Finding a home in Mexico after defecting from Cuba, Randy Arozarena impressed in the Mexican League to get signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017, playing well enough to get a late-season callup two years later.  St. Louis traded him to Tampa the year after, and in the Sunshine State, he would become a star.

Arozarena played only 23 Games in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, but he was a starter in Outfield during Tampa’s playoff run, where he won the ALCS MVP, blasting nine Home Runs in the post-season and winning the Babe Ruth Award.  Still rookie eligible in 2021, Arozarena won the Rookie of the Year (20 HR, 145 Hits), and had 20 taters again in 2022.  Arozarena had one of his most rewarding years in 2023, beginning by representing his new country, Mexico, in the World Baseball Classic where he had the defensive play of the tournament and a Slash Line of .  He then made history as the first MLB player to start his career with three straight 20/20 years, and was an All-Star for the first time.

Sadly, Arozarena's game fell off dramatically in 2024, and he was traded mid-season to the Seattle Mariners.  As a Ray, Arozarena had 531 Hits with 85 Home Runs.

Yandy Diaz defected from Cuba at the age of 21, and the prospect joined the Cleveland Indians organization, and he would make his first appearance with the team in 2017.  Two years later, Diaz was part of a three-team trade that landed him with the Rays, where he found a better fit and opportunity.

Playing at Third Base and First, Diaz was a starter, but missed a lot of time in 2019 and 2020 due to injuries.  Healthier since, Diaz has been a solid producer both offensively and defensively, and has had 624 Hits to date for Tampa.  In 2023, Diaz went to his first All-Star Game, and set career-highs in Doubles (35), Home Runs (22), RBIs (78), Slugging (.522) and won his first Batting Title (.330).  Was this the season of his life?  It could be, as Diaz regressed in 2024, though still had 158 Hits.  

If Diaz returns to 2023 form, he could crack the top five of this franchise list. 

If you are a regular visitor at Notinhalloffame.com, you know that we created the Notinhalloffame NHL Cup, where in every regular season game, we award points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five performers.  This is the second year that we have done this, and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid won the first one.

To keep everyone regularly in the loop this time, we have decided to give regular updates, starting at when the first player cracked 40 Points, and tell all of you the top ten.  We will this going forward with every update as the first player breaches the elevated ten-point threshold afterward.

Here is the current top ten, based on the first player to breach 140 Notinhalloffame Cup Points:

1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers.  152 Cup Points:  72 Games, 60 G, 78 A, 138 P, +16, 16.3 PS.  (#1 on last update)

What more can we say about McDavid’s 2022/23 Season.  He is running away with every major statistical category, and has a commanding lead in Cup Points.  Last year’s Notinhalloffame NHL Cup winner is extending his lead and he is currently the league-leader in Goals (60), Assists (78), Points (138) and Point Shares (16.3).  The Hart, Pearson, Richard and Art Ross are his to lose, and he won’t.  Is this the best year of his life?  He would agree, but only if the Oilers win it all!

2.  Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche, 114 Cup Points:  59 Games, 30 G, 60 A, 90 P, +22, 10.1 PS.  (#2 on last update)

MacKinnon is playing phenomenal hockey, is ranked very high in Cup Points considering how few games he has played relatively to the rest of the top ten.  He is third in Points per Game (1.53), and sixth in Points (90).

3. David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins. 112 Cup Points:  70 Games, 48 G, 45 A, 93 P, +30, 12.1 PS. (#2 on last update)

Pastrnak falls back to #3.  The top offensive Bruins player is second in Goals (45), fifth in Points (86), eighth in Plus/Minus (+30) and is also leading the NHL in Shots (333).

4. Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche. 102 Cup Points:  70 Games, 47 G, 38 A, 85 P, +9, 10.3 PS. (#5 on last update)

Rantanen moved back up to #4, and it is the Avalanche who are the first team with two ranked players.  He is the current leader in Even Strength Goals (36), third in Goals (47) and is on a team that could repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.

5. Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers, 103 Cup Points:  68 Games, 34 G, 62 A, 96 P, +23, 10.7 PS.  (#9 on last update)

Tkachuk has been on fire lately, and at present is sixth in Assists (62) an fourth in Points (96).  He is only eight Points away from last year’s total.

6. Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins.  102 Cup Points:  43 Games, 35-5-1, 1.95 GAA, .937 Save Percentage, 11.5 PS.  (#6 on last update)

Ullmark is the odds-on favorite for the Vezina and is currently the league leader in Wins, GAA and Save Percentage.  Our question, is can he do this is the playoffs?

7. Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks, 100 Cup Points:  68 Games, 33 G, 56 A, 89 P, +13, 9.4 PS.  (#7 on last update)

Pettersson is having his best year to date, albeit on an abysmal Canucks team.  He is currently tenth in Assists (56) and eighth in Points (89).

8. Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning.  98 Cup Points:  72 Games, 44 G, 38 A, 82 P, +3, 9.7 PS. (#4 on last update)

Point is having a good year, and is a point-per-game player, there are still quite a few players with higher point tallies than the Tampa Center, who dropped four spots in our last update.  Saying that, Point has been the most clutch player for the Lightning, and is currently fourth in Goals (44).

9. Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils.  97 Cup Points, 66 Games, 37 G, 44 A, 81 P, +7, 9.3 PS. (#7 on last update)

For the second update in a row, Hughes fell two spots and has been a bit of a slump.  The two-time All-Star has fallen out of the top ten in Goals, but is having the best year of his life.

10. Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars, 94 Cup Points:  71 Games, 41 G, 48 A, 89 P, +30, 11.5 PS.  (Not on last update)

Robertson makes an appropriate return to the top ten, as the first-time All-Star is in seventh in Goals (41), eighth in Points (89) and eighth in Plus/Minus (30).

Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov, fell off the top ten.

Our next update will occur when the first player breaks 160 Cup Points.

If you are a regular visitor at Notinhalloffame.com, you know that we created the Notinhalloffame NBA Cup, where in every regular season game, we award points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five performers.  This is the third year that we have done this, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic won the first two.

To keep everyone regularly in the loop this time, we have decided to give regular updates, starting at when the first player cracked 100 Points, and tell all of you the top ten.  We will this going forward with every update as the first player breaches the elevated ten-point threshold afterward.

Here is the current top ten, based on the first player to breach 260 Notinhalloffame Cup Points:

1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, 263 Cup Points:  65 Games, 24.3, PPG, 11.9 RPG, 9.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 31.9 PER, 14.5 WS.  (#1 on last ranking)

The two-time defending MVP (and NIHOF Cup Champion) remains at the top, and is the first to break 250 Cup Points.  Jokic is leading the league in PER (31.9), Win Shares (14.5), VORP (8.5) and Box Plus/Minus (13.2).  He is also averaging a triple-double, is leading the NBA in that stat, and is second in Rebounds per Game.

2. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, 256 Cup Points:  59 Games, 33.2 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 31.5 PER, 11.2 WS.  (#2 on last ranking)

Embiid remains in the number two hole, and is a bona fide MVP contender, and in a dogfight with Jokic.  He is currently the scoring leader (33.2) and is second in PER (31.5).  Embiid is also in the top five in Wins Shares, VORP and Box Plus/Minus.  Could this be the season he takes Philadelphia all the way to a title and finish “The Process?”

3. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, 243 Cup Points:  68 Games, 30.1 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 23.4 PER, 9.2 WS.  (#3 on last ranking)

Tatum climbed back into the top three.  He is still a huge threat to win this award, though the MVP, that he was once in contention for won’t fall his way this season.  He should finish over 30 Points per Game (he is currently sixth).

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, 240 Cup Points:  57 Games, 31.2 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 5.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 28.8 PER, 7.9 WS. (#4 on last ranking)

The two-time MVP would have probably been on the top had he not missed a series of Games earlier in the season.  He is now a six-time All-Star, and is in the top five in both Points and Rebounds per Game.

5 TIE. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, 232 Cup Points:  58 Games, 32.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 8.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 29.3 PER, 9.3 WS.  (#4 on last ranking)

Doncic is back, and the man who was once in the top spot held on to his rank.  He is second in scoring (33.0), and was an early MVP contender, but that may not the case anymore.

5 TIE. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, 232 Cup Points:  61 Games, 31.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 27.2 PER, 10.2 WS. (#6 on last ranking)

Gilgeous-Alexander went to his first All-Star Game, and is shattering last year’s averages, which were already good.  He is currently dealing with some nagging injuries, but you have to imagine just how pathetic the Thunder would be without SGA.

7. Julius Randle, New York Knicks, 225 Cup Points:  74 Games, 25.5 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 20.6 PER, 8.2 WS. (#7 on last ranking)

Randle holds in at #7, and currently has a higher PPG (25.2), than his first All-Star year two years ago (24.1).

8. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks, 222 Cup Points:  66 Games, 26.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 10.0 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 22.6 PER, 6.3 WS. (#8 on last ranking)

Young is the face of an intriguing Hawks squad, but was unable to make the NBA All-Star Team.  This could be the player that intrigues us he most in the next two years.

9. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz, 209 Cup Points:  64 Games, 25.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 22.5 PER, 8.3 WS. (Not on last ranking)

Markkanen roars back into the top ten with his highest position to date.  This unexpected campaign could be a one-off or the start of something special.

10. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings, 208 Cup Points:  70 Games, 19.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 7.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 23.3 PER, 11.1 WS.  (#10 on last ranking)

Sabonis is currently the NBA leader in Rebounds per Game (12.6).  He added a third All-Star this year.

Memphis’s Ja Morant fell off the top ten.

Our next update will happen after the first player breaches 260 Cup Points.