Billy Wagner Tribute Video Shows How Ridiculous His Hall of Fame Snub Is
Tuesday was a big day in baseball.
The Baseball Hall of Fame announced the results of its 2024 ballot, revealing which players will be enshrined in immortality in Cooperstown.
Many Houston Astros fans hoped Billy Wagner's name finally got called as he was in his ninth year on the writer's ballot, meaning he only gets one more shot if he fell short this year before his case is turned over to the Eras Committees.
Many of his supporters have cited his amazing statistics like his 422 career saves, his 2.31 ERA and his seven All-Star selections. Those are all impressive credentials, but sometimes an emotional appreciation video is needed to drive the point home.
MLB Network shared a three-minute tribute video of Wagner on Monday evening. The touching video is narrated by Hall of Famer and Wagner's former teammate Craig Biggio, who played with Wagner in Houston for nine seasons from 1995-2003.
The montage includes a lot of highlights of Wagner making batters look silly with his nasty stuff, which included a triple-digits fastball and a wicked slider. It also covers the remarkable details of his life story, like how he was a natural right-hander who learned to throw left-handed after breaking his arm twice as a kid.
The video ends with a sentimental closing from Biggio as the camera pans across the halls of Cooperstown.
"Those of us who played with you and against you know how dominant you were. And we know where you belong, now and forever."
Unfortunately, the voters didn't feel the same way.
Now, Wagner will have to wait another year to see if he joins baseball immortality.
