gold star for USAHOF

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Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Atlanta Braves.

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

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

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

Please note that our algorithm has changed, which yielded minor changes throughout the baseball lists.

Last year, the Braves went in with high expectations, and although they made the playoffs, they were swept in the opening round by the San Diego Padres.

There was one elevation and one new entrant.

As always, we present our top five, which saw a change based on the new structure:

1. Hank Aaron

2. Warren Spahn

3. Kid Nichols

4. Eddie Mathews

5. Greg Maddux

 

You can find the entire list here.

Ronald Acuna Jr. was injured a good chunk of the year, and remains at #28.

Ozzie Albies moved up three spots to #42.

Jeff Blauser returns to the list at #47 with the new algorithm.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

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 post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Atlanta Braves.

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

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in Major League Baseball.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

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

Last year, Atlanta had a great year, but disappointed in the playoffs, which has been a pattern for them over the last 35 years.  The 2023 Season, gave us two new entrants and one elevation.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Hank Aaron

2. Warren Spahn

3. Kid Nichols

4. Greg Maddux

5. Eddie Mathews

You can find the entire list here.

Outfielder, Ronald Acuna, exploded on to the list with an MVP season, debuting at #24.  Think about this for a minute:  Acuna (who we had at #52 last year) comes in at #24 on a team with over a century of history!  

Second Baseman, Ozzie Albies, joins the list, debuting at #45.

Starting Pitcher, Max Fried, went to #47 from #50.

We thank you for your continued support for our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

42. Ozzie Albies

Signed as an International Free Agent form Curacao in 2013, Ozzie Albies made his first appearance as an August callup in 2017, and the Braves organization knew he was there to stay.

Playing at Second Base, Albies took over as the starter, and was an All-Star in 2018, smacking 24 Home Runs with 167 Hits.  Albies missed out on the All-Star in 2019, but he was much better, matching his previous 24 HR mark, batted .299, and led the National League in Hits (189).  He earned his first Silver Slugger, a nice consolation for missing out on the All-Star.

After a decent 2020, Albies went back to the All-Star Game, and in the absence of the injured Ronald Acuna, he led Atlanta to victory in the World Series.  It was a sweet season for Albies, who also had his first 30HR/100RBI year, added a second Silver Slugger, and was 13th in MVP voting with an All-MLB 2 roster spot.

It was Albies turn to visit the IR in 2022, playing only 64 Games after suffering multiple injuries, but he was healthy in 2023, again securing an All-MLB 2 spot, and All-Star, and his best power numbers to date (33 HR, 106 RBI, .513 SLG). 

After a down 2024 where he fought injuries, a return to hiis past glory could be possible in 2025.

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 698 (up from 664 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 third update, with standings as of the morning of May 15.

1. Shohei Ohtani: Los Angeles Angels, Designated Hitter & Pitcher: (Ranked #1 last week)

55 Cup Points, 39 Games, 1.41 Cup Points per Game, 8 Home Runs, 26 Runs Batted In, 6 SB, .287/.361/.513, 2.4 bWAR & 4-1, 2.74 ERA, 66 SO, 0.913 WHIP.

We said that Ohtani would take over the top spot by before June, and here we are! The Notinhalloffame Cup is built for Ohtani, who can compile points in two different avenues; the only one who can do so. The Japanese superstar led his nation to a World Cup, and right now his Angels have a winning record. Ohtani is off to his best pitching start, leading the AL in SO/9 (12.9) and H/9 (4.3), and he is his usual self with the bat.

2 (TIE). Rafael Devers: Boston Red Sox, Third Base: (Ranked #2 Last Week)

49 Cup Points, 40 Games, 1.23 Cup Points per Game, 11 Home Runs, 37 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .255/.304/.529, 1.1 bWAR.

Devers finally falls from the top spot, after failing to accrue a Cup Point this past week, but is still the American League leader in Home Runs (11), and is second in RBIs (37).

2. Marcus Semien: Texas Rangers, Shortstop: (Ranked #5, Last Week)

49 Cup Points, 33 Games, 1.18 Cup Points per Game, 7 Home Runs, 34 Runs Batted In, 7 SB, .288/.376/.475, 2.4 bWAR.

Semien climbs to a second-place tie and is the current AL leader in Runs Scoed (35) and bWAR for Position Players (2.4). The Rangers infielder is also third in Defensive bWAR (0.8).

