Box-Toppers points leaders are finalists in 5 of 6 major postseason player awards

Shawn Plank November 12, 2024

In five of the six major postseason player awards, the 2024 Box-Toppers points leader for each honor is among the finalists announced by baseball writers Monday.

Here are the five awards for which Box-Toppers top-ranked players are among the finalists:

American League Cy Young Award—Tarik Skubal of the Tigers.
National League Cy Young Award—Zack Wheeler of the Phillies.
AL Most Valuable Player—Aaron Judge of the Yankees.
NL Most Valuable Player—Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers.
AL Rookie of the Year—Luis Gil of the Yankees.

A Box-Toppers look at postseason awards—For 1st time in 30 years, our picks may win

Shawn Plank October 28, 2024

Box-Toppers points leaders have never won all four major postseason awards since tracking began in 1995.

But this year, in the 30th season of tracking, there is a chance that the four Box-Toppers points category leaders (both league’s batters and pitchers) may win the four major awards (both league’s Most Valuable Player and Cy Young awards).

Box-Toppers’ top-ranked relievers—Bautista, Williams—win Reliever of Year Awards

Shawn Plank December 5, 2023

Box-Toppers’ top-ranked relief pitchers in both leagues were named 2023 Relievers of the Year by Major League Baseball.

Felix Bautista of the Orioles, who led American League relievers with 11.0 Box-Toppers points, won the AL award and Devin Williams of the Brewers, who led National League relievers with 8.0 Box-Toppers points, won the NL award.

**Box-Toppers is voting for six players for 2024 Hall of Fame induction on the internet writers’ ballot—Adrián Beltré, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Torii Hunter, Joe Mauer and Billy Wagner.**

Box-Toppers selects 6 players for 2024 Hall of Fame in internet writers’ ballot

Shawn Plank November 27, 2023

Box-Toppers is voting for six players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the 2024 Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) ballot.

Box-Toppers is voting for these players, listed alphabetically by last name: Adrian Beltre, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Torii Hunter, Joe Mauer and Billy Wagner.

Box-Toppers choices for major postseason awards: AL MVP—Shohei Ohtani, Angels; NL MVP—Pete Alonso, Mets; AL Cy Young—Chris Bassitt, Blue Jays; NL Cy Young—Spencer Strider, Braves; AL Rookie of the Year—Gunnar Henderson, Orioles; NL Rookie of the Year—James Outman, Dodgers.

A look at Box-Toppers’ leaders for postseason awards, plus an award finalist overview

Shawn Plank November 12, 2023

You’re going to hate Box-Toppers’ choices for postseason player honors.

That’s the impression I get from listening to and reading baseball commentators who by August were already declaring players as not even de facto but actual “don’t-argue-with-me-because-I’m-right-and-there’s-clearly-no-dispute” award winners.

Box-Toppers’ Rookies of the Year: Outman outmans Carroll in NL; Henderson is top in AL

Shawn Plank November 9, 2023

Gunnar Henderson of the Orioles is Box-Toppers American League Rookie of the Year, while James Outman of the Dodgers is Box-Toppers National League Rookie of the Year.

While Henderson is a favorite for AL Rookie of the Year, Corbin Carroll of the Diamondbacks is the overwhelming favorite for NL Rookie of the Year, even though he is not among Box-Toppers’ top NL rookies.

A look at how 2022 Reliever of the Year winners Diaz, Clase fared in Box-Toppers points

Shawn Plank December 7, 2022

Edwin Diaz of the Mets and Emmanuel Clase of the Guardians were named 2022 Relievers of the Year by Major League Baseball Tuesday.

Diaz, the winner in the National League, ranked second among all NL closing pitchers with 7.0 Box-Toppers points. But Clase, winner in the American League, ranked far outside the top three AL closers—in 24th place—with 2.0 Box-Toppers points.

Box-Toppers’ choices for major postseason awards: American League Most Valuable Player—Shohei Ohtani of the Angels, National League Most Valuable Player—Pete Alonso of the Mets, AL Cy Young Award—Justin Verlander of the Astros and NL Cy Young Award—Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins.

