Lou 3939 pi mr cp oak al 7.0
39 Bundy, Dylan 3655 pi sp bal al 6.7
40 Arrieta, Jake 2738 pi sp phi nl 6.7
41 Marquez, German 3788 pi sp col nl 6.7
42 Duffy, Danny 2915 pi sp kc al 6.7
43 Skaggs, Tyler 3183 pi sp ana al 6.7
44 Peralta, Freddy 3965 pi sp mil nl 6.7
45 Encarnacion, Edwin 2098 dh cle al 6.5
46 Rosario, Eddie 3542 lf min al 6.5
47 Haniger, Mitch 3772 rf sea al 6.5
48 Freeman, Freddie 2887 1b atl nl 6.5
49 Anderson, Brian W. 3954 rf fla nl 6.5
50 Hamels, Cole 2135 pi sp tex al 6.4
51 Taillon, Jameson 3658 pi sp pit nl 6.4
52 Price, David 2593 pi sp bos al 6.4
53 Newcomb, Sean 3831 pi sp atl nl 6.4
54 Sanchez, Anibal 2187 pi sp atl nl 6.4
55 Smith, Caleb 3952 pi sp fla nl 6.4
56 Buehler, Walker 3943 pi sp lad nl 6.1
57 Chacin, Jhoulys 2711 pi sp mil nl 6.0
58 Clevinger, Mike 3707 pi sp cle al 6.0
59 Kimbrel, Craig 2825 pi cp bos al 6.0
60 Gray, Sonny 3259 pi sp nyy al 6.0
61 Baez, Javier 3395 2b ss 3b chi nl 6.0
62 Reynolds, Mark 2297 1b 3b dc nl 6.0
63 Hand, Brad 2907 pi cp cle al 6.0
64 Ross, Tyson 2840 pi sp sd nl 6.0
65 Mahle, Tyler 3929 pi sp cin nl 6.0
66 Godley, Zack 3538 pi sp ari nl 5.7
67 Lester, Jon 2173 pi sp chi nl 5.7
68 Gonzalez, Gio 2626 pi sp dc nl 5.7
69 Hader, Josh 3881 pi cp mil nl 5.7
70 Velasquez, Vince 3611 pi sp phi nl 5.7
71 Eflin, Zach 3679 pi sp phi nl 5.7
72 Richards, Garrett 3042 pi sp ana al 5.7
73 Flaherty, Jack 3971 pi sp stl nl 5.7
74 Healy, Ryon 3685 1b sea al 5.5
75 Trout, Mike 2949 cf ana al 5.5
76 Peralta, David 3370 lf ari nl 5.5
77 Gardner, Brett 2486 cf lf nyy al 5.5
78 Winker, Jesse 3988 rf lf ph cin nl 5.5
79 Darvish, Yu 3003 pi sp chi nl 5.4
80 Ryu, Hyun-Jin 3139 pi sp lad nl 5.4
81 Hellickson, Jeremy 2778 pi sp dc nl 5.4
82 Stratton, Chris 3883 pi sp sf nl 5.4
83 Solarte, Yangervis 3304 3b tor al 5.2
84 Davidson, Matt 3292 dh 1b 3b chi al 5.2
85 Martinez, Carlos 3371 pi sp stl nl 5.0
86 Shaw, Travis 3544 3b mil nl 5.0
87 Choo, Shin-Soo 2267 dh tex al 5.0
88 Doolittle, Sean 3052 pi cp dc nl 5.0
89 Yelich, Christian 3334 rf lf cf mil nl 5.0
90 LeBlanc, Wade 2669 pi sp sea al 5.0
91 Mengden, Daniel 3741 pi sp oak al 5.0
92 Vazquez, Felipe 3579 pi cp pit nl 5.0
93 Martinez, Jose 3830 1b stl nl 5.0
94 Franco, Maikel 3510 3b phi nl 5.0
95 Segura, Jean 3173 ss sea al 5.0
96 Pederson, Joc 3621 lf cf lad nl 5.0
97 Treinen, Blake 3495 pi cp oak al 5.0
98 Guerra, Junior 3633 pi sp mil nl 5.0
99 Strasburg, Stephen 2736 pi sp dc nl 4.7
100 Tanaka, Masahiro 3305 pi sp nyy al 4.7
What are those numbers after players' names?
About Box-Toppers’ team abbreviations

The Cleveland Indians had the most players—seven–among the top 100 in Box-Toppers’ 2018 player rankings at the All-Star break.

Five teams were tied for the second-most players with six players each among the top 100—the Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners.

The Houston Astros, the top-ranked team in Box-Toppers rankings, had four players among the top 100.

