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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.
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.
Read MoreShohei Ohtani of the Angels, favorite for American League Most Valuable Player, is also Box-Toppers’ choice for the award. But Box-Toppers’ choice for NL MVP, Pete Alonso of the Mets, is not among the finalists for the award, expected to go to Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Braves, who is second on Box-Toppers’ NL MVP ballot.
Read MoreBox-Toppers’ Cy Young Award selections for 2023 are: American League—Chris Bassitt of the Blue Jays and National League—Spencer Strider of the Braves.
Neither pitcher was among the six finalists for the award announced this week, even though they ranked first (Strider) and second (Bassitt) in overall Box-Toppers season player rankings and were the only two players this season to reach 20.0 Box-Toppers points.
Read MoreGunnar 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.
Read MoreClosing pitcher Josh Sborz is Box-Toppers Player of the Game Wednesday as the Rangers defeat the Diamondbacks to win the 2023 World Series in five games.
The Texas Rangers defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 to win the best-of-seven game series, 4-1.
Read MoreMarcus Semien of the Rangers is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Tuesday’s World Series Game 4.
The Texas Rangers win 11-7 to lead the best-of-seven game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-1.
Read MoreA belated note: Mets pitcher David Peterson was Box-Toppers Player of the Game in the uncompleted, rain-suspended Sept. 28 game between the Marlins and Mets.
Major League Baseball ruled in early October that the Mets were winners in the game, even though the Marlins led 2-1 when it was suspended in the top of the ninth inning.
Read MoreDiamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Saturday’s World Series Game 2.
The Arizona Diamondbacks win 9-1 to tie the best-of-seven game series with the Texas Rangers, 1-1.
Read MoreRangers closing pitcher Jose Leclerc is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Friday’s World Series Game 1.
The Texas Rangers win 6-5 in 11 innings to take a 1-0 lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the best-of-seven game series.
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The Texas Rangers hold significant Box-Toppers points advantages over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series.
The Rangers finished first in Box-Toppers team rankings for the season while the Diamondbacks finished 14th, lowest among all postseason teams.
Read MoreCorbin Carroll of the Diamondbacks is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Tuesday’s National League Championship Series Game 7.
Carroll hit a sacrifice fly and went 3-for-4, scoring twice and driving in two runs.
Read MoreAdolis Garcia of the Rangers is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Monday’s American League Championship Series Game 7.
Also Monday, Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in the National League Championship Series Game 6.
Read MoreMitch Garver of the Rangers is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Sunday’s American League Championship Series Game 6.
Garver homered, doubled and went 3-for-4, scoring twice and driving in two runs.
Read MorePhillies pitcher Zack Wheeler is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Saturday’s National League Championship Series Game 5.
Wheeler struck out eight over seven innings, allowing one run, six hits and one walk.
Read MoreAlek Thomas of the Diamondbacks is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Friday’s National League Championship Series Game 4.
Also Friday, Astros closing pitcher Ryan Pressly is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in the American League Championship Series Game 5.
Read MoreDiamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Thursday’s National League Championship Series Game 3.
Also Thursday, Jose Abreu of the Astros is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in the American League Championship Series Game 4 win over the Rangers.
Read MoreMauricio Dubon of the Astros is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Wednesday’s American League Championship Series Game 3.
Dubon went 3-for-4, scoring once and driving in one run.
Read MorePhillies pitcher Aaron Nola is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Tuesday’s National League Championship Series Game 2.
Nola struck out seven over six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks.
Read MorePhillies pitcher Zack Wheeler is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Monday’s National League Championship Series Game 1.
Also Monday, Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.
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.