Depending on where you are in the world, certain sports will be incredibly popular, whereas others are barely acknowledged and hardly watched. This can be down to a multitude of factors, such as if a particular sport is taught at schools, if the sport has a thriving, successful or wealthy league in a particular nation, or if there is a particular star player from that country, who is so popular that people who never previously watched that sport decide to start tuning in, just to lend their support to their famous star.

For instance, in the world of Formula 1, it is likely that the people of the Netherlands never paid much attention to the sport for great periods of time. There wasn’t a race held there, and while there were odd seasons when a Dutch driver was participating, it never seemed to be for more than a season at a time. This all changed in 2015 when Max Verstappen entered the sport and was soon driving for one of the top teams, Red Bull. In addition, for the first time in 36 years, a race was held in the Netherlands this year, with Verstappen thankfully winning it with relative ease, which lead to the crowd going absolutely wild for him.

Formula 1 is a very popular sport, with an estimated 87.4 million people watching each race in 2020. These numbers have certainly been increased since the Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’ was first broadcast in 2019, as the show has introduced the sport to millions of people who would never previously have been interested in it. However, it is still not estimated to be in the top ten most popular sports in the world. Which sports do make it into this exclusive list? Read on to find out.

Big in the U.S. but not elsewhere

If you have ever travelled to the United States of America, you’d easily assume that because American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey are so popular there, that they must be all around the world. In fact, three of the four are relatively low down the list. American football is certainly the most popular sport in the U.S, with millions each week sitting down to watch the games, looking through their sports betting apps to find the best NFL picks for each game. But most of the viewers are located in North America, with not that many watching elsewhere in the world. In total, it is estimated around 425 million people regularly watch American football.

Baseball is in eighth position (golf is in ninth) which may come as a surprise to many. It is hugely popular in the US, but also parts of Central America, and most importantly Japan. In total, around 510 million people would call themselves fans of the sport.

Basketball is in seventh. Another sport popular in the U.S., it also attracts fans and viewers in parts of Eastern Europe and the Pacific.

A few surprises higher up the table

Seeing Table Tennis in sixth and Volleyball in fifth will certainly come as a surprise to many people. Table Tennis picks up a lot of its viewers in Asia, specifically China, which makes sense given some of the most famous table tennis players come from there.

Volleyball is estimated to have 900 million followers, and spread evenly around the world, in places such as Asia, Europe, the Americas and Australia.

Tennis places in fourth, with around 1 billion fans worldwide. Considering major events are held in North America, Europe and Oceania, it makes sense that there is a split across these continents for where the bulk of tennis fans are from.

We were very surprised to see hockey quite so high in fourth place, even if it encompasses both field hockey and ice hockey. It certainly appeals to a wide range of people, with an approximate 2.2 billion people tuning in in Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia.

Who comes out on top?

For readers outside of Europe, Oceania or parts of Asia, you will be surprised to see Cricket quite so high on the list. It cannot be overstated just how popular the sport is. Yes, many people watch it in England, Australia and New Zealand, but the majority of fans come from Asia, specifically Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. The people of India adore the sport, with the players worshipped like they are gods. The captain of the men’s cricket team, Virat Kolhi, has 150 million Instagram followers, which truly emphasises just how popular Cricket is.

Out on top is soccer. According to some statistics, there are nearly 4 billion fans across the globe, which is more than half of the world population. It is played in every country, doesn’t require much equipment, and is very easy to watch on television. Therefore, it is no surprise to see it at number one.

Let’s face it, we all know why we tune in to the Super Bowl. We tune in for the action on the pitch, and to see if the NFL Super Bowl odds are true for the match in question. We watch for the exhilarating, edge of your seat excitement that comes with figuring out who will hit the next touchdown, and for the sigh of relief and ecstasy that we get at the end of the game when our favorite team wins that Super Bowl Championship trophy.

Of course, there are a lot of things to love about football beyond just the game itself. We get the chance to enjoy the companionship of friends and family as we watch the action unfold - it’s even a ritual TV watching experience for many. But there’s another reason why we often watch the Super Bowl. That’s right - it’s for the Halftime shows.

The half time shows in the Super Bowl are often something to really sing and dance about. They often feature big names and fantastic performances to remember, making each year a unique one. In order to illustrate our point, we’ve written this list of the 10 best star performances from Super Bowl halftime shows. Why not watch some of them back while you read? We’re sure you won’t regret it! 

1. Michael Jackson – 1993

Going way back to the 90’s to 1993, we have the acclaimed performance from the King of Pop Himself - Michael Jackson! This performance was truly spectacular and something to remember, featuring Jackson starting the show on two jumbotrons with a few body doubles. He sang a few crowd pleasers, including Jam, Billie Jean, and Black or White. We even got a treat watching his famous moonwalk! The show ended with a gorgeous performance of Heal the World alongside Los Angeles children. 

     2. Madonna – 2012

Before she released her big MDNA album in 2012, pop icon Madonna made her way onto the Super Bowl halftime show with a breathtaking 12 minute long performance. In the performance, guest stars were included - such as LMFAO, M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj. Cee Lo Green even got in on the action! A few big highlights included renditions of Vogue, Party Rock Anthem/ Sexy and I Know It, Like a Prayer and more. We especially enjoyed watching the performance, since it was so aesthetically pleasing with unique costumes. 

     3. Justin Timberlake - 2018

Who doesn’t like a bit of Justin Timberlake? Everyone loved his performance in 2018, and it was certainly a huge improvement from a situation with Janet Jackson 14 years earlier. He certainly redeemed himself in this 2018 show. In the show, Timberlake chose to sing some songs from his new album at the time, entitled Man of the Woods.

