by The BBWAA Hall of Fame Ballot was announced today, with the electorate set to select from among 15 returners and 20 newcomers for the 2019 class. Several of those on their first ballot have New York ties, principally Yankees pitchers Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera. Pettitte is considered a potential candidate for eventual enshrinement, though likely not on this ballot. Rivera is thought to be a lock and should secure near-unanimous selection.
Other first-timers with N.Y. connections include pitchers Freddy Garcia, Ted Lilly and Derek Lowe, who had stints with the Yankees, brief former Yankees Travis Hafner, Vernon Wells and Kevin Youkilis and former Met Rick Ankiel.
Among returners, former Yankees Mike Mussina, Roger Clemens and Gary Sheffield appear along with ex-Mets Jeff Kent and Billy Wagner.
Candidates must receive 75% of votes for election to the Hall of Fame. Among returnees on the BBWAA ballot, Edgar Martinez received 70.4 percent of the vote in 2018 and returns for his final appearance on the BBWAA ballot this year. Mussina is the only other returnee who reached the 60-percent mark in 2018, coming in at 63.5 percent.
Cover Image: Mariano Rivera (Keith Allison)