4. Ronald Acuna: Atlanta Braves, Outfield: (Ranked #3 Last Week)

48 Cup Points, 40 Games, 1.20 Cup Points per Game, 8 Home Runs, 23 Runs Batted In, 17 SB, .346/.437/.577, 2.7 bWAR.

Acuna leads all NL batters in bWAR (2.7), Runs Scored (30), Hits (54) Stolen Bases (17), OBP (.437), OPS (1.014), OPS+ (174) and Total Bases (90), while second in Batting Average (.346). Wait, how is he only fourth? Ah, the mystery of the NIHOF CUP!

5. Juan Soto: San Diego Padres, Outfield: (Not in Top Ten, Last Week)

46 Cup Points, 41 Games, 1.12 Cup Points per Game, 7 Home Runs, 20 Runs Batted In, 3 SB, .255/.403/.483, 1.3 bWAR.

Soto is the National League leader in Walks (36) and is in the top ten in OBP (.403) and OPS+ (151).

6. Luis Robert: Chicago White Sox, Outfield: (Not in Top Ten, Last Week)

45 Cup Points, 41 Games, 1.10 Cup Points per Game, 11 Home Runs, 27 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .275/.335/.562, 2.2 bWAR.

Robert is healthy and producing at a high rate, topping the AL leaderboard in Home Runs (11) and Extra Base Hits (22) and is second in Defensive bWAR (0.8).

7 (TIE). Yordan Alvarez: Houston Astros, Designated Hitter & Outfield: (Ranked #6, Last Week)

43 Cup Points, 34 Games, 1.27 Cup Points per Game, 9 Home Runs, 37 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .288/.388/.568, 1.2 bWAR.

Alvarez is entrenched as one of the game’s premier hitters, and is at present fourth in Slugging (.568) and OPS (.956) and eighth in Home Runs (9).

7 (TIE). Mookie Betts: Los Angeles Dodgers, Outfield: (Not in the Top Ten, Last Week)

43 Cup Points, 39 Games, 1.10 Cup Points per Game, 9 Home Runs, 24 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .252/.358/.510, 1.6 bWAR.

Betts makes his first top ten appearance, which is where he belongs. The Outfielder is seventh in Home Runs in the NL (9).

9. Ozzie Albies: Atlanta Braves, Second Base: (Ranked #3, Last Week)

42 Cup Points, 40 Games, 1.05 Cup Points per Game, 10 Home Runs, 29 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .259/.298/.505, 1.1 bWAR.

Albies is here because of his power, currently fifth in the NL in Home Runs (10) and fourth in RBIs (29).

10 (TIE). Patrick Wisdom: Chicago Cubs, First Base: (Not Ranked in the Top Ten, Last Week)

41 Cup Points, 40 Games, 1.03 Cup Points per Game, 12 Home Runs, 23 Runs Batted In, 2 SB, .240/.338/.587, 1.0 bWAR.

Wisdom returns to the top ten as two other Cubs fell off. He is currently the National League leader in Slugging (.587) and is second in Home Runs (12).

10 (TIE). Bo Bichette: Toronto Blue Jays, Shortstop: (Not Ranked in the Top Ten, Last Week)

41 Cup Points, 40 Games, 1.02 Cup Points per Game, 8 Home Runs, 26 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .320/.365/.515, 1.7 bWAR.

Bichette currently holds the AL lead in Hits (54) and Total Bases (87), and is third in Batting Average (.320).

Chicago’s (NL) Ian Happ and Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles’s (NL) Max Muncy and Los Angeles’s (AL) Mike Trout fell out of the top ten.

Our next update will be the morning of May 22.

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 664 (up from 619 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 second update, with standings as of May 8.

1. Rafael Devers: Boston Red Sox, Third Base: (Ranked #1 Last Week)

49 Cup Points, 35 Games, 1.40 Cup Points per Game, 11 Home Runs, 34 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .250/.301/.550, 1.1 bWAR.

Devers remains a slight surprise at the top of the heap, batting only .250 with an OBP barely over three, but he has been collecting runs when it matters. Currently the American League leader in Home Runs (11), Devers is second in RBIs (34), fifth in OPS (.879) and eighth in Slugging (.550).

2. Shohei Ohtani: Los Angeles Angels, Designated Hitter & Pitcher: (Ranked #2 last week)

45 Cup Points, 33 Games, 1.36 Cup Points per Game, 7 Home Runs, 20 Runs Batted In, 5 SB, .295/.366/.512, 2.2 bWAR & 4-0, 2.54 ERA, 59 SO, 0.872 WHIP.

