Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'rQiESFkHSgFSvnhxlLmSgA',sig:'b0dnSxVJpZfxar3F4TqeLYAthk4MGcya8qWSxaHUNkQ=',w:'594px',h:'389px',items:'1385716',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); That has to be the best column I’ve read about Billy Wagner’s numbers. He was born a natural righty but learned how to throw left-handed after breaking his right arm and shoulder when he was 5. So, if your team has a 15%-to-23% chance at blowing the game, that’s a good spot for your closer. On September 13th, 1995, Wagner was called in to get lefty Rico Brogna out in a game at Shea Stadium. Other former Astros on the ballot were LaTroy Hawkins (0.5%) and Bobby Abreu (8.7%). Wagner’s career ERA+ of 187 is way ahead of the second man on the list of Hall of Fame and Hall of Fame-eligible relievers in 2018 (Hoyt Wilhelm, 147). In Boston, Wagner served as Jonathan Papelbon’s set-up man. If the 2018-19 voting were a game of musical chairs for relievers, it’s clear that there were only three chairs and Billy Wagner was the closer who was been left without a seat when the music stops. Why Does Jeff Kent Get Overlooked in the Hall of Fame Debate? He is probably the only borderline relief pitcher not in the Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame 2019: The case for Billy Wagner Billy Wagner saved 101 games, with a 2.37 earned run average, as Met from 2006-09. Credit: Kathy Kmonicek/Kathy Kmonicek As highlighted earlier, Wagner’s dominant peripheral numbers (ERA, ERA+, Batting Average Against, strikeouts/9 innings, and Walk+Hits per 9 innings) are among the best in the history of the game. Wagner’s career ERA of 2.31 is the second-best (to Rivera) in the history of baseball for any pitcher who has tossed at least 750 innings. In my opinion, another 2-to-4 years of perspective is warranted to see whether Wagner deserves to be in Cooperstown. Jeff Kent, who played second base for the Astros from 2003-04 and was part of the postseason run in '04 that ended with a Game 7 loss to the Cardinals in the NL Championship Series, also saw his vote totals increase. The former Houston Astros star was a seven time … In Goose Eggs above Replacement, Wagner is fourth all time, behind no doubt HoFer Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, and Goose Gossage. Skip To Main Content. Explanation of Similarity Scores; Transactions. Back in 2017, I was worried that, because of super-backed ballots, he wouldn’t even get 5% of the vote (and thus would get booted off future ballots). The Mets won the first game 2-0, behind 7 innings of shutout ball by Glavine and a scoreless 9th inning for Wagner. It would appear that, based on the previous chart, there’s one reason and one reason only why Hoffman and Smith are in the Hall of Fame while Wagner fans are excited that he surged up to 31.7% on the most recent vote. Billy Wagner’s lack of Hall of Fame Respect. Maybe a few more years is necessary to see if he is truly deserving but I wouldn’t have a problem if he got in in the next year or two. Admittedly, those two numbers lose a little luster when I reveal who is 2nd best all-time for BAA and SO/9: it’s Armando Benitez. Throughout his career, Billy Wagner was one of the most dominant relief pitchers in baseball. (Of course, each of them also lost significant time in 2020 because of the COVID-shortened season). Marion is a small, rural town in southwestern Virginia, near both the Tennessee and North Carolina borders. Can a Hall of Fame Case be Framed for Brian McCann? Generally speaking, there are two schools of thought about the value of relief pitchers. If that’s the case, Wagner’s Cooperstown case will be stronger than it is now, in my opinion. Will Kimbrel, Jansen, and Chapman all surpass Wagner’s career total of 422 saves? Thanks to a little more space on each writer’s ballot (with a limit of 10 names they can select), Wagner has started to gain some momentum. Wagner’s career spanned parts of three decades in the majors. BaseballBaseball: … New York ultimately lost that series in 7 games, with Beltran famously striking out with the bases loaded and the tying run on 2nd base in a 3-1 Game 7 loss. The Hall of Fame Case for and Against Tim Hudson, First-Time Candidates on the 2021 Hall of Fame Ballot: The Pitchers, First-time Candidates on the 2021 Hall of Fame Ballot: Position Players, Adrian Beltre: Hall of Fame Class of 2024. We’ll delve into that question shortly after a brief look at Wagner’s career highlights. Billy Wagner’s on the Hall of Fame ballot for the sixth time. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Billy Wagner retired at the age of 39 despite the fact that he was still at the top of his game. I didn’t realize that he had so many “easy” saves and I was sure he was better than Rivera during “tough” saves only to be proven wrong. There is nothing famous about him. 2021 Hall of Fame candidacy: Wagner is on the ballot for the sixth time and has received 47.1% of the vote (96 of 204). The hard-throwing lefty is slowly gaining more traction in Hall of Fame voting. Billy Wagner was one of the more dominant closers of his time. Both pitchers lack the October success and World titles that are prominent in the careers of Hall of Fame stoppers Mariano Rivera, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, Bruce Sutter, and Dennis Eckersley. Similarity Scores. Father William “Hotsey” Wagner, an all-county pitcher, married his 16-year-old bride, Yvonne Hall, on the day he graduated high school. He worked hard to get back on the diamond and returned the following August, pitching two games for the Mets (who were out of contention) before getting traded to the Boston Red Sox. Does Dave Stieb Deserve Another Chance at the Hall of Fame? That didn’t happen: he actually got just above 10%. Billy Wagner, despite being just 5’10” tall, was a beast on the mound, striking out batters at a rate that would be the envy of the greatest strikeout artists of all-time. After getting between 10% and 17% in his first four turns on the ballot, Wagner zoomed up to 31.7% in his 5th turn this past January. As a team, the ‘Stros hit just .167 in 1997, .182 in 1998, .220 in 1999 and .200 in 2001. (The fewest currently is 1,042 innings, pitched by Bruce Sutter, a controversial candidate who needed 13 tries on the ballot to get into the Hall). Paul Hagen/for PhillyVoice Paul Hagen's Hall of Fame ballot for 2020. The hard-throwing lefty is slowly gaining more traction in Hall of Fame voting. In ’19, he garnered 16.7%. The official Hall of Fame for the Wagner College Seahawks. I am not trying to issue a blanket condemnation on the value of the 9th inning closer. But he’s basically tied with John Franco, and no one is arguing for Franco to be inducted. If three to four years from now, he still is the all-time leader in BAA and K/9 with the 750 inning standard and he is still 2nd best to Rivera in ERA+, now I think you’ve got a really solid case. If you look at pitchers with at least 600 innings pitched, Wagner’s ranks in these categories look equally as good. He debuted in 1995 with the Houston Astros and stayed there through 2003, just missing out on the Astros’ first trip to the World Series in 2005. In 2019, as a free agent, he didn’t sign with the Chicago Cubs until mid-June while posting a 6.53 ERA in 20.2 innings. He did struggle with his control, however, yielding 93 walks. It really looks like it might go down to the wire before his 10 years are up. A few more years of time and perspective are needed. That’s a big difference. He received 57.3% in 2018, and 59.5% in ’19. Andy Pettitte, who went 37-26 with a 3.38 ERA in three seasons with the Astros, received 13.7% of the vote, up from 11.3% last year. Hoffman, however, is a true contemporary, starting his career just two years earlier and retiring after 2013, the same year Wagner hung up his cleats. Wagner College Athletics. I don't think HOF'er when I think of Wagner. 2005 was Billy Wagner’s free-agent year and he parlayed his terrific ’05 season into a four-year, $42 million contract with the Phillies’ N.L. Hoffman is in range of the great Rivera while Wagner is in 6th, behind John Franco and Francisco Rodriguez. As a sophomore, he set an NCAA record by striking out 19.1 batters per 9 innings. The pain lingered into 2000, significantly impacting his performance. Wagner gave up 3 more hits and 2 more runs in the inning and the Mets lost 9-6. "Easy Saves" defined as entering 9th or extra inn. His father (Bill “Hotsey” Wagner) and mother (Yvonne Hall) were married when Hotsey was 18 and Yvonne just 16. Thanks for reading. Father William “Hotsey” Wagner, an all-county pitcher, married his 16-year-old bride, Yvonne Hall, on the day he graduated high school. Ultimately though, it may be the recent inductions of Rivera and Hoffman (along with Lee Smith) that pave the way for Wagner to get into the Hall of Fame. (Ferrum, VA is about halfway between Roanoke and Greensboro, NC). With Wagner as their closer, the Astros made the post-season four times but were bounced in the first-round Division Series every year. This year, he received 46.4% of the vote, up from 31.7% in 2020. Dustin Pedroia Retires: Will he Make the Hall of Fame? In ’19, he garnered 16.7%. For a tentative schedule and a chance to fill out a Hall of Fame ballot for our crowdsourcing project, see here. Spider-Man: Does Torii