CC Sabathia's Hall of Fame Induction Nears the Finish Line
There are 273 ex-Major League players in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Roughly 22% of these, amounting to 60 individuals, have managed to secure their spot in their first year of eligibility. Last year, names like Adrián Beltre, Joe Mauer, and Derek Jeter joined this prestigious club. In 2022, David Ortiz and 2020's Derek Jeter were amongst the recent inductees.
As the Hall of Fame voting looms closer, there are only two potential candidates for 2025 - Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia. Ichiro's induction seems practically guaranteed, with his likely achieving unanimous votes, following Mariano Rivera's footsteps as the second (after Rivera) position player chosen unanimously.
Sabathia's candidacy is more intriguing. Initially, the consensus predicted a later induction, perhaps even within two years, but not first-time status. The reason for this was that his statistics did not stand out when compared to his contemporaries like Andy Pettitte and Mark Buehrle. However, as per Ryan Thibodaux's renowned and reliable Hall of Fame Vote Tracker, Sabathia has gained an impressive 91.1% support with 31.7% of the votes counted.
Why the sudden shift in perspective? One possibility is that Sabathia's career achievements are simply too impressive to ignore. As Jayson Stark from The Athletic pointed out, CC Sabathia is one of the three left-handed pitchers since 1920 to amass 250 wins and strike out 3,000 batters. The other two giants? Steve Carlton and Randy Johnson.
Moreover, from 2007 to 2011, Sabathia displayed an exceptional five-year streak. His numbers during that period were outstanding, with a 142 ERA+, 95 wins, and an impressive 5-to-1 K/BB ratio. He even threw seven complete games and one three-days-rest game that propelled the Milwaukee Brewers to the playoffs for the first time in 26 years.
Furthermore, Sabathia's career longevity is commendable. He pitched 3,577 and 1/3 innings over a 19-year career, landing him at the top in terms of innings for pitchers debuting since 1989. He consistently topped the 180-inning threshold, a feat he shared with only a handful of other players, including Greg Maddux and Mark Buehrle.
Given Sabathia's track record, it is no surprise that his career 116 ERA+ is exceptionally high and outshines Nolan Ryan's 112. His 61.8 bWAR places him as the tenth-highest left-handed pitcher in MLB history, with an impressive seven of the nine ahead of him already inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Perhaps, what truly sets Sabathia apart is his hall of fame excellence, evident during critical moments in his career. No instance encapsulates this better than his 2008 performance, when he willed the Milwaukee Brewers to the playoffs, securing 11 wins with a 1.65 ERA in 17 games.
January 21, 2025, will reveal the Class of 2025 Hall of Fame inductees. It seems that Ichiro will be included in this list, with Billy Wagner having a strong chance of taking the spot as well. The question remains - will CC Sabathia join them? While traditional statistics might suggest otherwise, advanced metrics like Bill James' Hall of Fame Monitor (with a score of 128 out of a 'virtual cinch' 130) favor Sabathia's induction. But ultimately, the final result will depend on the votes from the BBWAA. And, as of now, his family would do well to keep July 26-27 open, in case of a potential trip to central New York.
Ichiro Suzuki's unanimous induction into the Hall of Fame is highly anticipated, following Mariano Rivera's footsteps. CC Sabathia, on the other hand, is gaining momentum with a 91.1% support from the Hall of Fame Vote Tracker, surpassing initial expectations. Sabathia's impressive career achievements, such as his 250 wins and 3,000 strikeouts, put him in the same league as legends like Steve Carlton and Randy Johnson. During his tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers, Sabathia led them to their first playoffs in 26 years. His exceptional career longevity, with over 3,500 innings pitched, sets him apart as one of the most durable pitchers since 1989. With a strong 116 ERA+ and a high bWAR, Sabathia is positioned to potentially join other left-handed pitching greats like Greg Maddux in the Hall of Fame. The final decision will rely on the BBWAA votes, and if Sabathia is inducted, his family should prepare for a trip to central New York.
