The Baseball Hall of Fame announced its full 2019 ballot, headlined by newcomers in Mariano Rivera and Roy Halladay.
Rivera, baseball's all-time saves leader with 652, is expected to be voted in on the first ballot. Halladay, who died in 2017, was a two-time Cy Young winner who could also receive the required 75% of the vote in his first year.
Other notable first-timers include pitcher Andy Pettitte and first baseman Todd Helton.
Edgar Martinez, in his 10th and final year on the ballot, is primed to be voted in this year as he received 70.4% of the vote in 2018. Pitcher Mike Mussina's vote share has gone up in each of his first five years on the ballot, reaching 63.5% last year.
Barry Bonds (56.4%) and Roger Clemens (57.3%) are in their seventh year on the ballot and have trended upwards in recent years, but will find it difficult to garner the necessary votes in the coming years.
Here's the full 35-player 2019 ballot in alphabetical order:
- Rick Ankiel (first year)
- Jason Bay (first year)
- Lance Berkman (first year)
- Barry Bonds (7th year, 56.4% in 2018)
- Roger Clemens (7th year, 57.3%)
- Freddy Garcia (first year)
- Jon Garland (first year)
- Travis Hafner (first year)
- Roy Halladay (first year)
- Todd Helton (first year)
- Andruw Jones (2nd year, 7.3%)
- Jeff Kent (6th year, 14.5%)
- Ted Lilly (first year)
- Derek Lowe (first year)
- Edgar Martinez (10th year, 70.4%)
- Fred McGriff (10th year, 23.2%)
- Mike Mussina (6th year, 63.5%)
- Darren Oliver (first year)
- Roy Oswalt (first year)
- Andy Pettitte (first year)
- Juan Pierre (first year)
- Placido Polanco (first year)
- Manny Ramirez (3rd year, 22%)
- Mariano Rivera (first year)
- Scott Rolen (2nd year, 10.2%)
- Curt Schilling (6th year, 51.2%)
- Gary Sheffield (5th year, 11.1%)
- Sammy Sosa (7th year, 7.8%)
- Miguel Tejada (first year)
- Omar Vizquel (2nd year, 37.1%)
- Billy Wagner (4th year, 11.1%)
- Larry Walker (9th year, 34.1%)
- Vernon Wells (first year)
- Kevin Youkilis (first year)
- Michael Young (first year)
Source: Read Full Article