Considered one of the most iconic pitchers of this generation, “The Big Unit” Randy Johnson won over 300 games and threw 4,875 strikeouts in his career.
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The 2015 induction class of the Baseball Hall of Fame was announced Tuesday afternoon. “The Big Unit” pitcher Randy Johnson, pitcher Pedro Martinez, pitcher John Smoltz and versatile fielder Craig Biggio are all inductees in the 2015 Hall of Fame class.
Players must be named on 75% of the Baseball Writers Association of America’s ballots to get in. Johnson was named on 97.3%, Martinez 91.1%, Smoltz 82.9% and Biggio 82.7% The highest total for a non-electee went to Mike Piazza who received 69.9%.
It marks the first time since 1955 that four men will be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in a single year.
Johnson, one of the tallest and most iconic players in MLB history at 6’10”, was a 10-time All-Star with the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks, recording 303 wins, 4,875 strikeouts and a 3.29 career ERA. He was the 2001 World Series MVP for the Diamondbacks, helping them to their first and only World Series title. Johnson was also a 5-time Cy Young award winner, 4-time ERA champion, 9-time strikeout champion and pitched a perfect game for the Diamondbacks on May 18, 2004.
Martinez helped lead the Boston Red Sox to their first World Series win in nearly a hundred years back in 2004, but was also one of the best pitchers of the last twenty years. Martinez was an 8-time All-Star, 3-time Cy Young winner, pitching Triple Crown winner in 1999, 5-time ERA champion and 3-time AL strikeout champion.
Smoltz quietly put together a stellar career for the Atlanta Braves from 1988 to 2008, helping them to a pair of NLCS championships and a World Series title in 1995. Smoltz was an 8-time All-Star and was named a Silver Slugger in 1997. He holds numerous Braves pitching records and had his #29 jersey retired by the team.
Biggio, a member of the prestigious 3,000 hits club and one of the most versatile players in baseball history, played second-base, catcher and outfielder during his 20-year MLB career – all with the Houston Astros. Biggio was a 7-time All-Star, 4-time Golden Glove winner and 5-time Silver Slugger. His #7 jersey was retired by the Astros after his retirement.
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