The 2025 Hall Of Fame class has been announced and Cooperstown welcomes Ichiro Suzuki, C.C.
Sabathia and Billy Wagner.
The only question for Ichiro was whether or not his election would be unanimous.
He missed that even more special version of immortality by one vote.
I see both sides of the argument.
That hat question is more undecided for the other first ballot HOFer from today in C.C.
Should he go in with Cleveland or the Yankees?
I’m very happy Sabathia was able to get in so easily.
Getting 251 wins in a career that started in 2001 is a giant accomplishment.
I’m also happy that Billy Wagner got elected in his last year of eligibility.
I think that latter point is unfair.
His career September ERA was 1.70 (in 158 IP).
To say he wasn’t clutch ignores a lot of what he did.
The man also had 422 saves and a career 2.31 ERA.
I’m not sure what else he could have done.
Safe to guess that Wagner will go in as an Astro and join ex-teammates Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell.
Carlos Beltran just missed.
I still think he’s getting punished for his role in the 2017 Astros cheating scandal.
There’s a chance no one gets in next year.
Jones keeps rising and is at 66.2% but only has two years left on the ballot.
Chase Utley went up 12% this year but is barely halfway there (39.8%).
Only Beltran gets in next year and Andrew Jones just misses.
Poor Hanley Ramirez, Fernando Rodney and Ben Zobrist didn’t even get a single vote.
Torii Hunter got lucky and stayed on the ballot for next year by a single vote.
I’m very pleased with who got voted in.
I also think Bobby Abreu deserves more votes but I also understand that’s not realistic.
Sabathia and Billy Wagner is pretty great.
