Once more, for baseball immortality, Billy Wagner closed it out. Wagner, the dominant closer who played a two-season sliver of his 16-year career with the Phillies, got elected Tuesday night to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his 10th and final year on the ballot.

In one of the most incredible runs the franchise had ever seen, the Milwaukee Brewers lost only three of CC Sabathia's 17 regular-season starts after he was acquired in July 2008.

CC Sabathia adds another C to his name now, for Cooperstown, now that he becomes the latest great Yankee to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Former Phillies manager Larry Bowa doesn't understand the lack of votes Jimmy Rollins received in the Hall of Fame voting on Tuesday.

Lefty pitchers Billy Wagner and CC Sabathia both earned their spots in the Baseball Hall of Fame, joining near-unanimous selection Ichiro

Sabathia, Suzuki and Wagner Get Their "Hall Pass" In Cooperstown Sabathia, Suzuki and Wagner Get In Cooperstown

It's not hard to contextualize how great CC Sabathia's run with the Brewers was in 2008, but let's ponder some mind-blowing numbers, shall we?

That was one of the best debut seasons ever. Ichiro was an All-Star and won a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove award in right field. He not only coasted to the Rookie of the Year award but narrowly surpassed Jason Giambi to win the MVP. He joined Fred Lynn as the only rookies to be named the Most Valuable Player.

CC Sabathia, a baseball fighter and a quintessential Yankee, is a well-deserved selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame, writes columnist

As revealed Tuesday night, the Baseball Writers' Association of America voted in former Phillies closer Billy Wagner in his 10th and final year of eligibility. Wagner's name needed to appear on 75% of ballots to make it in. It appeared on 82.5%.

It was only Beltrán's third year on the ballot — the maximum is 10 — so the graceful outfielder is in good shape to make it eventually. And next year should work in his favor because there probably won’t be any first-ballot inductees. Cole Hamels and Ryan Braun are expected to headline the newcomers.