     4. Lady Gaga – 2017

If you wanted an eccentric Super Bowl Halftime show, you were most certainly going to get one with Lady Gaga. It was truly a sight to behold. Gaga graced us all with a fantastic show with hits such as Born This Way and an arrangement of the anthem, Star Spangled Banner. She also sang a few fan favorite songs like Poker Face and Telephone. At the end, she jumped off the stage and caught a glitter covered football as the sky lit up with gorgeous fireworks.

     5. Katy Perry – 2015

2015 brought with it a pop princess and… Sharks? This quirky performance was pretty exciting, with the titular artist riding onto the stage on a massive metallic lion. She delighted fans with a few hits including I Kissed a Girl, Roar and more. A massive 118.5 million people tuned in to watch, which at this point made it the single most watched halftime show in history. This record has since been beaten, but it’s an impressive feat nonetheless.

      6 . Beyonce - 2013

People had been wanting a Beyonce performance in the Super Bowl for many years, and they finally got it in 2013. She was even joined on the stage by Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland and they sang some Destiny’s Child favorites. The costumes were wonderful, the performance was spectacular - it was basically the performance of any super bowl fan’s dreams. We certainly love to see it! 

      7. Beyonce, Coldplay and Bruno Mars – 2016

Of course, that wouldn’t be the only time that Beyonce performed in the Super Bowl either. We were also delighted to see her make her way onto the stage with Coldplay and Bruno Mars in 2016. The audience participation here was fantastic, with fans holding up cards in various colors to create sunset colors before Coldplay began singing Viva La Vida. The show had energy, spunk and intrigue that fans went wild for, accumulating in a combined performance at the end from the three artists.

      8. Shakira and J-Lo – 2020

What better duo than Shakira and Jennifer Lopez for the 2020 54th Super Bowl? This performance consisted of a few great Shakira hits like She Wolf, Whenever, Wherever and More. J-Lo, on the other hand, sang Jenny from the Block, Get It Right, On The Floor and other hits. For the final performance, they sang together. It was great to watch! 

      9. Prince - 2007 

The first instance of rain in the Super Bowl came in 2007 with the Prince performance. It was a wonderful performance, including many great songs like Let’s Go Crazy, and covers of The Best of You from The Foo Fighters.

      10. Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney was a great choice for a half time performance as a former Beatle, and he certainly did not disappoint! He sang a few major hits like Drive My Car, Live and Let Die and for the finale, a stunning rendition of Hey Jude. It was most certainly one that Super Bowl fans would not soon regret in the many years to come. 

We’ve had many performances through the years, but these are just some of the best. We’re certainly excited to see what the 2021 Super Bowl brings! 

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our pre-2021-22 revision of our top 50 Anaheim Ducks.

As for all of our top 50 players in hockey we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NHL. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Please note, that this is our first revision, reflective of the last year.

With the Ducks being a weak team in 2020-21, very little changed, and the top five remains the same as last year, and only had two modest climbs.  As always, we present the Top Five.

1. Teemu Selanne

2. Ryan Getzlaf

3. Paul Kariya

4. Corey Perry

5. Jean-Sebastian Giguere

You can find the entire list here.

There were two slight changes, both of which moved up one spot, that being Rickard Rakell (to #15) and Jakob Silfverberg (to #17). 

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Our goal at Notinhalloffame.com has always been to expand, and we are now in the “business” of post season awards.  

That’s right sports agents!  Work this into your client’s contracts!

Here we are unveiling the first ever MLB Cup, awarded to the player who achieved the most Points in a year.

Confused, aren’t you?

It is very simple what we did.

In every MLB game in the 2021 season, we borrowed from the Three Stars that the NHL does after every game.  Three Points were given to the best player of the game, two for the second and one for the third.  It was interesting, as we saw players have two Home Runs in a game, and not get a point as well as points given in games to players who went 1 for 5 with a single.

This is not reflective of what we will do later when we award our MVPs and other post-season awards, but a fun process nevertheless.

So, let’s get on with the winner, and those who else finished in the top 100.  Notably 799 players received at least one Point this year.

1. Shohei Ohtani, 101 Points.  Los Angeles Angels: Pitcher, Designated Hitter.  9.0 bWAR, 138 H, 46 HR, 100 RBI, 26 SB, .257/.372/.592 & 9-2, 3.18 ERA, 130.1 IP, 1.090 WHIP.  

Who else could it possibly be?  There is nothing that we can say about Ohtani’s 2021 that has not been written already, and since none of us (we assume) saw Babe Ruth play live, we can literally say that we have seen a player like this.  Nobody was close to catching Ohtani for the inaugural cup.

2. Salvador Perez, 85 Points.  Kansas City Royals: Catcher.  5.3 bWAR, 169 H, 48 HR, 121 RBI, 1 SB, .273/.316/.544.  

This might be a surprise to some, as Perez and the Royals were not good this year, but when you are by far the best player on a mediocre team, Cup Points are easier to come by.  Perez set the single season record for Home Runs by a Catcher (48), and he led the AL in HR and RBIs.  This was Perez’ best year by far.

3. Jose Ramirez, 74 Points.  Cleveland Indians: Third Base.  6.7 bWAR, 147 H, 36 HR, 103 RBI, 27 SB, .266/.355/.538.  

Like Perez, Ramirez was far and away the best player for a non-playoff team.  Ramirez had a very good second half of the season, and he was 3 SB shy of a 30-30 season, which would have been his second.

