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 announce 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 Stats 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 619 Players have generated at least one Cup Point.

So, MLB players! Get your agents to work winning this into your contracts!

This is the first update, with standings as of May 1.

1. Rafael Devers: Boston Red Sox, Third Base:

39 Cup Points, 29 Games, 1.35 Cup Points per Game, 10 Home Runs, 27 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .232/.285./.563, 1.1 bWAR.

Devers is a mild surprise at number one, as although the two-time All-Star is leading the American League in Home Runs (10), he is not currently in the top ten in OPS. Saying that, power is huge in Cup Points, and he is also at present third in RBIs (27). This will trump Batting Average every time here.

2. Shohei Ohtani: Los Angeles Angels, Designated Hitter & Pitcher:

38 Cup Points, 29 Games, 1.35 Cup Points per Game, 7 Home Runs, 18 Runs Batted In, 5 SB, .294/.355./.541, 2.1 bWAR & 4-0, 1.85 ERA, 46 SO, 0.824 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, and he is his usual self with the bat. We can’t imagine Ohtani not leading this by June.

3 (TIE). Patrick Wisdom: Chicago Cubs, Third Base:

34 Cup Points, 25 Games, 1.36 Cup Points per Game, 10 Home Runs, 20 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .250/.324/.541, 1.0 bWAR.

Wisdom is the current National League leader in Total Bases (59) and Extra Base Hits (15) and his second in Home Runs (10). This is best start of Wisdom’s career.

3 (TIE). Mike Trout: Los Angeles Angels, Outfield:

34 Cup Points, 27 Games, 1.26 Cup Points per Game, 7 Home Runs, 18 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .308/.395/.589, 1.2 bWAR.

Trout remains the baseball player we all know and love and the Angels are the first team to rank two players. The Centerfielder is currently fourth in Home Runs in the AL (7).

3 (TIE). Max Muncy: Los Angeles Dodgers, First Base:

34 Cup Points, 25 Games, 1.36 Cup Points per Game, 11 Home Runs, 22 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .238/.408/.563, 1.4 bWAR.

Muncy is only batting .238, but his OPS is 1.070 which is leading the NL. He is also at the top of the leaderboard in Home Runs (11) and Slugging (.863).

6 (TIE). Ronald Acuna: Atlanta Braves, Outfield:

33 Cup Points, 27 Games, 1.22 Cup Points per Game, 4 Home Runs, 14 Runs Batted In, 13 SB, .352/.440/.545, 1.7 bWAR.

Acuna leads all NL batters in Runs Scored (23), Stolen Bases (13) and Total Bases (59), and is currently second in Batting Average (.352) and On Base Percentage (.440).

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

33 Cup Points, 27 Games, 1.22 Cup Points per Game, 6 Home Runs, 27 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .272/.388/.543, 0.8 bWAR.

Alvarez has cooled off a bit after a blistering start, but is still third in RBIs (27), and is leading the NL in both Win Probability Added (2.3) and Championship Win Probability Added (1.3).

6 (TIE). Matt Chapman: Toronto Blue Jays, Third Base:

33 Cup Points, 27 Games, 1.22 Cup Points per Game, 5 Home Runs, 21 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .384/.465/.567, 2.0 bWAR.

Chapman is having the best start to his career, and is currently first in Hits (38), Doubles (15), Batting Average (.384), OBP (.445), OPS+ (219), bWAR for Position Players (2.0) and Total Bases (68) and is second in OPS.

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

31 Cup Points, 24 Games, 1.29 Cup Points per Game, 7 Home Runs, 18 Runs Batted In, 4 SB, .297/.371/.604, 1.5 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. He is fourth in bWAR for NL Position Players (1.5), fifth in Slugging (.604) and sixth in OPS (.976).

9 (TIE). Pete Alonso: New York Mets, First Base:

31 Cup Points, 27 Games, 1.22 Cup Points per Game, 10 Home Runs, 25 Runs Batted In, 0 SB, .257/.328/.562, 0.7 bWAR.

Alonso is the NL leader in RBIs (25), a stat he led last year with 121. With 10 Home Runs already this year, he is on pace to have to his second straight 40-plus tater year.

9 (TIE). Randy Arozarena: Tampa Bay Rays, Outfield:

31 Cup Points, 27 Games, 1.22 Cup Points per Game, 7 Home Runs, 28 Runs Batted In, 3 SB, .327/.392/.573, 1.2 bWAR.

It is still very early, but Arozarena is on pace to have the best year of his life. At present, he is fourth in Batting Average (.327) and second in Total Bases (63).

9 (TIE). Marcus Semien: Texas Rangers, Shortstop:

31 Cup Points, 28 Games, 1.11 Cup Points per Game, 5 Home Runs, 23 Runs Batted In, 1 SB, .268/.346/.455, 1.3 bWAR.

Semien is currently first in Runs Scored (25) in the AL, and is tenth in Hits (30).

Our next update will be the morning of May 7.