It is with great pleasure that we continue the third annual Notinhalloffame MLB Regular Season Cup, and let us explain how this works:
With every single regular season game, we anointed the best five players in the game with descending points, 5-4-3-2-1.
We knew the following:
- The top players for the MLB NIHOF Cup are not always the best in the league, as injuries keep players out of games, and a premium on staying healthy can help pile up points. It also does not hurt to be a top player on an average or mediocre team, as they can amass Cup points easier that elite players on loaded squads.
- In Baseball, it is more common than in Basketball and Hockey for a player to accrue points with a single Home Run in a game, and overall favors position players. Starting Pitchers have a hard time with approximately 30-35 Starts and throwing less innings than in previous generations. This also is true for closers, which is not made for this process.
- Please remember, that this is NOT necessarily who we think were the best players this year, and does not reflect overall consistency. Treat this the way did, as a fun process and more of a compilation of temporary statistical domination.
At present 796 (up from 761 last week) Players have generated at least one Cup Point.
So, MLB players! Get your agents to work winning this into your contracts!
This is the fifth update, with standings as of the morning of June 6.
1. Shohei Ohtani: Los Angeles Angels, Designated Hitter & Pitcher: (Ranked #1 last week)
85 Cup Points, 59 Games, 1.44 Cup Points per Game, 15 Home Runs, 41 Runs Batted In, 7 SB, .274/.346/.539, 3.0 bWAR & 5-2, 3.30 ERA, 96 SO, 1.014 WHIP.
The Notinhalloffame Cup is built for Ohtani, who can compile points in two different avenues; the only one who can do so. This was his arguably his weakest week of the season, and right now his Angels have a winning record. Ohtani is off to his best pitching start, leading the AL in H/9 (8.9) and SO/9 (12.169), and he is his usual self with the bat, where he is third in Home Runs (15).
2. Ronald Acuna: Atlanta Braves, Outfield: (Ranked #5 Last Week)
74 Cup Points, 52 Games, 1.20 Cup Points per Game, 12 Home Runs, 32 Runs Batted In, 26 SB, .331/.407/.564, 3.3 bWAR.
Acuna leads all National League batters in bWAR (3.3), Runs Scored (52), and Stolen Bases (37) and OPS (.970), and is in the top four in all three Slash Line components. He is arguably the current NL MVP front runner.
3. Aaron Judge: New York Yankees, Outfield: (Ranked #6, Last Week)
70 Cup Points, 49 Games, 1.43 Cup Points per Game, 19 Home Runs, 40 Runs Batted In, 3 SB, .291/.404/.674, 1.9 bWAR.
Last year’s NIHOF Cup winner and Home Run leader is leading the AL in Slugging (.674), OPS (.674), OPS+ (192) and Home Runs (19).
4 (TIE). Juan Soto: San Diego Padres, Outfield: (Ranked #2, Last Week)
68 Cup Points, 60 Games, 1.21 Cup Points per Game, 10 Home Runs, 27 Runs Batted In, 8 SB, .248/.413/.470, 2.3 bWAR.
Soto dropped two spots but is still the National League leader in Walks (56) and is second in OBP (.413). He is also fifth in OPS+ (150).
4 (TIE). Marcus Semien: Texas Rangers, Shortstop: (Ranked #6, Last Week)
68 Cup Points, 52 Games, 1.13 Cup Points per Game, 9 Home Runs, 48 Runs Batted In, 7 SB, .306/.375/.506, 3.4 bWAR.
Semien is having an outstanding 2023, and is the current AL leader in Runs Scored (55) and is second in bWAR for Position Players (3.4).
6 (TIE). Yordan Alvarez: Houston Astros, Outfield & Designated Hitter: (Ranked #9 Last Week)
64 Cup Points, 57 Games, 1.07 Cup Points per Game, 16 Home Runs, 53 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .278/.391/.582, 1.9 bWAR.
Alvarez is one the game’s best hitters and the current American League leader in RBIs (53). He is also in the top ten in OBP, Slugging, OPS, Home Runs, Walks and OPS+.
6 (TIE). Jorge Soler: Miami Marlins, Outfield & Designated Hitter: (#3, Last Week)
64 Cup Points, 58 Games, 1.10 Cup Points per Game, 17 Home Runs, 36 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .245/.326/.532, 0.8 bWAR.
Soler did not have a good week, and his poor defensive skills have led him to play more at the DH spot. Nevertheless, Soler is third in NL Home Runs (17), eighth in Slugging (.532), and fifth in Extra Base Hits (28).
8 (TIE). Pete Alonso: New York Mets, First Base: (Ranked #3, Last Week)
63 Cup Points, 60 Games, 1.05 Cup Points per Game, 20 Home Runs, 47 Runs Batted In, 2 SB, .231/.324/.538, 1.9 bWAR.
Alonso did not accrue a Cup Point this past week, but is still the current league leader in Homer Runs (21) and RBIs (47). The First Basemen is also seventh in Slugging (.538).
9 (TIE). Rafael Devers: Boston Red Sox, Third Base: (Ranked #8 Last Week)
61 Cup Points, 57 Games, 1.07 Cup Points per Game, 13 Home Runs, 49 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .246/.298/.487, 0.9 bWAR.
Devers dropped another spot but is still third in RBIs (49) and fifth in Home Runs (13).
9 (TIE). Mookie Betts: Los Angeles Dodgers, Outfield: (Not Ranked, Last Week)
61 Cup Points, 54 Games, 1.06 Cup Points per Game, 15 Home Runs, 36 Runs Batted In, 3 SB, .257/.362/.532, 2.6 bWAR.
Betts returns to the top ten and is currently 5th among batters in the NL in bWAR (2.6).
9 (TIE). Luis Arraez: Miami Marlins, Second Base: (Not Ranked, Last Week)
61 Cup Points, 54 Games, 1.06 Cup Points per Game, 1 Home Run, 29 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .399/.450/.495, 2.8 bWAR.
Arraez makes his first top ten appearance, and he is currently the National League leader in Hits (83), Batting Average (.450) and On Base Percentage (.450). He also has a very impressive lugging Percentage (.495) for a player with only one Home Run.
Toronto’s Bo Bichette fell out of the top ten.
Our next update will be the morning of June 12.
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