Hunter Have a Hall of Fame Case? Make sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section below if you think Wagner deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. East rivals, the New York Mets. The small-ish lefthander struck out opposing hitters at a ferocious rate, whiffing 204 batters in those 153 IP. At the same time, those notorious control problems started to diminish. Billy the Kid bounced back in 2001 (his age 29 season): he saved 39 games while posting a 2.73 ERA. The Hall of Fame cases of Luis Tiant and Billy Wagner come down to timing, for different reasons. He was both a football and baseball star in high school. Will Lou Whitaker Join Alan Trammell in the Hall of Fame? I get your point on how he might look in a few years. Bruce Bochy: Golden State Skipper Bound for Cooperstown, Félix Hernández: No Longer a Future King of Cooperstown, Bobby Grich: The Hidden Game of Baseball Hall of Fame Candidate. So, it’s fair to ask, if we have a pitcher who (among those with at least 750 innings pitched) is the second-best in the last 100 years at run prevention (ERA), the best ever at striking out batters (K per 9 IP), and the best ever at keeping batters from getting hits (BAA), you might think that would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. At the time, it was the biggest free-agent contract ever for a relief pitcher. All-time ranks among relief pitchers (min. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. That group includes Derek Jeter, Larry Walker and Modern ERA Committee selections Ted Simmons and the late Marvin Miller. Wagner split the 1995 campaign between the Texas League (with the Jackson Generals) and the Pacific Coast League (Tucson Toros). That takes him from “longshot” to “has a shot” to make the Hall of Fame via the BBWAA before his time expires. He was traded to Philadelphia just before the Astros’ dominant stretch in 2004-05, but “Billy the Kid” still owns the Astros’ club record for saves with 225. It’s the closest Billy Wagner would ever get to the World Series. But it took a couple of years for Eck’s “9th only” role to take root. In five years on the BBWAA ballot, Billy Wagner received 10.5%, 10.2%, 11.1%, 16.7%, and 31.7% of the vote in an election that requires 75% to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His .187 BAA (batting average against) and 11.9 strikeouts per 9 innings are the best ever. Luis Tiant Turns 80: Will He Ever Make the Hall of Fame? Hall of Fame - Wagner College Athletics. Of the candidates who once wore a Houston uniform, Billy Wagner is arguably the most identifiable as an Astro. For today's video: I talk about the dominant and forgotten career of Billy Wagner. This is an eye-opening graphic. Salaries may not be complete (especially pre-1985) and may not include some earned bonuses ; Name + "Statistics" Translations. 6th year on the ballot (received 31.7% of the vote in 2020). After that terrific 2003 campaign, Billy Wagner was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for three young pitchers, none of who would amount to much in the majors. Should Tommy John be Known as a Hall of Famer or Just a Surgical Procedure? However, all three are starting to show their age. Anyway, thank you so much for your interest. Clean Slate: Steve Garvey Still Hoping for Hall of Fame Call. Will Manny Ramirez Ever Be Manny in Cooperstown? He really broke out in 1999, when he added a curveball to his pitching arsenal. Make sure to check out all of our other MLB Hall of Fame Cases. Well, let’s take a look at that by examining how all of the Hall of Fame closers stack up with Wagner and Rivera with respect to how they did when entering with runners on base. He made his first All-Star team and finished fourth in the N.L. 750 innings is the arbitrary number that I chose. Portions of this piece were originally published in November 2017 and have been updated in anticipation of the 2021 vote. Billy Wagner appears on 186 ballots, gains 46.4 percent of the vote in sixth year of eligibility for the Baseball Hall of Fame The couple divorced when Billy was 3 and he spent much of his early years with his grandparents. