Billy Wagner has been tracking the known ballots online and realizes his Hall of Fame candidacy for this year likely hinges on a few votes.
“It’s not like I can say I’ll definitely be there so I can have friends over.” [Tuesday] for the announcement and celebrate,” the former Mets closer told The Post on Monday. “I can’t do any of that. I’ll look like a big jerk if I have people over and I don’t get a call.
As of Monday afternoon, Wagner was at 78.4 percent, according to known ballots compiled by Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs on X).
The threshold for induction into the Hall of Fame is 75 percent by voting members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, but historically, candidates are a few to several percentage points lower than what is tabulated by Thibodaux in the first results.
Thibodaux had tabulated about 50 percent of the ballots released Monday.
Instead of waiting by the phone, Wagner said he will spend Tuesday afternoon and early evening leading baseball practice at the Miller School in Charlottesville, Virginia. The former six-time All-Star spent the last 12 years as the school’s varsity baseball coach.
Billy Wagner is about to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. P.A.
Are Wagner’s players nervous for him?
“They’re teenagers, they don’t even know what’s going on,” Wagner said. “They better not worry about what I do.” They have to care about what they do, they are the ones who have to perform. I keep them busy enough and they don’t talk about it. If they do, it’s not around me.
Last year, Wagner, in his eighth appearance on the ballot, received 68.1 percent of the Hall of Fame vote. If he is not elected this time, he will have one final year of eligibility remaining on the BBWAA ballot.
“What drives you crazy is when you sit here and see that someone who voted for you last year has excluded you from the ballot,” Wagner said. “You ask yourself, ‘What have I done here?’ I lost a few votes and I guess I must have missed a stop by then.
One explanation is that voters are allowed to select a maximum of 10 candidates, and that a new player appearing on the ballot can eliminate a voter’s selection from the previous year.
Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Rich Gossage, Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, Lee Smith, Bruce Sutter and Hoyt Wilhelm are the only Hall of Fame pitchers who spent the majority of their careers as a reliever.
Over a 16-year career with the Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox and Braves, the left-handed Wagner recorded 422 saves – sixth all-time – and a 2.31 ERA.
Billy Wagner pitched for the Mets in 2008. Charles Wenzelberg
He recorded an ERA+ of 187, meaning he was 87% better in ERA than the league average during his career.
Wagner averaged 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings during his career and held opponents to a .187 batting average.
Both are all-time major league records for a pitcher, starter or reliever.
“You can’t appreciate Billy Wagner without seeing Billy Wagner,” Wagner said. “You just can’t.”
2024-01-23 00:34:51
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