Three legendary players, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in a highly anticipated voting result. Their impressive careers and dominance on the field have finally earned them the recognition they deserve.
This article discusses the recent Hall of Fame voting results for three pitchers: CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner, and none were elected to the Hall of Fame this year. However, I’ll provide a summary of the arguments made in favor of each player’s candidacy.
CC Sabathia
The author argues that Sabathia is a deserving candidate due to his impressive peak performance (95-40 with a 3.09 ERA and 30.4 WAR from 2008 to 2011) and longevity (251 wins). He was one of the best pitchers of his generation, bridging the gap between the likes of Pedro Martinez/Randy Johnson/Greg Maddux/Tom Glavine/John Smoltz and Justin Verlander/Max Scherzer/Clayton Kershaw. Sabathia’s vote total was likely boosted by the weaker ballot this year.
Billy Wagner
The author suggests that Wagner is a deserving candidate due to his dominance as a closer (2.31 ERA, 187 ERA+, 11.9 SO/9, and .558 OPS allowed). He ranks second in career saves only behind Mariano Rivera, and his strikeout rate and ERA are among the best in history for pitchers with at least 900 innings since the live-ball era began. Wagner’s vote total increased over the years as other candidates were removed from the ballot, ultimately leading to his election on his tenth appearance.
Other observations
The author notes that timing is everything in Hall of Fame voting and that the ballot itself can greatly influence a player’s chances of election. The article also highlights how closers have become an easier position for players to get elected into the Hall of Fame, with eight current closers already enshrined.