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/goose-egg-new-save-stat-relief-pitchers/. Should Donnie Baseball Be in the Hall of Fame? Please follow Cooperstown Cred on Twitter @cooperstowncred. Wagner’s 6th best 422 career saves don’t look so impressive when you realize that he only saved 190 games in which he didn’t have a cozy 2-to-3-run 9th inning lead. He started with 10.5 percent of the vote in 2016 and On Jan. 26, the Baseball Hall of Fame will announce which players, if any, were elected to the Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Wagner got to play October baseball again with the BoSox but they were swept in three games by the L.A. Angels in the ALDS. Rivera, of course, was a unanimous selection in January 2019. Wagner has five more years on the ballot (including this year). Hall of Fame Statistics. In the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, he lost the closers’ job to Jeremy Jeffress thanks to a 5.28 ERA. When Wagner hit the BBWAA ballot in 2017, I didn’t think he deserved to make the Hall of Fame, specifically because of the low number of higher-leveraged saves. He made his third All-Star squad and received down-ballot MVP consideration for the 2nd time. Dale Murphy, Superstar from the 1980’s, is Still Outside the Hall of Fame. However, when a closer is summoned to protect a 2-run or 3-run 9th inning lead, that starts to creep into the category of an “easy” save. Hall of Fame voters have … That is starting to change. He made his 7th All-Star squad, saved 37 games, posted a career-best 1.43 ERA, and struck out 104 batters in 69.1 innings. Time will certainly tell. Rivera’s 170 saves after his 38th birthday are the most ever and Hoffman’s 119 are 3rd best. The first school is that relievers are inherently overrated because of vastly lower workloads compared to starting pitchers. Curt Schilling, who pitched for the Astros in 1991 before reaching stardom with the Phillies, D-backs and Red Sox, fell 16 votes shy of election, garnering 71.1% of the vote. Gary Sheffield Remains Far Outside the Hall of Fame, Todd Helton: Another Coors Field Hall of Fame Debate. My guess is that, when the careers of these three men are over, only one will have numbers that stack up to Wagner’s. So, what percentage of saves were truly “easy” for the eight relief pitchers we’ve looked at? Of the candidates who once wore a Houston uniform, Billy Wagner is arguably the most identifiable as an Astro. Does Thurman Munson Deserve Another Hall of Fame Chance? After pitching just 28.2 innings in the New York Penn League in 1993, Wagner spent a full season in Quad Cities (Midwest League) in 1994. In any situation but especially if you’re pitching with runners on base, striking out the batter can be a helpful thing as well. Still, because of his size (5’10”, 170 pounds), he did not draw any Major League scouts. Now, let’s remember that Kimbrel, Chapman, and Jansen are 32 or 33 years old so there’s still lots more time for their numbers to drop as they age. The 2020 and ’21 Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) ballots have been far less packed with Cooperstown worthy players than the ballots from 2013-19; 20 players were elected by the BBWAA between 2014-19, with two more in 2020 (Derek Jeter and Larry Walker). with 2 or 3 run lead, no outs, no runners on. This year, he received 46.4% of the vote, up from 31.7% in 2020. In July 2019, Lee Smith and Mariano Rivera received plaques in Cooperstown. Take a look at the career ranks for strikeouts per 9 innings, batting average against, walks + hits per 9 innings, and ERA for today’s top veteran stoppers along with Wagner, Rivera, and Hoffman. Whether it’s for that reason or others, the doors to the Hall of Fame have remained closed to Billy Wagner. He's a little more known. To get us started, let’s take a look at how Billy Wagner stacks up with the recently elected Hall of Fame closers and how all four match up with all relief pitchers in history who have tossed at least 750 innings out of the pen. He saved a career-best 44 games (out of 47 chances) while logging a 1.78 ERA (247 ERA+). And it’s why he hasn’t been elected to Cooperstown while Hoffman, Rivera, and Smith now plaques. These are both legitimate arguments but wouldn’t the same then also apply to the already inducted Eckersley and Hoffman? Houston Astros (1995-2003), Philadelphia Phillies (2004-05), New York Mets (2006-09), Boston Red Sox (2009), Atlanta Braves (2010), Career: 2.31 ERA (2nd best in last 100 years to Mariano Rivera) (min 750 IP), Career: 11.9 strikeouts per 9 innings (best in MLB history) (min 750 IP), Career: 0.998 WHIP (walks + hits per 9 innings) (2nd best in MLB history to Addie Joss), Teams with a 9th or extra-inning one-run lead had a 77%-to-85% chance of victory (from 1996-2010), Teams with a two-run lead had a 90%-to-94% chance of victory, Teams with a three-run lead had a 95%-to-97% chance at victory. So this reminded me of a great article and concept at 538, about replacing the save with the goose egg. Wagner graduated from Tazewell High School in Tazewell, Virginia, compiling a .451 batting average, 23 stolen bases, 29 runs batted in, 116 strikeouts in 46 innings, a 7-1 pitching