The 2018 Hall of Fame class will be a robust one, with four players elected to Cooperstown on Wednesday. It also set the stage for another potentially strong class next year.
Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina joined by Mariano Rivera & others on 2019 Hall of Fame ballot
Mariano Rivera, Roy Halladay among strong first-timers next year
Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, and Trevor Hoffman all received the 75 percent necessary for Hall of Fame status, but the next two have reason to be hopeful for 2019. Edgar Martinez got 70.4 percent of the vote this year, falling 20 votes short of enshrinement. But he also made a substantial jump from 58.6 percent last year, and with next year his final year on the Baseball Writers Association of America ballot he should get the bump he needs to get over the 75 percent mark.
In the history of the ballot, Martinez is the 28th player to gain 70 percent of the writers’ vote but not gain election in that year. Of the previous 27, 22 players were elected in the next year. The other five all made the Hall of Fame through the veterans committee.
The 70-percenters
Player | Year | Vote% | Next year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgar Martinez | 2018 | 70.4% | tbd |
| Trevor Hoffman | 2017 | 74.0% | 79.9% |
| Vladimir Guerrero | 2017 | 71.7% | 92.9% |
| Jeff Bagwell | 2016 | 71.6% | 86.2% |
| Craig Biggio | 2014 | 74.8% | 82.7% |
| Bert Blyleven | 2010 | 74.2% | 79.7% |
| Roberto Alomar | 2010 | 73.7% | 90.0% |
| Jim Rice | 2008 | 72.2% | 76.4% |
| Goose Gossage | 2007 | 71.2% | 85.8% |
| Gary Carter | 2002 | 72.7% | 78.0% |
| Don Sutton | 1997 | 73.2% | 81.6% |
| Orlando Cepeda | 1994 | 73.5% | n/a* |
| Gaylord Perry | 1990 | 72.1% | 77.2% |
| Jim Bunning | 1988 | 74.2% | 63.3%^ |
| Jim Bunning | 1987 | 70.0% | 74.2% |
| Billy Williams | 1986 | 74.1% | 85.7% |
| Nellie Fox | 1985 | 74.7% | n/a* |
| Hoyt Wilhelm | 1984 | 72.0% | 83.8% |
| Harmon Killebrew | 1983 | 71.9% | 83.1% |
| Juan Marichal | 1982 | 73.5% | 83.7% |
| Duke Snider | 1979 | 71.3% | 86.5% |
| Robin Roberts | 1975 | 72.7% | 86.9% |
| Roy Campanella | 1968 | 72.4% | 79.4% |
| Red Ruffing | 1967 | 72.6% | n/a* |
| Joe Medwick | 1967 | 72.6% | 84.8% |
| Bill Terry | 1953 | 72.3% | 77.4% |
| Paul Waner | 1951 | 71.7% | 83.3% |
| Pie Traynor | 1947 | 73.9% | 76.9% |
| Frank Chance | 1945 | 71.3% | 72.5%# |
So it might take a while but Martinez will likely get into Cooperstown. Eventually.
“All I can think is that it’s looking good for next year,” Martinez said Wednesday. “It would have been great to get in this year, but it’s looking good for next year.”
Mike Mussina is gaining steam as well, increasing his vote total from 51.8 percent to 63.5 percent. He is just in his fifth year on the ballot, with five more years to make that final push.
The first-timers on the 2019 ballot are headlined Mariano Rivera, who is as much of a lock for Cooperstown induction as he was when on the mound closing out games for the New York Yankees throughout his career. Another strong case for first-ballot status is Roy Halladay, the two-time Cy Young Award winner and seven-time top-5 Cy Young finisher who tragically died in a plane crash in November.
Other notable additions to next year’s ballot include Andy Pettitte, who won 256 games and was a part of five Yankees World Series championship teams; switch-hitter Lance Berkman, who posted a 144 OPS+ in 15 years; and 2002 American League MVP a Miguel Tejada.
The four players elected in 2018 represent just the fifth time four or more players have been inducted into Cooperstown. In addition to the record five-member inaugural class of 1936, there are four players elected in 1947, 1955 and 2015 as well.
Should Martinez and Mussina make a big enough jump and join potential first-ballot players Pettitte and Halladay, the 2019 class could be a large one as well. Something to look forward to a year from now.
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