Wagner Falls Just Short of Votes Needed for Hall of Fame

Billy Wagner was close to being elected into the Hall of Fame this year.

Billy Wagner continues to climb closer and closer into the votes needed for the baseball Hall of Fame.

He’s still a tad short.

Wagner had a jump to 68.1 percent of the 75 percent needed and he still has two times remaining on the ballot.

“We are trending in the right direction. I won’t lie to you: This is a very tough process to get through, but I am very pleased and over the next two years maybe I grease enough wheels to get the extra votes to get in,” Wagner told the New York Post.

Wagner compiled 422 saves in a highly-successful 16-year career with the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves.

Wagner ranks sixth all-time behind Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601), Lee Smith (478), Francisco Rodriguez (437) and John Franco (424).

Wagner earned 225 of those saves in nine seasons with the Astros and 59 saves in two seasons with the Phillies.

The body of work sure seems good enough for a spot in Cooperstown. Sometimes, as we found out with Scott Rolen squeaking in on his sixth try, extra patience is needed.

After a huge jump in votes, it’s certainly feasible for Wagner to go in next year.

"I’m happy that I got this far and blessed,” Wagner told Astros.com. “I have no complaints. Of course, I would love to get in. It’s the pinnacle of any professional’s career, but nothing’s been easy this far, so why should it?”

Wagner is one of seven pitchers in history with double-digit seasons of 25 or more saves. He’s also one of six pitchers ever to record more than 1,000 strikeouts in less than 1,000 innings.

Wagner was dominant for much of his career.

Now he must be patient, sit back and wait.

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