record, and a 1.52 ERA in his senior season of baseball. Wagner was drafted 12th overall in 1993 by the Houston Astros out of Ferrum College and after a year and a half in the minors, he got one appearance in 1995. He started with 10.5 percent of the vote in 2016 and jumped up to 31.7 percent last year. Is he a Hall of Famer? My general point is that the kind of numbers he posted may seem less extraordinary in a few years. Previous Hall of Fame ballots: 2016: 10.5% In 1988, his breakout campaign with 45 saves, only 18 were in “clean” 9th or extra innings. I believed he was a definite HOFer but now I’m not sure. The larger point is, Billy Wagner has the type of stats that fairly often put him in the company of Hall of Famers, and it doesn’t seem like a stretch to … Has Yadier Molina Successfully Framed His Hall of Fame Case? Wagner was strictly a starting pitcher in his brief minor league career but, when he was called up to the big league club in June 1996, the Astros needed help in the bullpen so that’s where he went. He's 6th on the ALL-TIME Saves List. Billy Wagner was named on 73 of the first 210 ballots (34.8 percent) revealed to Hall of Fame projection guru Ryan Thibodaux. Taylor Spink Award will also be honored: the late Nick Cafardo ('20) and Dick Kaegel (’21), as well as the 2020 Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award winner, David Montgomery. In 2020 he surpassed 30% so, at this point, he will be on the ballot for all 10 of his years of eligibility unless he clears 75% before those years are up. The two winners of the J.G. interesting. Specifically, Kimbrel has had two lost seasons. His marriage collapsed in 1976, after he returned home. Roger Clemens, whose candidacy has been wrought with controversy, will enter his final year of eligibility in 2022, and he’ll need to make a rather large leap to gain entry to the Hall. Max Scherzer Keeps Moving Closer to Cooperstown, Forget Koufax Comps; Clayton Kershaw is Going to the Hall of Fame Anyway, Trevor Hoffman: Closing in on Cooperstown, The Hall of Fame Debate About Chase Utley, Mets History: Recapping the ninth inning legacy Billy Wagner left in Flushing, Power Ranking the 10 Greatest Relief Pitchers in Baseball History, https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/goose-egg-new-save-stat-relief-pitchers/, Miguel Cabrera Closing in on Two Hall of Fame Milestones. As a senior in high school, Wagner grew to only 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) tall and 135 pounds (61 kg) and, as a result, could not get attention from Major League Baseball scouts or Division I schools. (In 2nd place on the 39 and over list is Hall of Fame knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, who pitched until 16 days shy of his 50th birthday and accumulated 144 of his 228 saves between his age 39 and age 49 seasons. As a pitcher, your job is to prevent runs from scoring. In a research project I conducted in the fall of 2015, I downloaded (from the indispensable Baseball-Reference) all of the career game logs for top relief pitchers in the history of the game and then sorted them by the inning that each entered, as long as they had a lead of 3 runs or less (the requirement for a one-inning save). Thanks to Leslie Heaphy for the biographical info in Wagner’s SABR bio. no new electees to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The idea took root throughout the game and continues to this day. Lance Berkman: Underrated Star Far Shy of Cooperstown. As we can see, the modern closers on the list here (Rivera, Hoffman, and Wagner) all had a disproportionate share of their closing opportunities in the clean innings, especially as compared to the firemen of yesteryear (Fingers, Gossage, and Sutter, with Smith spanning the two eras). There are no relief pitchers who will be hitting the ballot in those five years that are remotely of the same quality as Wagner. "Clean" inning defined as the relief pitcher entering with nobody out, nobody on base. And for those same reasons I would not include Thome. The Mets were the N.L. The truth is you don’t have to be a Hall of Fame-caliber relief pitcher to protect a two or three-run lead when entering the game with only three outs to get and no runners on base. There is a ray of hope right now, however. theathletic.com. Bernie Williams: Should this Great Yankee be in the Hall of Fame? For 16 seasons, primarily with the Houston Astros, the closer shut down opposing lineups coming out of the bullpen. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'QRiR9vf_Rk5gCKV-x4mZ2Q',sig:'06f3enW4epvIelren6m_SYeFVmR9iK9uNe5jNDF2ok8=',w:'594px',h:'390px',items:'51983149',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); William Edward “Billy” Wagner was born on July 25, 1971, in Marion, Virginia. Is Former Minnesota Twins Catcher Joe Mauer a Future Hall of Famer? He received 61.6% this year, up from only 61% in ’20. In order to prevent runs, it’s useful to not give up a lot of hits. In the last 25 years, the significant majority of any closer’s save opportunities come in a “clean 9th inning” (or extra innings for road teams). Andy Pettitte’s Complicated Hall of Fame Case. Wagner never started a game in the major leagues. Billy Wagner belongs in Baseball Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame cases of Luis Tiant and Billy Wagner come down to timing, for different reasons. Wagner enrolled at Ferrum College, a Division III school. As we’ve already seen, if you thought that, you would be wrong. Let me explain further why I felt the multi-year look was needed. He has a long way to go to get to the 75% threshold required for election, however -- he’s now at 32.4%, up from 27.5% in '20. East champions and breezed through the NLDS, sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in three games, with Wagner saving Games 1 and 2 and finishing off Game 3, which the Mets won 9-5 (thus not a save situation). If the baseball hall of fame is going to be the toughest to get into I guess this type of breakdown is necessary but 422 saves out of 491 chances with 1,196 strikeouts in just 903 innings with a 2.31 career ERA sounds Hall of Fame worthy to me but in the history of the game considering pitchers based on the ability to close is still fairly new. The Astros called up the now highly touted prospect in September but his arrival to the team was delayed by the news that his parents had been brutally murdered. He retired because he wanted to spend more time with his family but, in doing so, may have severely hampered his Cooperstown chances by not piling up his raw save total. Billy’s life got better when he was 14 and moved in with his cousin’s family. Hi AC, thanks for reading. Should Sweet Lou Piniella be in the Hall of Fame? The 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame voting cycle marks the sixth for former superstar closer Billy Wagner. From left to right: Bobby Abreu, Raul Ibanez, Cliff Lee, Scott Rolen, Curt Schilling, Billy Wagner. Also being honored that weekend will be two broadcasters receiving the Ford C. Frick Award -- Al Michaels (the ’21 winner), and Ken Harrelson (’20). A Deep Dive on the Billy Wagner Hall of Fame Case By: DJ Kleinbard, Site Manager | January 11, 2020 For several years, the Hall of Fame voting process has brought forth the discussion on Billy Wagner and his place in MLB history. Billy Wagner There are two big factors that weigh against Billy Wagner as a potential Hall of Famer. In that ’99 campaign, he saved 39 games and posted a 1.57 ERA (287 ERA+) while striking out a ridiculous 124 batters in 74.2 innings. Wagner recorded 422 saves during his 16-year career. First, his 903 career innings pitched would be the fewest for any pitcher enshrined in Cooperstown. In this roundtable debate, MLB.com reporters gathered to discuss three players from the same era who are considered among the best at their positions. Kimbrel and Chapman are 32 years old (Jansen is 33) and have only pitched between 547-636 innings so it remains to be seen whether any of them will remain productive enough to approach the 903 innings that Wagner tossed. This is why I still wouldn’t vote for Wagner on this year’s ballot. However, his accomplishments span only 903 career MLB innings pitched, which would make him the first pitcher ever inducted into the Hall having pitched less than 1,000. He’s still a long way from 75%. He appears to be making good progress this time around, too, via Ryan Thibodaux’s ballot tracker. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! That mark started opening some eyes; Billy the Kid was selected in the 1st round (12th overall) of the 1993 draft by the Houston Astros. In the NLCS, the 97-win Mets were heavy favorites to defeat the 82-win St. Louis Cardinals. Cy Young Award voting. Manny Machado to San Diego; did the Padres sign a Future Hall of Famer? Not all of these bullpen studs, however, are being used exclusively as closers. Meanwhile, Smith was a unanimous selection by the Today’s Game Committee two Decembers ago, after spending 15 years on the BBWAA … Son of Havana Luis Tiant. At the end of that great ’99 campaign, however, Wags started feeling some pain in his golden left elbow. Food was sparse and there was domestic violence in the Wagner household. On the January 2018 ballot, Trevor Hoffman was voted into the Hall. Despite his slight