Houston Astros Great Billy Wagner Reveals Feelings Heading Into Hall of Fame Decision

Former Houston Astros reliever Billy Wagner will find out next Tuesday if he reached the 75% threshold for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Arguably a top three reliever in Major League Baseball history, it’s a bit questionable that Wagner isn’t in the Hall of Fame.

However, baseball voters are tough, and for the many reasons they cite, the Astros all-time great has yet to get a plaque in Cooperstown, N.Y.

And for Wagner, this isn’t an easy process. Sure, from the outside, he understands how incredible of an opportunity this is and is thankful to receive it, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he can’t control anything, and with this being his 10th and final time on the ballot, voters need to help him out.

“You’re sitting here and you can’t control it,” Wagner said, according to Tyler Kepner of The Athletic. “It’s tough. I hate it. It’s just not been a very fun experience, especially when it comes down to your 10th and final ballot. It’s not going to be pleasant. It’s a grind, but in a couple of days, this will be over — one way or the other, good or bad.”

After getting 68.1% of votes a year ago, Wagner will have to hope that voters will give him the nod, knowing it’s his final time on the ballot.

In the context of what he did throughout his career, which was mostly spent in Houston, Wagner is a sure Hall of Famer.

He finished with 422 saves, 1,196 strikeouts, and a 2.31 ERA. A seven-time All-Star and NL Reliever of the Year in 1999, his numbers stack up with the best.

The issue, however, is that there are only eight relievers in the Baseball Hall of Fame; Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley, Goose Gossage, and Trevor Hoffman, just to name a few.

When thinking about relievers, those are some of the first names that come to mind. But for anyone who has followed the game or remembered when the Virginia native got on the mound, Wagner was just as, if not more dominant than all of them.

The numbers backed that up. The eye test backed that up.

The left-handed flamethrower, who last pitched in 2010, now understands what it’s like to deal with pressure even after his playing days, perhaps more than when he got on the mound to save a game.

“But from the day you start playing sports, there’s that constructive criticism you’re constantly under. And so the hardest part is when you’re done playing and you think you can take that deep breath — but all of a sudden, you’re blessed with this opportunity and you can’t quite smell the roses yet.”

The ball used to be in Wagner’s control, but now, he’ll need the voters to decide on his legacy.