4. Aaron Judge, 73 Points.  New York Yankees: Outfield.  5.9 bWAR, 158 H, 39 HR, 98 RBI, 6 SB, .287/.373/.544.  

It took until #4 until we got a player who is on a playoff team, and it seems appropriate that it is a Yankee.  Judge rebounded from a soft 2020 year, and this is his best year since his 2017 Rookie of the Year campaign.

5. (TIE) Nolan Arenado, 72 Points.  St. Louis Cardinals: Third Base.  4.2 bWAR, 151 H, 34 HR, 105 RBI, 2 SB, .255/.312/.494.  

Aranado is the highest Cup finisher in the National League, in what is his first year in St. Louis.  His stat line was not as good as his peak in Colorado, but the clutch hits were there all year.

5. (TIE) Vladimir Guerrero, 69 Points.  Toronto Blue Jays: First Base.  6.8 bWAR, 188 H, 48 HR, 111 RBI, 4 SB, .311/.401/.601.  

Guerrero cooled off in the last half of the season, and often he missed out on Points this year when his other power teammates had monster games in the same contests that he went yard.  Early in the year, he was battling Ohtani for the lead, and had it not been for the Angel superstar, Guerrero would have won the MVP.  Notably, Vladdy shared the Home Run Title with Salvador Perez, and also led the AL in OBP, Slugging and OPS.

7. (TIE) Rafael Devers, 66 Points.  Boston Red Sox: Third Base.  3.5 bWAR, 165 H, 38 HR, 113 RBI, 5 SB, .279/.352/.538.   

Devers battled J.D. Martinez all year for the Boston version of our Cup, and he had his first 30 HR/100 RBI year.  He will likely have many more to come.

7. (TIE) Paul Goldschmidt, 66 Points.  St. Louis Cardinals: Third Base.  6.2 bWAR, 177 H, 31 HR, 99 RBI, 12 SB, .294/.365/.514.  

The Cardinals are the first team to have two players on the list, and Goldschmidt smacked 30 Home Runs for the sixth time, and is now 20 away from 300.

9. Matt Olson, 65 Points.  Oakland Athletics: First Base.  5.8 bWAR, 153 H, 39 HR, 111 RBI, 4 SB, .271/.371/.540.  

This is the best year in Olson’s career, and he set career-highs in Home Runs, RBIs, Home Runs, RBIs, Batting Average and On Base Percentage.  Olson was also an All-Star first time this year.

10. (TIE) J.D. Martinez, 63 Points.  Boston Red Sox: Outfield.  3.0 bWAR, 163 H, 28 HR, 99 RBI, 0 SB, .286/.349/.518.  

Martinez had another strong year, and for the first time in his career, he led the league in Doubles (42).  He was an All-Star for the fourth time in his career this season.

10. (TIE) Trea Truner, 63 Points.  Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals: Outfield.  6.5 bWAR, 195 H, 28 HR, 77 RBI, 32 SB, .328/.375/.536.  

Turner is the first person on this list who changed teams during the season, and he led the National League in Hits, Stolen Bases and Batting Average.  An All-Star for the first time this year, Turner also led the NL in Hits last year.

12. (TIE) Jared Walsh, 62 Points.  Los Angeles Angels: First Base.  2.9 bWAR, 147 H, 29 HR, 98 RBI, 2 SB, .277/.340/.509.  

The emergence of Walsh triggered the release of Albert Pujols, but realistically if Walsh has fifty percent the career of Albert, he will still be a superstar.  This is Walsh’s third year in the Majors.

12. (TIE) Giancarlo Stanton, 62 Points.  New York Yankees: Outfield.  3.1 bWAR, 139 H, 35 HR, 97 RBI, 0 SB, .273/.354/.516.  

Stanton only played 41 Games over the last two years, but he was back this year, enjoying an excellent offensive campaign, which helped bring the Yankees back to the playoffs.

12. (TIE) Marcus Semien, 62 Points.  Toronto Blue Jays: Second Base.  7.1 bWAR, 173 H, 45 HR, 102 RBI, 15 SB, .265/.334/.538.  

Semien had a lot of firsts this year, as he moved to Toronto, switched to Second Base, was a first time All-Star, and had career-highs in Home Runs and RBIs.  

12. (TIE) Juan Soto, 62 Points.  Washington Nationals: Outfield.  7.0 bWAR, 157 H, 29 HR, 95 RBI, 9 SB, .313/.465/.534.  

Even if Washington did not unload other stars, Juan Soto would likely still be their best player.  For the second year in a row, Soto led the NL in OBP, and he was a hair away from a 1.000 OPS.

16. (TIE) Max Muncy, 61 Points.  Los Angeles Dodgers: First Base.  4.9 bWAR, 124 H, 36 HR, 94 RBI, 2 SB, .249/.368/.527.  

Muncy was an All-Star for the second time in his career, and he set a personal best in Home Runs.

16. (TIE) Fernando Tatis Jr., 61 Points.  San Diego Padres: Shortstop.  6.6 bWAR, 135 H, 42 HR, 97 RBI, 25 SB, .282/.364/.611.  

The Padres disappointed this year, but Tatis did not, winning his first Home Run title, and going to his first All-Star Game.  He is arguably the most exciting player in the National League.

18. (TIE) Jose Abreu, 59 Points.  Chicago White Sox: First Base.  3.0 bWAR, 148 H, 30 HR, 117 RBI, 1 SB, .261/.351/.481.  

Abreu was last year’s MVP, and while that won’t happen this year, it was another offensive gem by the First Baseman.  He moved over 200 Home Runs this year.

18. (TIE) Brian Reynolds, 59 Points.  Pittsburgh Pirates: Outfield.  6.0 bWAR, 169 H, 24 HR, 90 RBI, 5 SB, .302/.390/.522.  

