Former Houston Astros Star Reveals Mindset Ahead of Crucial Hall of Fame Vote

Is this the year former Houston Astros reliever Billy Wagner finally gets the call to Cooperstown?

Aug 7, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Billy Wagner is inducted into the 2021 Houston Astros Hall of Fame before a game between the Houston Astros and the Minnesota Twins at Minute Maid Park. / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Five votes.

That's how close former Houston Astros reliever Billy Wagner came to making the Hall of Fame last year. With just five more votes, he would have received the necessary 75% of the BBWAA vote to earn a plaque in Cooperstown.

Now, all he can do is wait and hope as he awaits the results of his 10th and final time on the BBWAA ballot as voting ends on Dec. 31 and the results will be revealed on Jan. 21.

If Wagner falls short again, he'll fall off the BBWAA ballot and his case will be in the hands of a veterans committee, which only meets every few years.

In a recent interview with MLB Network, Wagner opened up about his mindset as he waits to find out the results.

"It's nerve-racking as ever."

Billy Wagner talks about his Hall of Fame candidacy and tells the legendary story of how he started throwing left handed. #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/4yg33drgHi

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 28, 2024

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"It's nerve-wracking as ever," he admitted. "Now, you know, it's down to the end, my chance here. Just trying to keep my sanity and stay busy."

Wagner, 53, pitched 16 seasons as a reliever from 1995 to 2010, primarily with the Astros.

He was one of the best relievers in baseball during that time, making seven All-Star appearances and racking up 422 career saves (eighth all-time).

After spending his first nine seasons with the Astros, Wagner also pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves.

In a career that lasted 903 innings, he was one of the best pitchers in baseball on a per-inning basis. The hard-throwing southpaw finished his career with a 2.31 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, an 11.9 K/9 and a .184 opponent batting average.

Wagner was every bit as good as New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera, who sailed into Cooperstown unanimously in 2019. Wagner didn't have Rivera's postseason success, however, struggling in October (10.03 ERA) and never reaching the Fall Classic.

As such, he has lingered on the ballot for a full decade.

He only received around 10% of the vote in his first two years of eligibility, but his vote totals have steadily risen every time since then.

He's gone from 16.7% in 2019 to 73.8% last year, making huge strides over the last five years.

Now he just needs to pick up a few more votes to get over the hump.

Players typically receive a voting bump in their final year on the ballot, especially if they're close to election.

Hopefully that happens to Wagner, who's waited long enough.