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Roy Halladay, Mariano Rivera among top newcomers on 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot

The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced its 2019 ballot Monday, restarting the annual debate about Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens while adding 20 new names for consideration.

The new names on this year’s ballot include two with really good odds: New York Yankees legendary closer Mariano Rivera and Philadelphia Phillies/Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, who died last year in a plane crash.

Like every year, there will be players with compelling cases that are hardly sure-things — this year that’s Todd Helton and Andy Pettitte. Then there are fringe candidates like Lance Berkman, Roy Oswalt and Michael Young plus a bunch of players who will probably be on the ballot for one year and then gone.

Roy Halladay and Mariano Rivera are among the 20 new names on the 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. (Getty Images)
Roy Halladay and Mariano Rivera are among the 20 new names on the 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. (Getty Images)

Here’s the full list of 20 new candidates:

• Rick Ankiel
• Jason Bay
• Lance Berkman
• Freddy Garcia
• Jon Garland
• Travis Hafner
• Ted Lilly
• Derek Lowe
• Darren Oliver
• Roy Halladay
• Todd Helton
• Roy Oswalt
• Placido Polanco
• Andy Pettitte
• Juan Pierre
• Mariano Rivera
• Miguel Tejada
• Vernon Wells
• Kevin Youkilis
• Michael Young

Beyond that, 15 players return to the ballot from 2018. The most interesting story is Edgar Martinez, who enters his final season on the ballot, having crept up above 70 percent for the first time last year. The rest of the top vote-getters from the last ballot include:

• Edgar Martinez (70.4 percent)
• Mike Mussina (63.5)
• Roger Clemens (57.3)
• Barry Bonds (56.4)
• Curt Schilling (51.2)

Players need 75 percent of the vote for inclusion in the Hall of Fame and five percent of the vote to stay on for another year. Ballots are due from qualified Baseball Writers Association of America voters by Dec. 31. Results will be announced Jan. 22.

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