An All-Star for the first time, Reynolds had a breakout year, leading the NL in Triples (8), and collecting his second .300 year.

18. (TIE) Austin Meadows, 59 Points.  Tampa Bay Rays: Outfield & Designated Hitter.  2.0 bWAR, 121 H, 27 HR, 106 RBI, 4 SB, .234/.315/.468.  

This might seem high for Meadows, but he consistently came through when it mattered, which earned him more Points than better teammates.

18. (TIE) Bo Bichette, 59 Points.  Toronto Blue Jays: Shortstop.  2.0 bWAR, 121 H, 27 HR, 106 RBI, 4 SB, .234/.315/.468.  

Bichette broke out this year, not only going to his first All-Star Game but he led the American League in Hits.  He is one of six players to have a 25-25 (HR/SB) season in 2021.

22. (TIE) Austin Riley, 58 Points.  Atlanta Braves: Third Base.  6.1 bWAR, 179 H, 33 HR, 107 RBI, 0 SB, .303/.367/.531.  

A minor surprise that among the talented Braves, it is Austin Riley, who is the top for his team for this Cup.  Riley arrived this year, delivering very good numbers with his bat, and coming through in the clutch.

22. (TIE) Julio Urias, 58 Points.  Los Angeles Dodgers: Pitcher.  4.7 bWAR, 20-3, 2.96 ERA, 195 SO, 1.018 WHIP   

Urias is the highest “pure” Pitcher in Cup standings, and he is the only 20-Game winner this season.  This was the year that the potential of Urias came to life, and it could be the arrival of a special player.  It also shows that this is award is far more position player driven.

24. Bryce Harper, 57 Points.  Philadelphia Phillies: Outfield.  5.9 bWAR, 151 H, 35 HR, 84 RBI, 13 SB, .309/.429/.615.  

Harper had a very good second half, and would finish the year leading the NL in Doubles (42), Slugging Percentage and OPS (1.044).  He is now 33 Home Runs away from 300.

25. (TIE) Walker Buehler, 56 Points.  Los Angeles Dodgers: Pitcher.  6.7 bWAR, 16-4, 2.47 ERA, 212 SO, 0.968 WHIP   

Two pure Pitchers and both are Dodgers.  This is Buehler’s best year to date, and he has a lifetime WHIP of 1.006 over 103 Games. 

25. (TIE) Jorge Polanco, 56 Points.  Minnesota Twins: Second Base & Shortstop.  4.8 bWAR, 158 H, 33 HR, 98 RBI, 11 SB, .269/.323/.501.  

Polanco was not an All-Star this year, but the right-year veteran had career-highs in Home Runs, RBIs and Slugging Percentage.

25. (TIE) Manny Machado, 56 Points.  San Diego Padres: Third Base.  5.1 bWAR, 157 H, 28 HR, 106 RBI, 12 SB, .278/.347/.489.  

Machado had another good year, and had been the player advertised since he arrived in San Diego.  In 2021, he climbed over 250 Home Runs.

25. (TIE) Brandon Lowe, 56 Points.  Tampa Bay Rays: Second Base.  4.8 bWAR, 132 H, 39 HR, 99 RBI, 7 SB, .247/.340/.523.  

Lowe, who was third in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2019, had his best year to date in 2021.

29. (TIE) Pete Alonso, 55 Points.  New York Mets: First Base.  4.3 bWAR, 147 H, 37 HR, 94 RBI, 3 SB, .262/.344/.519.  

Alonso, who won the Home Run Title and the Rookie of the Year two years ago, remains one of the top of the power hitters in the game.

29. (TIE) Brandon Crawford, 55 Points.  San Francisco Giants: Shortstop.  6.1 bWAR, 144 H, 24 HR, 90 RBI, 11 SB, .298/.373/.522.  

A two-time World Series Champion, Crawford had his best year in baseball at age 34.  He added a third All-Star Game, and posted career-highs in Home Runs, RBIs, Stolen Bases, Slugging Percentage and OPS (.895).

29. (TIE) Kevin Gausman, 55 Points.  San Francisco Giants: Pitcher.  5.3 bWAR, 14-6, 2.81 ERA, 227 SO, 1.042 WHIP  

A Major League player since 2013, Gausman has never had a year like this before.  Realistically, he had never been close.  Gausman was an All-Star for the first time in his career this year.

32. (TIE) Corbin Burnes, 54 Points.  Milwaukee Brewers: Pitcher.  5.7 bWAR, 11-5, 2.43 ERA, 234 SO, 1.103 WHIP  

11 Wins do not reflect just how good Burnes was this year.  He led the NL in ERA, FIP (1.63), SO/9 (12.6) and SO/BB (6.88), and was an All-Star for the first time this year.

32. (TIE) Mitch Haniger, 54 Points.  Seattle Mariners: Outfield.  2.9 bWAR, 157 H, 39 HR, 100 RBI, 1 SB, .253/.318/.485.  

Haniger sat out 2020 to rehab injuries and it worked, as 2021 was his best year to date.  He set career-highs in Home Runs and RBIs.

34. Max Scherzer, 54 Points.  Los Angeles Dodgers & Washington Nationals: Pitcher.  5.3 bWAR, 15-4, 2.46 ERA, 236 SO, 0.864 WHIP  

The three-time Cy Young winner was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the season, and this gives the Dodgers three Pitchers in the top 35.  Scherzer led the NL in WHIP, H/9 (6.0) and BB/9 (1.8).

35. (TIE). C.J. Cron, 52 Points.  Colorado Rockies: First Base.  3.4 bWAR, 132 H, 28 HR, 92 RBI, 1 SB, .281/.375/.530.  