The list is led by Yankees pitcher Luis Severino, who had 16.7 Box-Toppers points, ahead of Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, who led National League players with 16.4.

Yes, we are posting this in the week after the All-Star break and several players have risen and fallen in the top 100 since then, but this snapshot of how things stood during the break can be used to compare the top 100 players lists at the All-Star break for the previous three seasons.

Though the Indians had the most players among the top 100, they ranked fifth in Box-Toppers team rankings, with players collectively accumulating 67.9 Box-Toppers points this season. That also ranked fifth among American League teams.

Were it not for an All-Star break trade, the Indians would be in a six-way tie for first place with six players among the top 100. But during the break, the Indians acquired the season’s 63rd-ranked player, closing pitcher Brad Hand from the Padres. Hand has 6.0 Box-Toppers points in 2018.

Here are the seven Indians players in the All-Star break top 100, with their overall rank shown, their position and their season Box-Toppers point total:

The Astros, which led all teams in Box-Toppers season team rankings, had four players among the top 100 at the All-Star break, all of whom had more than 10.0 Box-Toppers points and ranked among the top 13 overall players:

Only one team did not have at least one representative among the top 100 players at the All-Star break—the Detroit Tigers. Their highest-ranked player is starting pitcher Mike Fiers , who had 4.0 Box-Toppers points, 126th among all players.

Most players in the top 100 are starting pitchers. Here is the position-by-position breakdown of players (if a player played more than one position, then their primary position—the one at which they most often earned Player of the Game honors—is used):

  • 65—Starting pitchers

  • 12—Outfielders

  • 6—Closing pitcher

  • 4—Third base

  • 4—First base

  • 3—Designated hitter

  • 3—Shortstop

  • 2—Middle reliever

  • 1—Second base

  • 0—Catcher

Compared to last year at the All-Star break, there are more pitchers in the top 100 and fewer batters. In 2018, there were 72 pitchers (64 starters, six closers and two middle relievers) and 28 batters. In 2017, there were 60 pitchers (55 starters, four closers and one middle reliever) and 40 batters.

There were more pitchers among the top 100 players at the All-Star break in 2015, when there were 74 pitchers (67 starters and seven closers).

At the All-Star break in 2016, there were 65 pitchers (64 starters and one closer).

As of the All-Star break, there were 579 different players who had earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors. There were 270 players who had more than 2.0 Box-Toppers points. There were 99 players who had made their Box-Toppers debut in 2018, the first time in their career they earned Player of the Game honors.

There are 11 players on the top 100 list who made their debut in 2018, including Yankees pitcher Domingo German, Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas, Athletics pitcher Lou Trivino , Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta, Brian Anderson of the Marlins, Marlins pitcher Caleb Smith, Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler, Reds pitcher Tyler Mahle, Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty, Jesse Winker of the Reds and Junior Guerra of the Brewers.

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.

Box-Toppers strives for accuracy. See a mistake in a post? A wrong name, wrong team, grammar error, spelling goof, etc.? Thanks for pointing it out! Contact Box-Toppers here. Let's fix it and make it right.

NOTE ABOUT JACOB DEGROM: After this post was published, Box-Toppers discovered an error: Jacob deGrom was credited with 1.0 more Box-Toppers point than he actually earned in 2018. This post has been changed to include deGrom’s actual Box-Toppers point total and player ranking position at the time of this post. Subtracting a point from deGrom’s season total meant he had 16.8 Box-Toppers points, rather than 17.8. Despite the change, he still finished third among National League pitchers. However, the change moves him from ninth place to 12th place in overall season player rankings, moving him out of the top 10 and keeping Yankees pitcher Luis Severino (17.7 points) in the top 10 for the season, in 10th place.

This is made all the more odd and awkward because the error was discovered while compiling the post about deGrom winning the NL Cy Young Award on Wednesday, Nov. 14. deGrom was the near-unanimous choice for the award, but even with his higher, incorrect Box-Toppers point total (17.8), Box-Toppers had him ranked third among NL pitchers, needing nearly 50 percent more points to catch the NL pitching leader, Max Scherzer of the Nationals (25.1).

My post was about how Scherzer was more deserving of the award than the widely acclaimed deGrom because Scherzer actually helped his team win more games. Despite deGrom’s great performances, the Mets lost most of the games he pitched. Since winning is the name of the game and since Box-Toppers points are only awarded in wins, deGrom’s point total was far lower—but it was still remarkable, given all the losses, that he reached as high as third place among NL pitchers. While writing about how deGrom wasn’t as deserving of the award, I found the error (the extra point), and correcting the record (subtracting the point), I found he was even more undeserving.