Wagner excited about HOF voting increase

HOUSTON -- With a marked increase in Hall of Fame voting totals the last few years, former Astros closer Billy Wagner remains hopeful he'll eventually wind up with a plaque celebrating his career in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Wagner, the hard-throwing lefty who saved a club-record 225 games for the Astros and amassed 422 for his career with the Astros, Mets, Phillies, Braves and Red Sox, appeared on 51 percent of the ballots in voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America earlier this month. He has three years remaining to reach the 75 percent needed for induction.

“I’m now in the majority side,” Wagner said. “More than half believe I should be in the Hall of Fame, so that’s a positive. Trending the right way. I’m excited.”

Wagner’s support has increased from 46.4 percent in ’21, 31.7 percent in ’20 and 16.7 percent in ’19. He’ll need sharp increases in voting in the coming years to join former Astros teammates Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell in the Hall of Fame.

“The first couple of years were really tough because a lot of arrows were being shot at you about your career and nothing you can defend,” he said. “Then you figure how to just kind of live with it and be politically correct. The last part, it’ll be hard. I don’t think I’ll get in, but it won’t be because I’m not deserving. It will be because it is what it is.”

Wagner understands it’s hard for relief pitchers to get in the Hall of Fame, where eight pitchers have been inducted based on what they did as a reliever: Goose Gossage, Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers, Bruce Sutter, Dennis Eckersley, Lee Smith, Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera.

“I know they want to say a lot of things about innings,” Wagner said. “I don’t know if that’s a cop-out or what. My dominancy is better than my innings and the people that are in there. It’s political. It’s not numbers.”

Wagner was one of the most dominant closer of his generation, with an explosive 100-mph fastball generated from a 5-foot-10 frame. He's sixth all time in saves -- second most by a lefty -- and posted a career 2.31 ERA while being named to seven All-Star teams. His 11.92 strikeouts-per-nine innings and .187 opponents’ batting average are the best career totals of any pitcher in Major League history with at least 900 Innings

“It’s not numbers [keeping me out],” he said. “They’re not looking at my numbers. My numbers are way better than what’s in there right now. It’s not a numbers thing; it’s just figuring out who I've got to be nicer to.”

Wagner admitted he’s prepared a Hall of Fame speech in his mind.

“I think for any kid that’s went through and got to this point, it’s a dream come true,” he said. “I think everybody, for me and my family, it would be great to share that with Houston, to be able to be there with Baggy and Bidge. Like I've said before, it’s not like I haven’t practiced that Hall of Fame speech. It may not happen, but hopefully if I get there, I’ll have that speech right.”

If Wagner eventually gets elected, he will join Biggio (2015 induction) and Bagwell (2017) as Hall of Famers who played the majority of their careers with the Astros.

“You ask anybody that’s played against Billy Wagner, they wanted no part of him,” Bagwell said.

Said Biggio: “Billy’s making some serious traction. We’re really happy and I’m excited and hopefully we’ll make it next year or the next and we’ll have another guy in there. Billy had an unbelievable career. Great dude, great teammate. Fingers crossed.”