Cron has been a journeyman player (five teams in eight years), and in his first year in Colorado, he was arguably the team’s best player.  His .92 RBI was a career-high.

35. (TIE). Jose Altuve, 52 Points.  Houston Astros: Second Base.  4.4 bWAR, 167 H, 31 HR, 83 RBI, 5 SB, .278/.350/.489.  

Altuve was an All-Star for the seventh time this year, and though his MVP days might be behind him, he is still a very good baseball player.

37. (TIE). Freddie Freeman, 51 Points.  Atlanta Braves: Second Base.  4.7 bWAR, 180 H, 31 HR, 83 RBI, 8 SB, .300/.393/.503.  

Freeman won’t repeat as National League MVP, but All-Star year number five came, and 2021 also saw the Second Baseman lead the NL in Runs for the second straight year (120), and collect his fifth .300 year.

37. (TIE). Justin Turner, 51 Points.  Los Angeles Dodgers: Third Base.  3.7 bWAR, 148 H, 27 HR, 83 RBI, 3 SB, .278/.361/.471.  

Turner finally got his second All-Star in 2021, and he matched his highest Home Run total.

37. (TIE). Teoscar Hernandez, 51 Points.  Toronto Blue Jays: Outfield.  4.0 bWAR, 163 H, 32 HR, 116 RBI, 12 SB, .296/.346/.524.  

In the COVID-struck 2020 season, Hernandez truly arrived, and in the full 2021 season, Hernandez had career-bests in Runs (92), Hits, Home Runs, RBIs, Batting Average and OBP.  He also went to his first All-Star Game.

40. (TIE). Ronald Acuna 50 Points.  Atlanta Braves: Outfield.  3.6 bWAR, 84 H, 24 HR, 52 RBI, 17 SB, .283/.394/.586.  

Forgot about him, didn’t you?  Acuna was injured on July 10, tearing his ACL and ending his season.  Had this not happened, he would have won the National Laegue MVP, and could have won this Cup.  He was second behind Ohtani at the time of his injury by only 1 Point.

40. (TIE). Buster Posey 50 Points.  San Francisco Giants: Catcher.  3.5 bWAR, 120 H, 18 HR, 56 RBI, 0 SB, .304/.390/.499.  

An All-Star for the seventh time, Posey batted over .300 for the sixth time, and reached 1,500 Hits.

40. (TIE). Adam Wainwright 50 Points.  St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher.  3.7 bWAR, 17-7, 2.05 ERA, 174 SO, 1.057 WHIP  

A 16-year veteran, Wainwright has his best year since 2014, and is now 16 Wins away from 200.

43. (TIE). Lance Lynn 49 Points.  Chicago White Sox: Pitcher.  5.4 bWAR, 11-6, 2.69 ERA, 176 SO, 1.070 WHIP  

This is Lynn’s first year with the White Sox, and it proved to be a great acquisition for Chicago.  Lynn was an All-Star for the second time in his 10-year career.

43. (TIE). Joey Votto 49 Points.  Cincinnati Reds: First Base.  3.3 bWAR, 119 H, 36 HR, 99 RBI, 1 SB, .266/.375/.563.

Votto broke both the 300 Home Run and 2,000 Hit Mark, and if that seems un-Hall of Fame worthy, remember, he is a seven-time leader in On Base Percentage.  

43. (TIE). Jesus Aguilar 49 Points.  Miami Marlins: First Base.  1.3 bWAR, 117 H, 22 HR, 93 RBI, 0 SB, .261/.329/.459.

Aguilar has been arguably the best clutch hitter on a mediocre Marlins team.  This is his best year since 2018.

43. (TIE). Zack Wheeler 49 Points.  Philadelphia Phillies: Pitcher.  7.8 bWAR, 14-10, 2.78 ERA, 247 SO, 1.008 WHIP  

Here is another surprise, as considering the year that Wheeler had, you would expect him to be way higher, but that is the enigma of the Cup, as many good games can yield no Points, and Wheeler appears to be the top victim of this.  He was an All-Star for the first time, and he led the NL in Innings Pitched (213.1) and Strikeouts.

43. (TIE). Randy Arozarena 49 Points.  Tampa Bay Rays: Outfield.  4.2 bWAR, 145 H, 20 HR, 69 RBI, 20 SB, .274/.356/.459.

The Rays constantly reload talent, and Arozarena is the latest examples of this.  

48. (TIE). Adam Duvall 48 Points.  Atlanta Braves & Miami Marlins: Outfield.  3.1 bWAR, 117 H, 38 HR, 113 RBI, 5 SB, .228/.281/.491.

Traded to the Braves by Miami during the Season, Duvall led the NL in RBIs, but did so with a poor Batting Average and OBP.  This was his best ever power year, but at age 32, this is not a good foreshadow of the next few years. 

48. (TIE). Adam Duvall 48 Points.  Atlanta Braves & Miami Marlins: Outfield.  3.1 bWAR, 117 H, 38 HR, 113 RBI, 5 SB, .228/.281/.491.

Traded to the Braves by Miami during the Season, Duvall led the NL in RBIs, but did so with a poor Batting Average and OBP.  This was his best ever power year, but at age 32, this is not a good foreshadow of the next few years. 

48. (TIE). Charlie Morton 48 Points.  Atlanta Braves: Pitcher.  4.0 bWAR, 14-6, 3.34 ERA, 216 SO, 1.045 WHIP.

Morton again continues to defy odds in the second half of his career, proving to be a good acquisition for Atlanta. 

48. (TIE). Ryan Mountcastle 48 Points.  Baltimore Orioles: First Base.  0.9 bWAR, 136 H, 33 HR, 89 RBI, 4 SB, .255/.309/.487.

