Billy Wagner has heard all the anecdotal evidence that he’s in good shape to receive the call for Cooperstown next month and even can tell you exactly how many votes he needs to gain.
But until the former Mets closer actually receives that phone call on Jan. 24 from Jack O’Connell, the secretary/treasurer of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America who annually notifies the new Hall of Famers, he anticipates remaining jittery.
First, the numbers: Wagner received 68.1 percent of the vote last winter in his eighth year on the ballot. The magic number is 75 percent — and Wagner has this year and next (if needed) to reach that threshold before his eligibility on the BBWAA ballot expires.
“It’s 27 votes away,” Wagner told Post Sports+ this week. “Everybody in the world has told me that everybody who gets this close gets in. It’s nerve-racking. It’s exciting. It’s everything you want. Do you start thinking about the Hall of Fame speech? How do you react? It’s a very uncomfortable feeling because you don’t have control.”
Wagner recorded 422 saves over a 16-year career with the Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox and Braves. But you have to dig deeper to find the numbers that likely ultimately will be responsible for his Hall of Fame selection.
Start with Wagner’s 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings and 0.998 WHIP. The left-hander also retired with a 187 ERA+ (meaning his career 2.31 ERA was 87 percent better than the league average over that stretch).
For comparison’s sake, the gold standard of relievers, Mariano Rivera, had a strikeout rate of 8.2 batters per nine innings and 1.000 WHIP. Rivera owned a 205 ERA+ for his career, an all-time record. He also had a postseason resume that may never be matched in helping the Yankees win five World Series.
Wagner received only 10.5 percent of the vote his first year on the ballot. By his fourth year, the number had only climbed to 16.7 percent. But his support has skyrocketed in the past four years. Partly, he credits former teammates in the Hall of Fame (Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Tom Glavine and Chipper Jones, most notably) for championing his cause.
“I think they have a voice that people trust,” Wagner said. “It’s like anything else. Good players know good players. I cringe to say that I think I was that good because I just don’t like to say things about myself like that.
“But there is nothing better for a player than hearing their peers say positive things and say, ‘You should be in the Hall of Fame.’ When you hear those guys talk that way, it gives you credibility and that to me speaks volumes. It gives me hope and I get excited. And then I start worrying about being too hopeful, so it’s a Catch 22.”
Wagner spent the equivalent of three seasons with the Mets — he underwent Tommy John surgery that cost him most of his final year with the club.
His best season with the Mets was 2006, when he pitched to a 2.24 ERA and recorded 40 saves for a team that came within a victory of reaching the World Series. Wagner was the losing pitcher in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Cardinals after entering in a tie game in the ninth inning and allowing three earned runs.
It’s the nine seasons Wagner spent in Houston that all but guarantees he will enter the Hall of Fame wearing an Astros cap if he’s elected. Wagner understands that rationale — the Hall of Fame has much of the say in the matter — but also acknowledges a sense of disconnect with the organization.
“The weirdest thing is they are an American League team,” Wagner said. ”There’s no familiarity with a lot of things since I was there. [Owner] Jim Crane has been great, but it’s different. I know Bagwell and Biggio. I go down there and spend time with them. … But it’s different — you don’t have the same people.
“I think of New York as my home as well because I really enjoyed that. I really made some great relationships at that point, and there’s a lot of great memories and great things that go on there. It is different with Houston because I was [former Astros owner] Drayton McLane’s first draft pick and Mr. Crane doesn’t really know me. There is no real tie except to the organization.”
‘Best Infield Ever’ comes to dinner
The 1999 Mets infield (John Olerud, Edgardo Alfonzo, Rey Ordóñez and Robin Ventura) was one of the best defensive units in MLB history. Ordonez and Ventura each won a Gold Glove that season, and Olerud and Alfonzo also were both plus defenders. The quartet was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Now, a quarter-century later, that group will be honored with the “Willie, Mickey and the Duke” award at the 99th annual New York Baseball Writers’ Dinner on Jan. 27 in Manhattan.
Francisco Lindor will be honored with the Joe DiMaggio “Toast of the Town” award. Lindor hit 31 home runs and stole 31 bases last season to join David Wright, Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry as Mets players in the 30/30 club.
The MVPs, Cy Youngs, Rookies of the Year and Managers of the Year from each league are scheduled to attend (Shohei Ohtani will be allowed to pick up the tab for the event if he so chooses).
Ticket information for the general public is available at NYBBWAA.com.
The 2025 infield depth chart
If Ronny Mauricio’s torn ACL in his right knee costs him all of next season, it’s fair to wonder how prominent he will be on the Mets’ radar upon his return.
By then, the Mets could be looking toward Luisangel Acuña and Jett Williams as the young infielders who might help catapult the team in 2025.
Mauricio’s path for proving himself was less cluttered this season, with Brett Baty as his chief competition at third base.
In Mauricio’s favor is the fact he will still only be 23 years old when he returns. With a little luck, his rehab from surgery will be short — the Mets said they will provide a timeline following the procedure — and he might get an opportunity to play in 2024.
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