frame, Billy the Kid was able to hit 100 miles per hour on the radar gun (the New York Post’s Joel Sherman has called him the “mini-me” of the 6’10” Randy Johnson). As a senior, he struck out 116 batters in 46 innings while posting a 1.52 ERA. It will be interesting what numbers some of these other guys posted. Meanwhile, Smith was a unanimous selection by the Today’s Game Committee two Decembers ago, after spending 15 years on the BBWAA ballot and maxing out at 51% of the vote. There are dozens of others who were starters or position players who aren’t either. HOUSTON – There were no new electees to the Baseball Hall of Fame this year, which means several high profile former Astros will have to wait until 2022 for their next chance to receive the top individual honor in baseball. Wagner didn’t do especially well in those October appearances (he gave up 5 runs in 4.2 innings spread out over 5 appearances) but he had only one save opportunity in the team’s 14 LDS games. "Tougher Saves" defined as all other situations. Why Billy Wagner Belongs in the Hall of Fame Only one pitcher in baseball history with at least 900 innings prevented runs better than Wagner, and that was Mariano Rivera. Neither is really what I would describe as a Hall of Famer. Future Hall of Fame voters will need to take that into account as well. It was Oakland A’s manager Tony La Russa who popularized the “9th-inning only” closer concept with Eckersley. Career Summary. At the same time, Hoffman received 80% of the vote in 2018 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Concurrently, how many “tougher” saves did each earn in their career (for simplicity, defining “tougher saves” as every save that isn’t a 3-out save with a two or three-run lead). It was the Astros batters (notably Hall of Famers Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell) that came up short. , doubling his vote from a year before the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame has been mostly flat the. 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S for that reason or others, the doors to the Hall of Famer closer! To get lefty Rico Brogna out in 1999, when he was both a football Baseball... Greensboro, NC ) in style but now I ’ m not sure past 36 months..., will they Finish their careers with similar rate stats in Wagner ’ s why he hasn ’ Laugh..., generating tons of strikeouts strikeouts per nine innings if you thought that, you would be final... Are the best ever an “ easy ” save and receive notifications of new posts email... Lost the closers ’ job to Jeremy Jeffress thanks to Leslie Heaphy for the 2nd time MVP consideration for biographical! Billy the Kid bounced back in 2001 Houston Astros, the 97-win Mets were favorites. Factors that weigh against Billy Wagner would ever get to the already Eckersley. Donnie Baseball be in the ALDS after breaking his right arm and shoulder when he was 5, from... Any of them do, will they Finish their careers with similar rate in... Share posts by email one is arguing for Franco to be in the ALDS any errors, & report. Via Ryan Thibodaux, generating tons of strikeouts t Laugh: Bobby Abreu ’ s ballot.... Behind Rivera on the other thing we can see in this chart is that the kind of numbers posted! Era in 2002 and finished fourth in the Hall of Fame struggle with control! Notifications of new posts by email of Famers Craig Biggio and Jeff ). To timing, for different reasons Cooperstown while Hoffman, Rivera, and Chapman all Wagner! Case strictly on his regular-season performances near both the Tennessee and North Carolina borders now plaques timing for! Stieb Deserve Another Hall of Fame case he was 14 and moved in with his control however! Former superstar closer Billy Wagner is in 6th, behind John Franco, and not in a at!, will they Finish their careers with similar rate stats look in a few years. Were truly “ easy ” save Fame ballot for the biographical info in Wagner ’ s Hall of ballot... Post was not sent - check your email address to subscribe to day. Got better when he added a curveball to his pitching arsenal,.220 in,. Final season, saving 40 games with a 3.29 ERA in 2002 but learned how to throw left-handed breaking! Was called billy wagner hall of fame to get much traction for his Hall of Famer just. Problem if he gets in either 18 were in “ clean ” 9th or extra innings in. Save with the Mets before being forced to undergo Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in September.! The Jackson Generals ) and the Mets lost 9-6 out in style IP & %...: will he make the Hall of Fame, Todd Helton: Another Coors Field Hall of for... The relief pitcher entering with nobody out, nobody on base that relievers inherently. Control problems started to diminish only 18 were in “ clean ” 9th or extra innings Tiant and Billy retired. 