Mountcastle’s terrible defense, and poor OBP reflect in his bWAR, but often he was the bright spot for Baltimore in many of their games.  Playing for the O’s aided his Point tally, and perhaps is the biggest beneficiary (in regards to the Cup) for playing for a lousy team.

48. (TIE). Xander Bogearts 48 Points.  Boston Red Sox: Shortstop.  4.9 bWAR, 156 H, 23 HR, 79 RBI, 5 SB, .295/.370/.493.

Bogearts is the inverse of Baltimore’s Mountcastle, as the Red Sox Infielder competed with many other power hitters to be the star of the Game.  This was his third All-Star year.

48. (TIE). Kyle Schwarber 48 Points.  Boston Red Sox & Washington Nationals: Outfield.  3.2 bWAR, 106 H, 32 HR, 71 RBI, 1 SB, .266/.374/.554.

An All-Star for the first time, Schwarber was at one point in the top five in Cup rankings before an injury held him out a month.  This is his best year in baseball, greatly improving his batting from a .188/.308/.393 2020.

48. (TIE). Trevor Story 48 Points.  Colorado Rockies: Shortstop.  4.2 bWAR, 132 H, 24 HR, 75 RBI, 20 SB, .251/.329/.471.

Story had another good year, but he was arguably better two years ago.  This was his lowest Slash Line numbers since 2017.

48. (TIE). Whit Merrifield 48 Points.  Kansas City Royals: Second Base.  3.5 bWAR, 184 H, 10 HR, 74 RBI, 40 SB, .277/.317/.395.

Merriffield was an All-Star for the second time, and this was also his third time winning the Stolen Base crown.  2021 also saw Merrifield lead the AL in Doubles for the first time in his career.

55. (TIE). Dansby Swanson 47 Points.  Atlanta Braves: Shortstop.  2.1 bWAR, 146 H, 27 HR, 88 RBI, 9 SB, .248/.311/.449.

Swanson has yet to be an All-Star, but that could be in the future for the six-year veteran.

55. (TIE). Jonathan Schoop 47 Points.  Detroit Tigers: Second Base.  2.1 bWAR, 173 H, 22 HR, 84 RBI, 2 SB, .278/.320/.435.

A nine-year veteran, Schoop has had a good run so far in his last two years since he joined Detroit.

55. (TIE). Sandy Alcantara 47 Points.  Miami Marlins: Pitcher.  3.9 bWAR, 9-15, 3-19 ERA, 201 SO, 1.075.

The losing record, and career losing record for that matter, does not reflect that this is the ace of the Marlins staff, and is a lot better than wins and losses.  Where have we heard that before?

55. (TIE). Willy Adames 47 Points.  Milwaukee Brewers & Tampa Bay Rays: Shortstop.  4.2 bWAR, 130 H, 25 HR, 73 RBI, 5 SB, .262/.337/.481.

Adames was traded from Tampa to Milwaukee, and it was a good fit for the Shortstop, who had his best year in his young career.  He is likely a future All-Star.

59. (TIE). Franmil Reyes 46 Points.  Cleveland Indians: Designated Hitter.  1.6 bWAR, 106 H, 30 HR, 85 RBI, 4 SB, .254/.324/.522.

It may not bode well for Reyes that at age 26, he looks to be a forever DH, but the Cup is offense driven, and we would not be surprised to see him crack the top 25 next year.  This was his second 30-HR year.

59. (TIE). Lourdes Gurriel 46 Points.  Toronto Blue Jays: Outfield.  2.8 bWAR, 138 H, 21 HR, 84 RBI, 1 SB, .276/.319/.466.

Gurriel had a good year, building on what he did in the COVID-ravaged 2020 Season.  He is a future All-Star.

61. (TIE). Yordan Alvarez 45 Points.  Houston Astros: Designated Hitter & Outfield.  3.2 bWAR, 149 H, 33 HR, 104 RBI, 1 SB, .277/.346/.531.

The 2019 American League Rookie of the Year is already playing more games at DH than the Outfield, but his bat keeps getting better, as he just had his first 30 HR/100 RBI year. 

61. (TIE). Kyle Tucker 45 Points.  Houston Astros: Outfield.  5.7 bWAR, 149 H, 30 HR, 92 RBI, 14 SB, .294/.359/.557.

Tucker led the AL in Triples last year (6), but this was his true breakout campaign in a full uninterrupted baseball season.

61. (TIE). Brandon Woodruff 45 Points.  Milwaukee Brewers: Pitcher.  5.7 bWAR, 9-10, 2.56 ERA, 211 SO, 0.965.

It is hard to imagine that you can have a losing record when you have a 2.56 ERA and sub-1.000 WHIP, but that is what Woofruff had in 2021.  He was an All-Star for the second time this year.

61. (TIE). Eduardo Escobar 45 Points.  Milwaukee Brewers & Arizona Diamondbacks: Third Base, Second Base & First Base.  2.6 bWAR, 139 H, 28 HR, 90 RBI, 1 SB, .253/.314/.472.

An All-Star for the first time in his 11 years, Escobar was traded from Arizona to Milwaukee during the year, and played at Third, Second and First, showing incredible versatility.

65. (TIE). Ozzie Albies 44 Points.  Atlanta Braves: Second Base.  3.5 bWAR, 163 H, 30 HR, 106 RBI, 20 SB, .259/.310/.488.

Albies would have had more Points on many more teams, but he nevertheless had his first 30 Home Run/100 RBI year with his second trip to the All-Star Game.

65. (TIE). Francisco Lindor 44 Points.  New York Mets: Shortstop.  3.1 bWAR, 104 H, 20 HR, 63 RBI, 10 SB, .230/.322/.412.

