Blue Jays: Trio of former players debut on 2019 Hall of Fame ballot

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 4: Starting pitcher Roy Halladay #32 of the Toronto Blue Jays winds up during the game with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at the Tropicana Field home opener at on April 4, 2005 St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images).
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 4: Starting pitcher Roy Halladay #32 of the Toronto Blue Jays winds up during the game with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at the Tropicana Field home opener at on April 4, 2005 St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images). /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Baseball Hall of Fame announced it’s ballot for the 2019 Cooperstown inductions and it includes a trio of former Toronto Blue Jays headlined by Roy Halladay.

Joining Roy Halladay on the ballot with ties north of the border are outfielder Vernon Wells and pitcher Ted Lilly. The Doc has a legitimate shot at being enshrined into the Hall after an illustrious career with both the Jays and Philadelphia Phillies. Halladay sports a career 203-105 record with 67 complete games and a 3.38 earned run average during his 16-year career.

The eight-time All-Star was the consummate professional winning Cy Young awards with both the Blue Jays and Phillies, however, he would undoubtedly go into the Hall as a Blue Jay spending 12 seasons with Toronto. Halladay tragically perished in a plane crash off the Gulf of Mexico in 2017 leaving the baseball community left to mourn.

More from Toronto Blue Jays News

Vernon Wells hits the ballot for the first time and although “VDub” had a solid career, he will probably not garner many votes for the Hall of Fame. Like Halladay, Wells also spent 12 seasons with Toronto before being traded to the Los Angeles Angels and then finishing out his career in New York with the Yankees in 2013.

Wells is a career .270/.319/.459 with 270 home runs and 109 stolen bases in 1731 major league games. The outfielder owns a career 28.5 WAR and seemingly fell out of favour in Toronto due to his enormous contract that he was unable to live up too.

Lastly is Ted Lilly who is most famous for his dust-up with then manager John Gibbons after the hurler was unhappy with the skipper taking the ball from him. Lilly played for six teams during his 15-year career including three seasons with the Blue Jays from 2004-06.

The southpaw retired with a 4.14 earned run average and career 29.2 WAR but will not command many votes from the baseball writers.

Next. Blue Jays: How a depth outfielder became a starting pitcher. dark

The new trio of Hall hopefuls joins the likes of Roger Clemens, Jeff Kent, and Fred McGriff as former Blue Jays vying for the ultimate recognition in their sport.