Mariano Rivera received most of the publicity from New York Yankees fans Tuesday after the Hall of Fame results were announced. But the bigger surprise was Mike Mussina’s induction after several years on the ballot.
New York Yankees fans will remember Tuesday as yet another historic milestone in Mariano Rivera’s baseball career. Yet, his cloud of success shouldn’t shroud Mike Mussina’s biggest accomplishment, one that was on the verge of never happening.
Baseball analysts pitted the question of whether Rivera would get inducted unanimously prior to Tuesday. But many also inquired whether Mussina would be elected this season.
Both ultimately became true, but the latter seemed more surprising. However, many predicted Mussina’s triumph into the Hall, as he garnered more than 60 percent on last year’s ballot. It was his sixth year on the ballot, overall.
Hall of Fame members are typically remembered for their glamour stats or had a certain pizzaz during their MLB tenure. Mussina, on the other hand, proved pure consistency is rewarded as well by voters.
The Yankees pitcher accrued 270 wins, owned a career 3.68 ERA and won 63.8 percent of his starts. He tossed more than 3,500 innings across 18 seasons, eclipsing the 150-inning mark in all but one season – his rookie campaign.
Yet most of his notable success occurred during his time in Baltimore. Between 1991 and 2000, Mussina earned five All-Star spots and finished in the top six in the Cy Young race six times.
While in New York, “Moose” arguably had his one of his best seasons during 2008, his final MLB campaign. The right-hander finished in the top six again in the Cy Young race, and he earned MVP votes as well. He sported one of his best strikeout-to-walk ratios that year too.
More from Baseball Hall of Fame
- General manager vets who are candidates for the Baseball Hall of Fame’s executive suite
- How one writer ended June with a flurry of MLB games throughout the country
- Why Billy Wagner belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame
- The Hall of Fame case for Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins
- San Francisco Giants star Jeff Kent deserved better on Hall of Fame ballot
Analytics were not as popular during his prime, but Mussina’s final season acts as the epitome of his entire career. At 39 years old, he showcased six different pitches, all in an effective manner. He was never a power pitcher, exemplifying pitch-to-contact prowess.
And Mussina did it during an era of controversy and performance-enhancing supplements. He also accumulated his tremendous numbers while pitching in two hitter-friendly ballparks.
More hitters blasted home runs, and more hitters garnered more walks because of it. Still, Mussina managed to finish in the top 10 in ERA and strikeouts during 11 seasons. He also possessed a great glove, earning five Gold Glove awards on the bump.
The only blemish on Mussina’s Hall of Fame record is his lack of World Series rings. The starting pitcher joined the Yankees a year before and departed a year after winning a title.
Nevertheless, it didn’t play a major part in his induction.
Baseball fans will likely recall Mussina in pinstripes, though he never earned an All-Star spot while on the Yankees. Yet he provided New York with stability in the rotation for more than a handful of years.
Now he can be remembered as more than just a durable pitcher that ranked in the top 10 in several categories. Now he can be remembered as a Hall of Fame pitcher – something he truly deserves.