The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, welcomes six new members at Sunday’s induction ceremony. The class includes the first unanimous selection, Yankees great Mariano Rivera, as well as Edgar Martinez and the late Roy Halladay.
It promises to be a special afternoon in Cooperstown when six new players get their plaques, and throngs will be there to cheer them.
Let’s take a moment to meet the new Hall of Famers, and talk about their accomplishments.
6 legends will be added to rare company in Cooperstown pic.twitter.com/j4ueYO7o5j
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 21, 2019
A lock for the Hall
Mariano Rivera was as big of a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame as you’ll see. He was, quite simply, the best closer in the game for more than 10 years.
Rivera had it all: Regular-season dominance, team success, playoff heroics and popularity. As the first unanimous selection, is he the best player ever? Probably not. But he was so clearly a Hall of Famer that he broke through that barrier, and Yankees fans couldn’t be prouder.
Mariano Rivera gets enshrined in the Hall today 🐐
652 career saves (1st all-time)
2.21 career ERA
0.70 postseason ERA
5 RingsCop the @MarianoRivera x B/R x @peraltaprjct merch collab 🛒 https://t.co/bKhnsA2oNS pic.twitter.com/0vGJSvaCL4
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 21, 2019
A bittersweet day
Roy Halladay revived his career with an assist from, of all people, Mariano Rivera, when the closer showed Halladay his trademark cutter at the 2008 All-Star Game.
And so, playing for the Blue Jays and Phillies, Halladay became one of baseball’s dominant starting pitchers over the next five years. After retirement, Halladay tragically lost his life in a flying accident, and he was inducted in his first year eligible.
The late-great Roy Halladay will be inducted into the Hall of Fame today.
SN’s @ryanfagan reflects on Halladay’s amazing career.https://t.co/YWyDPvj1Vf
— Sporting News MLB (@sn_mlb) July 21, 2019
The wait was worth it
Mariners great Edgar Martinez fought the stigma of being a designated hitter. Another obstacle was the Hall of Fame’s recent decision to keep players on the ballot for only 10 years instead of 15.
But in his 10th year, the writers finally voted Edgar Martinez into Cooperstown. You’ve got to think it was well worth the wait.
Edgar Martinez is one of a dozen players with a career .310/.410/.510 slashline since 1900
Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Babe Ruth among the others.
He should have been inducted a while ago
— Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) July 20, 2019
Other inductees
Mike Mussina was one of the very best pitchers in two decades for the Orioles and Yankees. He completes the traditional class as voted by writers.
The others inducted are Lee Smith and Harold Baines from the veterans committee. They give the class three pitchers and three hitters.
Mike Mussina has the 5th-highest Wins Above Repacement for a pitcher since the DH was implemented in 1973.
Only 4 guys higher are Clemens, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martínez.
His excellence is underrated
— Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) July 19, 2019
