The Hall of Fame doors will open to Ichiro Suzuki, to CC Sabathia, and to Billy Wagner, and that’s a solid trio.
These three players, along with Dave Parker and Dick Allen, who were chosen by the most recent Era Committee, will be inducted in Cooperstown this coming summer. The necessary first step, though, is clearing that 75% threshold for election and then getting the official call from the Hall.
The former ace lefty earned the prestigious honor in his first year of eligibility. He spent 7 1/2 of his 19 seasons with the Tribe, winning the AL Cy Young in 2007.
Ichiro Suzuki missed unanimous election to the Baseball Hall of Fame by one vote Tuesday night when he headlined a three-player class selected by the 394 voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
That was one of the best debut seasons ever. Ichiro was an All-Star and won a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove award in right field. He not only coasted to the Rookie of the Year award but narrowly surpassed Jason Giambi to win the MVP. He joined Fred Lynn as the only rookies to be named the Most Valuable Player.
The BBWAA recognized CC Sabathia’s prolonged excellence by voting the former Yankees left-hander into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
With the Yankees, CC Sabathia gained immortality. The big lefty, who rose to the moment consistently and whose fiery attitude became as iconic as his pitching arm, was voted into the Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot.
The Baseball Hall of Fame has three new members. Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wanger were voted into the Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Outfielder Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones fell just short of immortality.
Baseball Hall of Fame class will include five players. Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner will join Dick Allen and Dave Parker in Cooperstown this summer, the BB
While Sabathia was a runaway choice in the Hall of Fame election, selected on 86.8% of the ballots by the Baseball Writers' Association of America – joining peers Ichiro Suzuki and Billy Wagner – this ultimate honor meant much, much more than just a museum plaque in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Ichiro Suzuki is the first Japanese-born player voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He'll be joined by CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner in the Class of 2025.