https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/m ... 056114002/

2019 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot: Mariano Rivera, Roy Halladay among top newcomers

The Baseball Hall of Fame announced its full 2019 ballot, headlined by newcomers in Mariano Rivera and Roy Halladay.

Rivera, baseball's all-time saves leader with 652, is expected to be voted in on the first ballot. Halladay, who died in 2017, was a two-time Cy Young winner who could also receive the required 75% of the vote in his first year.

Other notable first-timers include pitcher Andy Pettitte and first baseman Todd Helton.

Edgar Martinez, in his 10th and final year on the ballot, is primed to be voted in this year as he received 70.4% of the vote in 2018. Pitcher Mike Mussina's vote share has gone up in each of his first five years on the ballot, reaching 63.5% last year.

Barry Bonds (56.4%) and Roger Clemens (57.3%) are in their seventh year on the ballot and have trended upwards in recent years, but will find it difficult to garner the necessary votes in the coming years.

Here's the full 35-player 2019 ballot in alphabetical order:

Rick Ankiel (first year)
Jason Bay (first year)
Lance Berkman (first year)
Barry Bonds (7th year, 56.4% in 2018)
Roger Clemens (7th year, 57.3%)
Freddy Garcia (first year)
Jon Garland (first year)
Travis Hafner (first year)
Roy Halladay (first year)
Todd Helton (first year)
Andruw Jones (2nd year, 7.3%)
Jeff Kent (6th year, 14.5%)
Ted Lilly (first year)
Derek Lowe (first year)
Edgar Martinez (10th year, 70.4%)
Fred McGriff (10th year, 23.2%)
Mike Mussina (6th year, 63.5%)
Darren Oliver (first year)
Roy Oswalt (first year)
Andy Pettitte (first year)
Juan Pierre (first year)
Placido Polanco (first year)
Manny Ramirez (3rd year, 22%)
Mariano Rivera (first year)
Scott Rolen (2nd year, 10.2%)
Curt Schilling (6th year, 51.2%)
Gary Sheffield (5th year, 11.1%)
Sammy Sosa (7th year, 7.8%)
Miguel Tejada (first year)
Omar Vizquel (2nd year, 37.1%)
Billy Wagner (4th year, 11.1%)
Larry Walker (9th year, 34.1%)
Vernon Wells (first year)
Kevin Youkilis (first year)
Michael Young (first year)

there is something seriously wrong with the induction process.

The Yanks have traded for the Mariners lefty James Paxton. They traded Justus Sheffield, Eric Swanson and AA outfielder Don Thompsom-Williams

This is a really good deal for both teams. Gonna hate seeing Paxton 4-5 times a year, for all that he's a good Canadian boy.

Mariano and Mussina.

The Yanks have traded for the Mariners lefty James Paxton. They traded Justus Sheffield, Eric Swanson and AA outfielder Don Thompsom-Williams

the evil empire......strikes again.

the evil empire......strikes again.

how many starters do the yankees have now, 7 or 8?

only one can pitch every day.

In this case, the evil empire would have to be the Mariners. They just took 135 million dollars in public money for stadium renovations. Almost two months later to the day, the team turns around and trades their best pitcher and moves his approximate 9 million dollar salary off the books. Congrats citizens of King County, you just got screwed.

how many starters in their 30s do the yankees have now, 7 or 8?

Boy, the Yankees like older pitchers.

Is Paxton old? I think he's 30.

Is Paxton old? I think he's 30.

He is. That's not old for old farts like you and me, but in sports it's the beginning of the end, or at least the beginning of the slide to mediocrity.