Toronto Blue Jays: Update on Roy Halladay’s 2019 Hall of Fame chances

We provide the latest news on former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ray Halladay’s chances of being voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at his first attempt in 2019.

Bittersweet seemed like an appropriate sentiment for anyone connected with the Toronto Blue Jays, when Roy Halladay was among the new candidates on the Hall of Fame ballot last month. As per The Associated Press via the Toronto Star, the news came effectively a year after he died in a plane crash.

Halladay would have been eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot regardless. However, there is no getting around the tragic circumstances surrounding the timing of his inclusion.

In any event, Blue Jays fans are now counting down to Jan. 22, when the Hall of Fame Class of 2019 will be announced. Everyone knows Halladay is worthy of being enshrined in Cooperstown; it’s more a question of if he will get in during his first year of eligibility?

Halladay’s resume makes for impressive reading: a 203-105 record and a 3.38 ERA in 416 appearances over 16 years, two Cy Young awards and eight All-Star games.

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In terms of specific highlights during Halladay’s career, it’s tough to top the National League Championship Series opener against the Cincinnati Reds in 2010, when he was with the Philadephia Phillies. As per ESPN, he threw just the second no-hitter in postseason history.

There are a couple of factors to consider, when looking at Halladay’s Hall of Fame chances in 2019. Firstly, some of the other names on the ballot, specifically Mariano Rivera and Edgar Martinez.

The reality is that both Rivera and Martinez will probably both be voted in; this is important to note, purely from a numbers perspective. Four players were voted in for 2018, tied for the largest Hall of Fame class since its inception in 1936 and giving you an idea of just how difficult it is to make it to Cooperstown.

So, with all that said, where does Halladay stand as of right now? Courtesy of Ryan Thibodaux we can now update you, as per his comprehensive spreadsheet outlining which Hall of Fame voters have made their votes public so far:

• Chris Assenheimer – Yes
• Barry Bloom – Yes
• Filip Bondy – Yes
• Tim Booth – Yes
• Garry Brown – Yes
• Rene Cardenas – No (first time public)
• Bill Center – Yes
• Brian Costa – Yes
• Tom D’Angelo – Yes
• Josh Dubow – Yes
• Jay Dunn – Yes
• Lynn Henning – Yes
• Bob Herzog – Yes
• Jon Heyman – Yes
• Bob Kuenster – Yes
• Sadiel Lebron: Yes
• Steven Marcus – No
• Tony Massarotti – Yes
• Aurelio Moreno – Yes
• Bill Plunkett – Yes
• Steve Politi – Yes
• Anthony Rieber – No
• Enrique Rojas – Yes
• Adam Rubin – Yes

Essentially, 21 of the 24 voters have selected Halladay on their ballot, working out at 87.5 percent. Players need to reach 75 percent of the overall votes, to be entered into the Hall of Fame.

Of course, there’s a long way to go, with an estimated 412 people expected to cast ballots. To put it another way, Halladay will need 288 more votes from the remaining 388 ballots (74.2 percent), to get into Cooperstown at the first attempt.

With 10 attempts overall to get into the Hall of Fame, there is no urgency surrounding voting Halladay in as part of the 2019 class; he’s going to get in sooner or later. However, there is no denying it would be extra special for the Toronto Blue Jays, their fans and — most importantly — his family, if he did get enshrined at the first time of asking.

All Toronto Blue Jays fans know Halladay deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. However, what’s your prediction in respect of if he will be voted in at his first attempt? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.