Final yr, 5 votes had been all that separated Billy Wagner from baseball immortality.
The previous Mets nearer barely missed the cutoff for the Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame’s Class of 2024, showing on 73.8% of the ballots. Induction requires 75%.
Wagner acquired 284 votes when he wanted 289.
It was a very brutal blow contemplating Wagner was in his ninth yr of eligibility. Gamers get 10 years on the Corridor of Fame poll, making Tuesday evening’s Class of 2025 unveiling a make-or-break announcement for Wagner.
He and one other former Mets star, ex-teammate Carlos Beltrán, are among the many extra unsure instances on this yr’s poll.
As of Monday afternoon, Wagner appeared on 84.2% of the 172 ballots that had been publicly launched, in response to Ryan Thibodaux’s vote tracker. That meant Wagner would have to be included on 67.0% of the remaining 220 ballots to be inducted in his ultimate yr of eligibility.
Beltran, in the meantime, had acquired 80.3% of the vote, that means he would wish to look on 70.3% of the remaining ballots. Beltran — who acquired 57.1% of the vote final yr — is in his third yr of eligibility, so induction is probably going coming sooner slightly than later for the previous five-tool heart fielder.
The chances on Thibodaux’s tracker are typically a number of ticks larger than the ultimate quantity. Final yr, Wagner appeared on 77.8% of the general public ballots — 4 factors larger than his precise quantity.
However with Wagner having a 9.2% cushion by almost 50% of the votes, momentum seems to be with the previous flame-throwing left-hander.
Wagner pitched to a 2.31 ERA, a 0.998 WHIP and 1,196 strikeouts in 903.0 innings over 16 MLB seasons with the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Mets, Boston Pink Sox and Atlanta Braves from 1995-2010.
Wagner is of course right-handed, however he started throwing from the left facet after breaking his proper arm twice as a toddler. Outfitted with a fastball he as soon as dialed as much as 103.1 mph, Wagner recorded 422 saves, which rank eighth in MLB historical past and second amongst lefties.
However Corridor of Fame voters have lengthy been stingy with relievers.
Solely eight relievers are within the Corridor, and one in all them, Dennis Eckersley, began 361 of his 1,071 appearances. Hoyt Wilhelm wasn’t voted in till his eighth time on the poll, whereas it took Bruce Sutter 13 tries, again when gamers may stay on the ticket as much as 15 years.
Lee Smith, whose 478 saves rank third in MLB historical past, was not voted in by the Baseball Writers Affiliation of America throughout his eligibility interval from 2003-17. As an alternative, Lee was inducted by the Right this moment’s Recreation Period Committee in 2019.
However even amongst Corridor of Famers, Wagner’s stats stand out.
Amongst all pitchers to throw not less than 900 innings since 1920, Wagner’s 2.31 ERA is the second lowest, behind solely Mariano Rivera’s 2.21. Nobody else’s ERA is beneath 2.50.
Wagner’s strikeout charge of 11.92 per 9 innings ranks thirteenth in MLB historical past.
And Wagner’s 24.0 WAR (wins above substitute) is corresponding to the 25.9 compiled by former San Diego Padres nearer Trevor Hoffman, who was a third-ballot Corridor of Fame choice in 2018.
A seven-time All-Star, Wagner spent most of 4 seasons with the Mets from 2006-09, pitching to a 2.37 ERA whereas nailing down 101 saves.
“It’s tough. I hate it,” Wagner advised The Athletic final week of his Corridor of Fame wait. “It’s just not been a very fun experience, especially when it comes down to your 10th and final ballot. It’s not going to be pleasant. It’s a grind, but in a couple of days, this will be over — one way or the other, good or bad.”
Beltrán, in the meantime, hit .279 with 435 residence runs, 1,587 RBI, 1,582 runs, an .837 OPS and 312 stolen bases over 20 MLB seasons with the Kansas Metropolis Royals, Astros, Mets, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Yankees and Texas Rangers from 1998-2017.
Seven of these seasons got here with the Mets, who signed the switch-hitting Beltrán earlier than the 2005 season to a franchise-record $119 million contract. With the Mets, Beltrán earned 4 of his 9 All-Star alternatives and received every of his three Gold Gloves.
Carlos Beltrán spent seven of his 20 MLB seasons with the Mets. (Photograph by Joe Robbins/Getty Photographs)
Beltrán is one in all solely 5 gamers in MLB historical past with not less than 500 doubles, 400 residence runs and 300 stolen bases.
His 86.4% success charge on stolen bases is the very best of any participant since 1920, whereas his 67.4 WAR ranks tenth ever amongst heart fielders. Subsequent up on that listing is one other Corridor of Fame candidate in Andruw Jones, who, by 172 public ballots, had acquired 72.1% of the vote in his eighth yr of eligibility.
Complicating Beltrán’s candidacy is his connection to the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. Beltrán was the one participant named in MLB’s investigation into the scandal, which the league accomplished in January 2020. The Mets, who had simply employed Beltrán as their supervisor, parted methods with him earlier than he ever managed a recreation.
Beltrán returned to the Mets in 2023 as a particular assistant.
His and Wagner’s Corridor of Fame instances are among the many most intriguing throughout a yr through which Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia are anticipated to be first-ballot alternatives.
Former Mets captain David Wright appeared on 11.5% of the primary 172 ballots to turn out to be public.