A four-time All-Star in Cleveland, Lindor’s first year in New York was a bit of a disappointment, as he had career-lows in the Slash Line, but he still collected a lot of Hits when it mattered.

65. (TIE). Javier Baez 44 Points.  New York Mets & Chicago Cubs: Shortstop.  4.5 bWAR, 133 H, 31 HR, 87 RBI, 18 SB, .265/.319/.494.

Twice an All-Star with the Cubs, Baez was traded to the Mets during the year.  Baez had another good power year, but led the NL in Strikeouts (184).

65. (TIE). Frankie Montas 44 Points.  Oakland Athletics: Pitcher.  3.6 bWAR, 13-9, 3.37 ERA, 207 SO, 1.182 WHIP.

This was the best year to date of Montas’ six-year career, and he could be Oakland’s ace for the next few years.

65. (TIE). Jake Cronenworth 44 Points.  San Diego Padres: Second Base & Shortstop.  4.9 bWAR, 151 H, 21 HR, 71 RBI, 4 SB, .266/.340/.460.

Cronenworth was last year’s runner-up for the Rookie of the Year, and there was no sophomore slump, as the Shortstop was an All-Star this year.

65. (TIE). Tyler O’Neill 44 Points.  St. Louis Cardinals: Outfield.  6.3 bWAR, 138 H, 34 HR, 80 RBI, 15 SB, .286/.352/.560.

O’Neill did not get the press of Goldschmidt and Arenado but he arguably had just as good a year, and in advanced numbers, a better one.  The second half of his season was incredible, and the next few years could be even better.

71. (TIE). Nick Castellanos 43 Points.  Cincinnati Reds: Outfield.  3.3 bWAR, 164 H, 34 HR, 100 RBI, 3 SB, .309/.362/.572.

Castellanos has had good years before, but this is the first season that he eclipsed the 30 Home Run, 100 RBI and .300 Batting Average mark.

71. (TIE). Gerrit Cole 43 Points.  New York Yankees: Pitcher.  5.6 bWAR, 16-8 Record, 3.23 ERA, 243 SO, 1.059 WHIP.

Cole had a bit of a scandalous year in terms of spidertac, but it was still a great year.  Like other Pitchers who had great years, his finish on the Cup standings surprises us somewhat.

71. (TIE). Kyle Gibson 43 Points.  Philadelphia Phillies & Texas Rangers: Pitcher.  3.7 bWAR, 10-9 Record, 3.71 ERA, 155 SO, 1.220 WHIP.

This was Gibson’s first All-Star year, which he split between Texas and Philadelphia who acquired him for their attempt to make to make the playoffs.  Gibson was far more effective as a Ranger.

71. (TIE). Chris Flexen 43 Points.  Seattle Mariners: Pitcher.  3.5 bWAR, 14-6 Record, 3.61 ERA, 125 SO, 1.252 WHIP.

Flexen did not accomplish much in his first three years (as a Met), and this year he became the ace of the Mariners staff.

71. (TIE). Nelson Cruz 43 Points.  Tampa Bay Rays & Minnesota Twins: Designated Hitter.  2.5 bWAR, 136 H, 32 HR, 86 RBI, 3 SB, .265/.334/.497.

Cruz might be 41 years old, but his bat doesn’t seem to have caught on. This was the eighth year he blasted over 30 Home Runs, and he is one away from 450.

71. (TIE). Robbie Ray 43 Points.  Toronto Blue Jays: Pitcher.  6.7 bWAR, 14-6 Record, 2.84 ERA, 248 SO, 1.045 WHIP.

The hot Jays bats kept Ray from acquiring the Points you would expect from a Cy Young contender, but that is the fun of this process.  Ray led the AL in ERA, Innings Pitched (193.1), ERA+ and WHIP.

77. (TIE). Cedric Mullins 42 Points.  Baltimore Orioles: Outfield.  5.7 bWAR, 175 H, 30 HR, 59 RBI, 30 SB, .291/.360/.518.

An All-Star for the first time, Cedric Mullins was a bright spot on an abysmal team, and 2021’s only 30/30 player. Considering the lack of talent on Baltimore, it is amazing he didn’t gain more Cup points.

77. (TIE). Jesse Winker 42 Points.  Baltimore Orioles: Outfield.  2.7 bWAR, 129 H, 24 HR, 71 RBI, 1 SB, .305/.394/.556.

Winker made his first All-Star Game, and he is one of the players we are most intrigued about in 2022.

77. (TIE). Jeimer Candelario 42 Points.  Detroit Tigers: Third Base.  3.7 bWAR, 151 H, 16 HR, 67 RBI, 0 SB, .271/.351/.442.

Candelario led the American League in Doubles this year (42), and had a career-high in RBIs.

77. (TIE). Avisail Garcia 42 Points.  Milwaukee Brewers: Outfield.  2.9 bWAR, 121 H, 29 HR, 86 RBI, 8 SB, .262/.330/.490.

Garcia posted career-highs in Home Runs and RBIs this year, but he has had better overall years in his past.

81. (TIE). Max Fried 41 Points.  Atlanta Braves: Pitcher.  5.4 bWAR, 14-7, 3.04 ERA, 158 SO, 1.087

Fried had a slow start to the season but had a strong second half.  His WHIP was a career-low.

81. (TIE). Tim Anderson 41 Points.  Chicago White Sox: Shortstop.  4.6 bWAR, 163 H, 17 HR, 61 RBI, 18 SB, .309/.338/.469

Anderson has had good years before, even winning the Batting Title in 2019, and is now on a three-year run of .300 years, but this was his first time as an All-Star.