Box-Toppers votes Ohtani AL MVP over Judge—plus our other postseason award picks

Shawn Plank October 25, 2022

Aaron Judge of the Yankees is Box-Toppers’ top-ranked American League batter in 2022. But Shohei Ohtani of the Angels is Box-Toppers’ choice for AL Most Valuable Player.

Box-Toppers cast votes for postseason honors for Ohtani, Justin Verlander, Sandy Alcantara and Pete Alonso, among others, in the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) balloting, completed at the end of the regular season, prior to the start of postseason play.

Internet writers vote David Ortiz for Hall of Fame; none of Box-Toppers’ 9 choices made the cut

Shawn Plank January 24, 2022

David Ortiz is the only player inducted into internet baseball writers’ Hall of Fame for 2022.

None of the nine candidates Box-Toppers voted for Hall induction received the necessary 75 percent support. And Box-Toppers also did not vote for Ortiz.

Box-Toppers selects 9 players for 2022 Hall of Fame induction in internet writers’ ballot

Shawn Plank December 1, 2021

Box-Toppers is voting for nine players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the 2022 Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) ballot.

Of the nine players, three are in their first year on the ballot—Tim Lincecum, Jake Peavy and Mark Teixeira. The other six all return after not receiving the necessary votes to make the hall last year, including Curt Schilling, who is on the ballot for his 10th and final year.

Randy Arozarena of the Rays and Jonathan India of the Reds were voted Rookies of the Year. They beat Box-Toppers top-ranked rookies, Bobby Dalbec of the Red Sox in the American League and Trevor Rogers of the Marlins in the National League.

Box-Toppers’ top-ranked rookies Dalbec, Rogers, lose Rookie of the Year honors to Arozarena, India

Shawn Plank November 16, 2021

Randy Arozarena of the Rays and Jonathan India of the Reds were voted 2021 Rookies of the Year by baseball writers.

Neither were among Box-Toppers’ top-ranked rookies in 2021. Arozarena was Box-Toppers’ eighth-ranked American League rookie and India was Box-Toppers’ second-ranked National League rookie.

Max Scherzer is only 2021 Box-Toppers points leader to win a Players Choice Award

Shawn Plank November 7, 2021

Dodgers pitcher Max Scherzer is the only Box-Toppers points leader to win one of nine Players Choice Awards for 2021 as voted by the players’ union.

Scherzer, who led all players in 2021 Box-Toppers points with 25.1, was voted National League Outstanding Pitcher.

Box-Toppers’ picks for postseason awards include Max Scherzer, Gerrit Cole, Jose Ramirez

Shawn Plank October 25, 2021

Box-Toppers has cast votes for postseason honors for Gerrit Cole, Jose Ramirez and for Max Scherzer—twice.

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

How 2021 Hall of Fame candidates fared in Box-Toppers

Shawn Plank January 27, 2021

No players were voted for induction to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday.

None of the 25 players eligible received the necessary 75 percent of the vote from members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Pitcher Curt Schilling came the closest to reaching 75 percent—he received 71.1 percent of the vote, falling 16 votes short.

Rookie of the Year: Short 2020 season limited opportunity to shine for newcomers

Shawn Plank November 10, 2020

Kyle Lewis of the Mariners and Devin Williams of the Brewers were voted 2020 Rookies of the Year by baseball writers.

Neither were among Box-Toppers’ top-ranked rookies in 2020. Plus, none of Box-Toppers’ top-ranked rookies even received votes from baseball writers for top rookie.

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

Shawn Plank September 29, 2020

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.

Box-Toppers picks Astros’ Gerrit Cole for AL Cy Young & MVP: A look at our postseason awards ballot

Shawn Plank September 30, 2019

Box-Toppers is casting a vote for the American League Cy Young Award to Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole.

We are also casting our vote for AL Most Valuable Player to … Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole.

Box-Toppers votes eight players to Hall of Fame in internet writers’ ballot

Shawn Plank December 12, 2018

Box-Toppers is voting for eight players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) ballot.