Congratulations to the 2019 class of Baseball Hall Of Famers! Let’s take a look at each of the four players that will forever be enshrined in history at Cooperstown.
- Mariano Rivera
Quite possibly the greatest reliever in the history of the game. Mariano Rivera made his debut in 1995 with the New York Yankees and played a total of 19 major league seasons. In that span of time, Rivera was apart of five World Series teams. The legend grew when Mariano Rivera broke Trevor Hoffman’s saves record. Mariano Rivera owns the title of all time saves leader with 652. In addition to Rivera’s saves record, here is a fun fact; more people have walked on the moon (12) than have scored against Rivera in the playoffs (11). To top it off, Mariano Rivera became the first player in Major League history to be unanimously elected into the Baseball Hall Of Fame. Enter Sandman.
- Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay was one of the most dominant pitchers of the 2000’s era. He made his debut in 1998 with the Toronto Blue Jays but had some trouble early on. After being demoted to Single-A in 2000, Halladay revamped his delivery and came back to be dominant. From 2001 to 2009, Halladay managed to earn a Cy Young Award and six All-Star appearances. After leaving the Blue Jays, Roy Halladay signed with the Philadelphia Phillies where he flourished even more. He would go on to win another Cy Young award and appear in three straight All-Star games. Roy Halladay’s shining moment came in 2010 when he pitched in the first playoff game of his career and no hit the Cincinnati Reds. A perfect game winner, a member of the 200 Win club, Roy Halladay was surely one of the best to do it.
Sadly, Roy Halladay passed away in November of 2017 in a fatal plane crash. Nonetheless, this moment is something that his family will cherish forever. Thank you, Doc, and Welcome to Cooperstown!
- Mike Mussina
Mike Mussina is a pitcher that endured the Steroid Era in a powerhouse American League East in the 90’s. Although some people do not remember his name that well, Mussina definitely has the resume to prove that he is a Hall Of Fame player. Over the course of eighteen seasons, Mussina won 7 Gold Glove awards and was an All-Star on five separate occasions. In his career, Mussina never won a Cy Young award but finished in the top 10 in voting seven times. On the same note, Mussina won 270 games between his time with the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees. The Moose is headed to the Hall Of Fame, Welcome to Cooperstown, Mike!
- Edgar Martinez
Edgar Martinez is probably the greatest Designated Hitter in the history of baseball, with David Ortiz coming close behind. Edgar played his entire career with the Seattle Mariners, playing with guys such as Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey Jr. Originally a third baseman, Martinez could never stay healthy and so the Mariners moved him to the DH. Martinez succeeded at his new position and went on to be one of the most feared hitters in baseball. Over his eighteen year career, Martinez racked up 7 All-Star Games and 5 Silver Slugger awards. He is a member of the 300 Home Run club, 2000 Hit club and holds a career .312 Batting Average. Welcome to the Hall Of Fame, Edgar!
Leadoff Dodgers 