81. (TIE). German Marquez 41 Points.  Colorado Rockies: Pitcher.  3.3 bWAR, 12-11, 4.40 ERA, 176 SO, 1.272

Marquez was an All-Star for the first time this year.

81. (TIE). Miguel Cabrera 41 Points.  Detroit Tigers: First Base.  -0.6 bWAR, 121 H, 15 HR, 75 RBI, 0 SB, .256/.316/.387

With all due respect to Cabrera, a future Hall of Famer, he is the biggest shock to be in the top 100, but the Tigers have few stars, and when he hit, it mattered.  Cabrera joined the 500 HR club this year, and will join the 3000 Hit club next year.

85. (TIE). Joc Pederson 40 Points.  Atlanta Braves & Chicago Cubs: Outfield.  0.0 bWAR, 102 H, 18 HR, 61 RBI, 2 SB, .238/.310/.422

Pederson might have a lousy bWAR, but he hit enough in the clutch to get him here.  He was one of the many players that the Cubs jettisoned off this season.

85. (TIE). Luis Castillo 40 Points.  Cincinnati Reds: Pitcher.  4.8 bWAR, 8-16, 3.98 ERA, 192 SO, 1.364

This is another example of a lousy record hiding a solid year.  Castillo was Cincinnati’s best Pitcher in 2021.

85. (TIE). Corey Seager 40 Points.  Los Angeles Dodgers: Shortstop.  3.7 bWAR, 108 H, 16 HR, 57 RBI, 1 SB, .306/.394/.521

Seager only played 95 Games this year, but had his third .300 year.

85. (TIE). Marcus Stroman 40 Points.  New York Mets: Pitcher.  3.6 bWAR, 10-13, 3.02 ERA, 158 SO, 1.145

Stroman had a solid year after opting out of 2020 during the COVID Pandemic.

85. (TIE). Rhys Hoskins 40 Points.  Philadelphia Phillies: First Base.  2.1 bWAR, 96 H, 27 HR, 71 RBI, 3 SB, .247/.334/.530

Hoskins only played 107 Games, but the power numbers were there with a career-high in Slugging Percentage.

85. (TIE). Yu Darvish 40 Points.  San Diego Padres: Pitcher.  1.3 bWAR, 8-11, 4.22 ERA, 199 SO, 1.094

When Darvish was good, he was very good, but he had many abysmal performances this year.  This is the type of year that rests easy on Cup points.

85. (TIE). Kyle Seager 40 Points.  Seattle Mariners: Third Base.  2.0 bWAR, 128 H, 35 HR, 101 RBI, 3 SB, .212/.285/.438

The power numbers were immense, but a Barring Average of .212 and a sub. 300 OBP, can hurt you in Cup Standings.

92. (TIE). Jacob deGrom 39 Points.  New York Mets: Pitcher.  5.0 bWAR, 7-2, 1.08 ERA, 146 SO, 0.554

What deGrom did in the first part of the season was obscene, but due to injury he could not finish the season.  If he was just average instead of injured it would have been one of the best pitching years over the past decade.  Amazingly, he only appeared in 15 Games all year.

92. (TIE). Jean Segura 39 Points.  Philadelphia Phillies: Second Base.  3.7 bWAR, 149 H, 14 HR, 58 RBI, 9 SB, .290/.348/.435

Segura had a good year, but it was not at the level that he one had when he was an All-Star in Seattle, or his real good year in Arizona (2016).

92. (TIE). J.T. Realmuto 39 Points.  Philadelphia Phillies: Catcher.  3.4 bWAR, 125 H, 17 HR, 73 RBI, 13 SB, .263/.343/.439

Realmuto is an All-Star for the third time in the last four years, and has been one of the better National League Catchers in the past half-decade.

92. (TIE). Joe Musgrove 39 Points.  San Diego Padres: Pitcher.  3.5 bWAR, 11-9, 3.18 ERA, 203 SO, 1.081

This has been Musgrove’s best year over his six-year career, and he also threw a no-hitter early this season.

92. (TIE). Adolis Garcia 39 Points.  Texas Rangers: Outfield.  3.8 bWAR, 141 H, 31 HR, 90 RBI, 16 SB, .243/.286/.454

Garcia’s power numbers are strong, but the sub-.300 OBP is a problem.  He was an All-Star this year.

92. (TIE). Nick Lowe 39 Points.  Texas Rangers: First Base.  2.3 bWAR, 147 H, 18 HR, 72 RBI, 8 SB, .264/.357/.415

Lowe had a good year, his third in the Majors, and at age 25, he has All-Star potential.

98. (TIE). Tyler Mahle 38 Points.  Cincinnati Reds: Pitcher.  4.9 bWAR, 13-6, 3.75 ERA, 210 SO, 1.233 WHIP.

Mahle had his first real good year, and if he builds on this next year, the Reds could have a special player on their hands.

98. (TIE). Andrew McCutchen 38 Points.  Philadelphia Phillies: Outfield.  1.4 bWAR, 107 H, 27 HR, 80 RBI, 6 SB, .222/.334/.444.

McCutchen is not what he once was, but a 27 HR year, and often when it mattered, brought him to the top 100.

98. (TIE). Josh Bell 38 Points.  Washington Nationals: First Base.  3.1 bWAR, 130 H, 27 HR, 88 RBI, 0 SB, .261/.347/.476.

This is Bell’s first year in Washington, and his late season stats brought him to the top 100.

As much fun as this was, we plan to alter the process for next year, but this will be a perennial award.

Thank you all, and Shohei, your trophy is awaiting you at the current home office in Speightstown, Barbados.