The Notinhalloffame Cup is built for Ohtani, who can compile points in two different avenues; the only one who can do so. The Japanese superstar led his nation to a World Cup, and right now his Angels have a winning record. Ohtani is off to his best pitching start, leading the AL in Strikeouts (59), and he is his usual self with the bat. We can’t imagine Ohtani not leading this by June.

3 (TIE). Ronald Acuna: Atlanta Braves, Outfield: (Ranked #6 Last Week)

40 Cup Points, 35 Games, 1.14 Cup Points per Game, 6 Home Runs, 21 Runs Batted In, 15 SB, .338/.431/.551, 2.0 bWAR.

Acuna leads all NL batters in bWAR (2.0), Runs Scored (30), Stolen Bases (15) and Power-Speed # (8.6), and is in the top five in Batting Average and On Base Percentage.

3 (TIE). Ozzie Albies: Atlanta Braves, Second Base: (Not in the Top Ten Last Week)

40 Cup Points, 35 Games, 1.24 Cup Points per Game, 9 Home Runs, 26 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .283/.320/.543, 1.3 bWAR.

Albies is tied for third with teammate, Acuna, making Atlanta the first team with two ranked players (last week it was the Angels). While the Second Baseman is not in the top ten in any major category, he is close, and has been money when it matters.

5 (TIE). Max Muncy: Los Angeles Dodgers, First Base: (Ranked #3, Last Week)

39 Cup Points, 31 Games, 1.26 Cup Points per Game, 12 Home Runs, 28 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .218/.385/.584, 1.4 bWAR.

Muncy is only batting .218, but he is also at the top of the leaderboard in Home Runs (12) and is third in Slugging (.584).

5 (TIE). Marcus Semien: Texas Rangers, Shortstop: (Ranked #9, Last Week)

39 Cup Points, 33 Games, 1.18 Cup Points per Game, 5 Home Runs, 28 Runs Batted In, 4 SB, .286/.377/.466, 2.0 bWAR.

Semien is currently second in Runs Scored (28), and fifths in RBIs in the AL (28). He is also seventh in Hits (38).

7. Ian Happ: Chicago Cubs, Outfield: (Not in the Top Ten Last Week)

38 Cup Points, 33 Games, 1.15 Cup Points per Game, 4 Home Runs, 15 Runs Batted In, 4 SB, .300/.418/.475, 0.7 bWAR.

Happ had a great week, placing him in the top ten here and he is also now in the top ten in OBP, Win Probability Added and Championship Win Probability Added.

8. Mike Trout: Los Angeles Angels, Outfield: (Ranked #3, Last Week)

37 Cup Points, 27 Games, 1.16 Cup Points per Game, 8 Home Runs, 20 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .308/.395/.589, 1.2 bWAR.

Trout remains the baseball player we all know and love and the future first-ballot Hall of Famer is currently is in the top ten in Hits, Home Runs, OBP, Slugging and OPS.

9 (TIE). Cody Bellinger: Chicago Cubs, Outfield:

36 Cup Points, 31 Games, 1.16 Cup Points per Game, 7 Home Runs, 19 Runs Batted In, 9 SB, .300/.368/.567, 1.9 bWAR.

Is Cody back? The 2019 MVP faltered in his last three seasons as a Dodger, but he playing excellent baseball at the moment and emerging from the grave that many pundits dug for him. In the NL. Bellinger is second in bWAR for NL Position Players (1.9), and seventh in Slugging (.567).

6 (TIE). Yordan Alvarez: Houston Astros, Designated Hitter & Outfield:

36 Cup Points, 28 Games, 1.29 Cup Points per Game, 7 Home Runs, 31 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .275/.385/.539, 0.8 bWAR.

Alvarez has cooled off a bit after a blistering start, but is still third in RBIs (31), and is leading the NL in both Win Probability Added (2.6) and Championship Win Probability Added (1.5).

9 (TIE). Yandy Diaz: Tampa Bay Rays, Third Base:

36 Cup Points, 32 Games, 1.22 Cup Points per Game, 9 Home Runs, 19 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .325/.435/.605, 1.5 bWAR.

Diaz has been excellent lately, and took over the American League lead in Runs Scored (29), OBP (.435), and has rocketed into second in Slugging (.605) and OPS (1.040).

Chicago’s (NL) Patrick Wisdom, Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, New York’s (NL) Pete Alonso and Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena have fallen out of the top ten.

Our next update will be the morning of May 15.