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The most notable change in Box-Toppers “all-time” career points top 10 lists at the end of 2024 is an almost complete lack of change.
No players changed position, and only three—Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander—earned any Box-Toppers points in 2024, each adding just 2.0. The lack of movement contrasts with 2023 when four players combined for 40.9 points and when Scherzer and Verlander both rose one spot in the rankings.
Read MoreA look at Box-Toppers season-by-season leaders chart for each of the past 30 seasons, including the leaders in Box-Toppers points each season among four main categories—American League and National League pitchers and batters.
Also, a look at how often Box-Toppers leaders win major postseason awards (Cy Young and Most Valuable Player), what players have led a Box-Toppers season category most often since tracking began in 1995 and what teams have had the most category leaders in 30 seasons. Also, a look at the lowest point totals to lead a season category, which includes 2024 leaders.
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As baseball writers push for Ichiro Suzuki to not only be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame but to become only the second player voted in unanimously, what chucklehead will oppose that?
It pains me to say: Me. Let me explain.
Despite earning Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year Awards and getting 3,000 hits, Suzuki was not the key player very often in his team’s wins. There was almost always some other teammate outperforming Suzuki in team wins. Suzuki never led his team in a season in Box-Toppers points and never even led his team’s batters.
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Box-Toppers’ choices for baseball’s major postseason player awards won four of six 2024 honors:
Aaron Judge of the Yankees won the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers won the National League Most Valuable Player Award.
Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal won the AL Cy Young Award.
Yankees pitcher Luis Gil won the AL Rookie of the Year Award.
Aaron Judge of the Yankees and Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers, who both led their league’s batters in Box-Toppers points in 2024, won the season’s Most Valuable Player Awards Thursday.
Judge, who led American League batters with 13.0 Box-Toppers points, won the AL award and Ohtani, who led National League batters with 11.0 Box-Toppers points, won the NL award.
Read MoreMariners pitcher Bryce Miller is Monday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to eighth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings.
Miller struck out 10 over seven innings, allowing one run, two hits and no walks, in the 5-1 win over the Rays.
Read MoreYankees pitcher Gerrit Cole is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Cole struck out eight over six scoreless innnings, allowing four hits and two walks, in the 3-0 win over the Tigers.
Read MoreRoyals pitcher Cole Ragans is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Wednesday, Aaron Judge of the Yankees rises to ninth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors, extending his 2024 Box-Toppers points lead among American League batters.
Read MoreReds pitcher Hunter Greene is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Saturday, Aaron Judge of the Yankees increased his lead among American League batters in 2024 Box-Toppers points after earning Player of the Game honors.
Read MoreRoyals pitcher Michael Wacha is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Friday, Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee rises to fifth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.
Read MoreRays pitcher Taj Bradley is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Bradley struck out eight over seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits and two walks, in the 2-0 win over the Guardians.
Read MoreBraves pitcher Chris Sale is Tuesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to fifth place in season player rankings.
Also Tuesday, Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola rises to 10th place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.
Read MorePadres pitcher Dylan Cease is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to first place in season player rankings.
Also Wednesday, Juan Soto of the Yankees extends his lead among American League batters in 2024 Box-Toppers points after earning Player of the Game honors.
Read MoreCubs pitcher Shota Imanaga is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to second place in season player rankings.
Also Wednesday, Royals pitcher Seth Lugo rises to fifth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning American League Player of the Day honors. Plus, Braves pitcher Chris Sale rises to 20th place on Box-Toppers “all-time” career points list.
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During the 2023 season, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander each rose one spot on Box-Toppers “all-time” career points top 10 list.
They were the only player movements among Box-Toppers “all-time” career points top 10 players overall, among the top 10 pitchers and among the top 10 batters. Pitcher Randy Johnson, who retired in 2009, still leads all players in career Box-Toppers points with 282.5 (tracking began in 1995).
Read MoreAnalyzing 29 years of Box-Toppers points leaders in pitching and batting in both leagues.
In 2023, Shohei Ohtani of the Angels, American League Most Valuable Player, was the only player who won a major postseason award and also led his Box-Toppers category (leading AL batters with 19.4). Also, Pete Alonso of the Mets became the ninth batter since 1995 to lead his league’s batters in Box-Toppers points more than once, leading NL batters for the second straight season.
Read MorePadres pitcher Blake Snell is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Saturday, Braves pitcher Spencer Strider rises to lead National League pitchers in 2023 Box-Toppers points, rising to third place overall in Box-Toppers season player rankings, after earning Player of the Game honors.
Read MoreRockies pitcher Kyle Freeland is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to ninth place in season player rankings.
Also Wednesday, two other players rise in Box-Toppers season player rankings top 10 list after earning Player of the Game honors—Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani rises to fifth place and Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan rises to sixth place.
Read MoreRays pitcher Drew Rasmussen is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to first place in season player rankings.
Also Sunday, Giants pitcher Anthony DeSclafani rises to ninth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning National League Player of the Day honors.
Read MorePadres pitcher Michael Wacha is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Saturday, Rays pitcher Jeffrey Springs rises to first place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning American League Player of the Day honors.
Read MoreBox-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. Players earn Box-Toppers points 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.