Chicago Cubs hero falls off the Hall of Fame ballot as Ichiro and more get the call

The Baseball Writers Association of America has officially unveiled its Hall of Fame results and while it's joyous news for three of baseball's brightest stars from the last two decades - Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, and Billy Wanger - this is it for Chicago Cubs favorite Ben Zobrist. Despite a respectable career, 2016 World Series MVP honors, and a claim to revolutionizing how MLB thought about utility players, he failed to receive a single vote and has fallen off the ballot.

Zobrist's chances weren't particularly favorable to begin with. Voters typically look for certain benchmarks for hitters to meet before they become more serious candidates, like reaching 2,000 hits or accruing WAR in the 50-70 range. Thanks to his relatively short career, the switch hitter fell well short of both marks at 1,566 hits and 42.7 fWAR which, combined with his career .266/.357/.426/116 wRC+ slash line, screamed Hall of Very Good at face value. Still, no votes is a slight shock.

Despite the stats, I previously made the case for Zobrist thanks to his wider impact beyond the Cubs. A wide array of players since he entered the league, from Mookie Betts to Marwin Gonzalez, have been referred to as "Ben Zobrist types," because he simply was the first player that came to everyone's mind when thinking of a super-utility player. There were few comps to him as a player who could competently play all around the diamond and in the outfield while still being a great hitter. For a healthy stretch of his career, particularly with the Rays, he was one of baseball's most valuable stars, peaking at 8.7 fWAR in 2009 and inspiring teams to seek similar versatility.

Cooperstown or not, Zobrist had a career worth celebrating and he feels like a strong candidate for the Cubs Hall of Fame one day. He'll always be beloved in Chicago for his hit in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series against Cleveland that put the team ahead for good and helped break their 108-year curse. On top of that, he also got a ring the prior year with the champion Kansas City Royals, meaning he's made no shortage of memories across the league.

No Cubs make the cut, but three stars get their flowers

As for those who did get the call, the results weren't particularly close. Suzuki, a fan favorite around the game who spent years with the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Miami Marlins, was a slam dunk to become the first Japanese player in the Hall of Fame. Like Derek Jeter before him though, he frustratingly missed a unanimous induction by a single vote. His accomplishments are many, from breaking the single-season hit record owned by George Sisler, to winning both MVP and Rookie of the Year with the Mariners in 2001, earning ten All-Star nods and Gold Gloves along with three silver sluggers and two batting titles, and accruing 3,089 hits and 60 fWAR in 19 seasons despite coming to the U.S. at 27. Between MLB and Japan's NPB, he also has more career (4,367) hits than Pete Rose (4,256).

Sabathia was, coincidentally, the runner-up to Suzuki in the 2001 AL Rookie of the Year race and once again finished just behind him with 86.8% of the vote. Throughout his career with the then-Indians, Yankees, and briefly the Brewers, he became one of the best and most durable starters in all of baseball with a career 3.73 ERA, a Cy Young in 2017, six All-Star nods, and a World Series ring in 2009. He's also a member of the 3,000 strikeout club.

Finally, there's Wagner, who made it in on his tenth try with 82.5% of the vote. Momentum surged for the former Astros, Phillies, and Mets fireballer as he hung around on the ballot and more people campaigned for him as one of baseball's greatest relievers. Aside from John Franco, he has more saves than any other lefty with 422 and boasted a career 2.31 ERA with seven All-Star appearances and MVP votes in 1999 and 2006.

Other notable names on the ballot include Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones, who both fell just shy at 70.3% and 66.2% respectively, and brief former Cubs Carlos González and Fernando Rodney, who both also fell off the ballot. The full results can be found on the BBWAA website.