Box-Toppers’ big dippers—players whose 2021 point total declined most from 2020: Dinelson Lamet leads list

Padres pitcher Dinelson Lamet had the biggest decline in Box-Toppers points from 2020 to 2021.

Lamet, who earned 9.0 Box-Toppers points in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season (fifth among all players and third among National League pitchers), earned 2.0 points in 2021. After a stellar 2020 season, he battled injury early in 2021, struggled and went from a starter to a bullpen pitcher.

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A detailed look at Box-Toppers points leaders for 2021: Top players by position in each league

Here is a detailed look at Box-Toppers point leaders for 2021.

The chart accompanying this post shows points leaders for the season by several different categories and classifications,

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Box-Toppers’ leader Shane Bieber also led pitchers in strikeouts in 2020

Indians pitcher Shane Bieber, who led all players in Box-Toppers points in 2020, also led all pitchers in strikeouts during the season.

Ten of the top 11 strikeouts leaders were also among the top 14 overall players in Box-Toppers points in 2020.

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How earned run average leaders fared in Box-Toppers points: Top 2 in player rankings—Bieber, Bauer—also top 2 in ERA

The two pitchers with the lowest earned run averages in 2020—Shane Bieber and Trevor Bauer—were also Box-Toppers’ two top-ranked players for the season.

In fact, six of the seven ERA leaders for 2020 rank among the top 10 overall players in Box-Toppers points for the season.

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Players named to ‘All-MLB’ teams rarely coincided with 2020 Box-Toppers points leaders

Selections for Major League Baseball’s 2020 “All-MLB” teams announced this past week rarely coincided with the season’s Box-Toppers points leaders.

Only one All-MLB First Team batter was among the Box-Toppers points leaders at his position—Marcell Ozuna of the Braves led all designated hitters with 4.5 Box-Toppers points. However, three of the four All-MLB First Team starting pitchers were also among the top three players in Box-Toppers points for 2020—Shane Bieber of the Indians (11.4), Trevor Bauer of the Reds (10.0) and Yu Darvish of the Cubs (9.7).

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A look at players who made biggest gains in Box-Toppers points from 2019 to 2020—Brewers’ Corbin Burnes leads list

Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes had the biggest gain in Box-Toppers point totals from 2019 to 2020.

Burnes earned 7.7 Box-Toppers points in 2020 after earning no points in 2019. Burnes had earned 3.0 Box-Toppers points in his 2018 rookie season.

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A look at 2020 baseball awards finalists and how they fared in Box-Toppers rankings

Box-Toppers’ top two ranked pitchers are finalists for 2020 Cy Young Awards.

However, Box-Toppers’ top batters are not among the finalists for 2020 Most Valuable Player Awards.

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A look at Box-Toppers All-Star teams for past season (2020) and past 2 seasons (2019-20)

A look at Box-Toppers All-Star teams for 2020 seems incomplete. So for added context, Box-Toppers is also looking at the All-Star teams over the past two seasons, 2019-20.

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Box-Toppers’ NL Division Series previews: Marlins vs. Braves, Padres vs. Dodgers

Both National League Division Series begin Tuesday.

The Miami Marlins face the Atlanta Braves in one best-of-five game series and the San Diego Padres take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the other series.

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Box-Toppers’ picks for postseason awards include Shane Bieber, Trevor Bauer, Luke Voit

Box-Toppers has cast votes for postseason honors for Shane Bieber, Luke Voit and for Trevor Bauer—twice.

I have cast my vote in the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) for Reds pitcher Bauer to be both National League Cy Young Award winner and NL Most Valuable Player.

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Reds’ Bauer tops players for Wednesday, Sept. 23, rises to 2nd; Indians’ Bieber all but secures Player of the Year honors

Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to second place in season player rankings.

Also Tuesday, Indians pitcher Shane Bieber increased his lead in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning American League Player of the Day honors and seems to have an insurmountable lead to be Box-Toppers’ 2020 Player of the Year.

In addition, two other players rise in Box-Toppers season player rankings top 10 list after both earn Player of the Game honors Tuesday—Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda rises to seventh place and Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow rises to eighth place.

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Indians’ Carlos Carrasco tops players for Sunday, Sept. 20; Padres’ Lamet rises to 3rd in player rankings

Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Sunday, Padres pitcher Dinelson Lamet rises to sixth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Sunday.

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Padres’ Lamet tops players for Monday, Sept. 14, rises to 6th in player rankings; Reds’ Bauer rises to 5th

Padres pitcher Dinelson Lamet is Monday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to eighth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings.

Also Monday, Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer rises to fifth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.

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Padres’ Dinelson Lamet tops players for Monday, Sept. 7; Twins’ Pineda tops AL players

Padres pitcher Dinelson Lamet is Monday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Lamet struck out 11 over 7 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing six hits and no walks, in the 1-0 win over the Rockies. Lamet did not earn the win, picking up a no-decision, because the game was in a scoreless tie when he exited.

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Padres’ Lamet tops players for Sunday, Aug. 9; Braves’ Fried rises to 6th in player rankings

Padres pitcher Dinelson Lamet is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Sunday, Braves pitcher Max Fried rises to sixth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.

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