Rivera, Halladay among those joining Hall of Fame ballot
Former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera and two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay are among the 20 players debuting on Hall of Fame ballots for 2019, the Baseball Writers' Association of America announced Monday.
To earn enshrinement, candidates need to receive votes on 75 percent of ballots. Players can remain eligible for up to 10 years as long as they receive votes on at least 5 percent of ballots.
Rivera is the all-time leader in wins above replacement among relief pitchers (39.2). Over his 19 seasons, all with the Yankees, he posted a 2.21 ERA and 1.00 WHIP on top of an MLB-best 652 saves and 1,173 strikeouts. He rode his elite cutter to 13 All-Star Games and five World Series titles, earning World Series MVP honors in 1999.
Another Yankee of the Rivera era, left-hander Andy Pettitte, joins the ballot as well. A three-time All-Star, Pettitte spent most of his 18-year career with the Yankees, though he played three seasons with the Houston Astros. All told, he went 256-153 with a 3.85 ERA (117 ERA+) and 1.35 WHIP.
Halladay was one of the most dominant pitchers of the early 21st century. Over 16 years split between the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies, he went 203-105 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. He topped 200 innings on eight different occasions and tossed 67 complete games. In addition to his Cy Young victories in 2003 and 2010, he was an eight-time All-Star. Halladay, who retired after the 2013 season, died in a plane crash in 2017.
Rounding out the top newcomers is longtime Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton, who was named to five consecutive All-Star teams as he and outfielder Larry Walker (a holdover on the ballot) wreaked havoc on National League pitching in the early 2000s. Helton finished his 17 seasons with a career slash line of .316/.414/.539, 369 home runs, and 1,406 RBIs. His 2000 campaign was especially formidable as he hit .372/.463/.698 with 42 homers and a major-league-leading 147 RBIs.
Here is a full list of the 20 players debuting on the ballot:
| Name | Position | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Rick Ankiel | SP/OF | 11 |
| Jason Bay | OF | 11 |
| Lance Berkman | OF | 15 |
| Freddy Garcia | SP | 15 |
| Jon Garland | SP | 13 |
| Travis Hafner | DH/1B | 12 |
| Roy Halladay | SP | 16 |
| Todd Helton | 1B | 17 |
| Ted Lilly | SP | 15 |
| Derek Lowe | SP/RP | 17 |
| Darren Oliver | SP/RP | 20 |
| Roy Oswalt | SP | 13 |
| Andy Pettitte | SP | 18 |
| Juan Pierre | OF | 14 |
| Placido Polanco | 2B | 16 |
| Mariano Rivera | RP | 19 |
| Miguel Tejada | SS | 16 |
| Vernon Wells | OF | 15 |
| Kevin Youkilis | 3B | 10 |
| Michael Young | SS/3B | 14 |
Some high-profile holdovers include designated hitter Edgar Martinez; starting pitchers Mike Mussina, Roger Clemens, and Curt Schilling; outfielders Barry Bonds, Andruw Jones, and Gary Sheffield; and third baseman Scott Rolen.
In 2018, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero, and Trevor Hoffman were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Ballots for 2019 are being mailed out this week, and the results will be announced Jan. 22.