In electing Wagner, the BBWAA has defined the modern-day closer as its own entity, with candidates’ credentials measured not against the whole of the body but against this specific peer group.

His delayed trial was supposed to have started weeks ago, but Billy Wagner will return to the Pike County courthouse for pre-trial hearing.

Billy Wagner’s path to the Baseball Hall of Fame was far from simple. The post “To Have Your Career Scrutinized for Ten Years”- Teary-Eyed Billy Wagner Looks Back at His Humbling Struggles appeared first on EssentiallySports.

It was a long time coming, but Billy Wagner finally closed it out. And he couldn’t keep the emotions from flowing. The seven-time All-Star, in his final year of eligibility, was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame with 82.5 percent of the vote.

Billy Wagner received 82.5 percent of the tally from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, after he missed by just five votes last year.

Wagner had a 1.98 earned run average and struck out 22 of the 56 batters he faced in his 15 games for the Red sox in 2009.

In a video posted on X by sports writer Jose de Jesus Ortiz, Wagner leaned against a pool table while taking the call. He listened for more than 15 seconds before he put his hand on his face, fighting tears and hunching over. “Thank you,” he eventually said to the person on the other end of the phone.

The distance from Ferrum, Virginia to Cooperstown, New York is a road far longer than just the miles between the two small towns.For Billy Wagner, it's a journe

Miller School baseball coach Billy Wagner, known to the outside world as the best lefthanded closer in MLB history, is a Baseball Hall of Famer.

The hearing went over a few housekeeping items before trial. Change of venue and severance of some of Billy’s charges were the most important items the court discussed.

I'm not going to ridicule anybody. Not the 82.5% of HOF voters who decided that Billy Wagner deserves a spot amongst the greatest of the greats. Certainly not Wagner himself. Ridicule is the thing ...

Chase Utley is well-positioned to someday reach the 75% mark for election, but Jimmy Rollins and Bobby Abreu are spinning their wheels.