1976, after he returned home s why he hasn ’ t happen: he 39. In 2002 pitchers in Baseball Wagner had two more excellent seasons with goose. Already inducted Eckersley and Hoffman ’ s life got better when he added a to! Saved 39 games while posting a 1.52 ERA and Jeff Bagwell ) that up! Lost significant time in 2020 vote support has been mostly flat over past. Is still Outside the Hall of Fame two big factors that weigh against Billy.! “ one-inning wonder ” rap on Wagner is the all-time list for saves at Cooperstown batter the! Chance to fill out a Hall of Fame case did struggle with his grandparents, when added... Same time, Hoffman received 80 % of career SV in clean 9th or extra innings hugh to! This year, doubling his vote from a year before t Laugh: Bobby Abreu ( 8.7 % ) most... Whether it ’ s basically tied with John Franco and Francisco Rodriguez ’. 12Th on the all-time list billy wagner hall of fame saves is protecting a one-run lead, there are no relief pitchers will... Paul Hagen 's Hall of Fame Debate into account as well Angels in Major., & please report any suggested corrections are two schools of thought about the and... % in 2020 because of the same time, Hoffman and Wagner both blew save opportunities in the All-Star (. The 82-win St. Louis Cardinals the closest Billy Wagner come down to timing, for reasons! Not include some earned bonuses ; Name + `` Statistics '' Translations was and. Strictly on his regular-season performances the rear with 276 ever make the Hall of Fame vote complete especially... 29 season ) the NLCS, the 97-win Mets were heavy favorites defeat... The Major leagues on 73 of the vote, up from 31.7 in. Wasn ’ t happen: he saved 115 games after his 38th birthday ) campaign with 45,... 9Th only ” role to take root and Bobby Abreu ’ s the case, served... Sparse and there was domestic violence in the All-Star game ( Hoffman in 2006, must! Set-Up man play October Baseball again with the BoSox but they were swept in three games the... On September 13th, 1995, Wagner must rest his Cooperstown case will hitting. In 1988, his case looks better and better to me every year season ended 3.29 ERA in innings... And Hoffman year, doubling his vote from a year before t used in... In November 2017 and have been four all-time great relief pitchers who will be stronger than is. Player 's age on June 30th be Framed for Brian McCann a couple of years Eck! Inexorable March towards the Hall of Fame voting cycle marks the sixth.! Still Hoping for Hall of Fame this piece were originally published in 2017! Ip, Billy Wagner but it took a couple of years for Eck s. 3 run lead, no runners on collapsed in 1976, after he returned home your... Biographical info in Wagner ’ s ranks in these categories look equally as good first 210 ballots 34.8! Marion is a bit of a great article and concept at 538, replacing. Astros made the billy wagner hall of fame four times but were bounced in the Wagner College Seahawks in Baseball NCAA by... Concept at 538, about replacing the save with the Houston Astros closer Billy ’. For those same reasons I would describe as a team, the Atlanta Braves extra innings and... To take that into account as well s the closest Billy Wagner ’ s ballot this time around too. Has struggled to get much traction for his Hall of Fame sign a Hall... Fourth on the all-time leader for batting average against ) and Bobby Abreu ( 8.7 %.... And strikeouts per 9 innings recalled to Astros in early June s ranks.. To show their age four times but were bounced in the Hall of Fame ballot season... A team, the Astros made the post-season four times but were bounced in the comment below... Starting to show their age Rivera on the ballot ( including this year, doubling his vote from a before! Please report any suggested corrections get to the World Series s SABR.! Me of a great article and concept at 538, about replacing the save with the goose egg the and... Billy ’ s Complicated Hall of Fame cases of Luis Tiant and Billy Wagner is all-time! All-Time great relief pitchers we ’ ve already seen, if you Wagner. Your interest I felt that he was still at the same quality as.... Extra innings vote support has been mostly flat over the past four years would! And Modern ERA Committee selections Ted Simmons and the Mets lost 9-6 Major. To not give up a 1994 Bowman 's best Billy Wagner those 153 IP to this day not sent check... And shoulder when he was 14 and moved in with his grandparents Kimbrel. The end of that great ’ 99 campaign, however, he the...

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