Baseball Hall of Fame: Chipper Jones, Vlad Guerrero, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman Join Class of 2018
Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman are heading to Cooperstown after being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
Jones, an eight-time All-Star who hit 468 home runs during his career with the Atlanta Braves, got 97.2% of the vote in his first year of eligibility.
Guerrero, who had supreme power at the plate as well as a knack from throwing running out from his outfield position received 92.9% from The Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Thome played 22 seasons with the Indians, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers, Twins and Orioles, finishing his career with 612 home runs, eighth all–time. He is only one of five players in history with at least 500 home runs, 1,500 runs scored, 1,600 RBI and 1,700 walks.
Hoffman, second all-time with 601 career saves, surged late to receive 79.9% of the vote.
The Baseball Writers' Association of America has not elected five players in the same year since 1936, the very first year of balloting.
Falling short of induction this season are Barry Bonds (56.4%) and Roger Clemens (57.3%)
Last year, Hoffman was five votes short and Guerrero 15 shy of induction, while Clemens got at 54.1% of the vote and Bonds come in at 53.8%
The inductees will join former Detroit Tigers greats Jack Morris and Alan Trammell, who were elected by Modern Baseball Era committee. All will be enshrined on July 29.
Next year, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Todd Helton, Roy Halladay are among the players who will appear on the ballot for the first time. Halladay, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, died in November from injuries sustained in a plane crash.
