Red Sox reach the Topps

You’re the Top(ps) with apologies to Cole Porter and my mangling the title of a great song.

Topps, most noted for baseball cards, has named the Boston Red Sox as winners of “Outstanding Organization of the Year” for 2014 representing the first time in the forty-eight year history of the award that the Red Sox have won.

The award is based on talent distributed on the MLB and minor league level with a point system based on the number of players within the system that have received Topps recognition in various categories. I am sure it is a formula that is about as understandable as a quarterback rating system.

The Red Sox had a significant list of individual winners for 2014 led by Xander Bogaerts, who placed on the Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team, Mookie Betts, who cashed in as Eastern League Player of the Year, Rafael Devers as Gulf Coast League Player of the Year and a Topps All-Star, Blake Swihart was also another Topps All-Star as was Henry Owens. Two other player, Keury De La Cruz and Sean Coyle, received Topps Player of the Month honors.

The award recognition of MLB and minor league talent may be demonstrated this off season as other teams come calling Ben Cherington in hopes of prying loose some of the Red Sox prospects.

The New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers have both won the award five times to Boston’s first win.