Advertisement

Hall of Fame adds four: Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman

Mike Oz

The call every baseball player dreams about came Wednesday for four men. Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero and Trevor Hoffman, baseball greats already, were told that they’re the next to join the game’s most exclusive fraternity — the Hall of Fame.

Jones, the Atlanta Braves legend, led all vote-getters with 97.2 percent, as the 2018 voting results were announced Wednesday. Thome, a member of the 600-homer club and another first-year candidate, made it easily with 89.8 percent.

Two players who just missed last year are now in too. Guerrero, the ever-dangerous free-swinger for the Expos and Angels, with 92.9 percent and Hoffman, one of MLB’s top all-time closers, with 79.9 percent. Seventy-five percent is needed for enshrinement and Hoffman missed by just five votes a year ago.

The player who came close but just missed this year is Edgar Martinez. After getting 70.4 this year, the ex-Seattle Mariners DH now has Cooperstown within his grasp.

Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero and Trevor Hoffman were elected to the Hall of Fame on Wednesday. (AP)
Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero and Trevor Hoffman were elected to the Hall of Fame on Wednesday. (AP)

Other notable results:
• Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens aren’t much closer to Cooperstown. Bonds got 56.4 and Clemens got 57.3, both of which were only small increases from their previous totals, 53.8 and 54.1, respectively. Others from the steroid era are also far away. Sammy Sosa finished at 7.8, Manny Ramirez at 22.0 and Gary Sheffield at 11.1.

• Curt Schilling, whose candidacy has suffered in the past because of his political views, saw a rise in his totals this year, going from 45 percent last year to 51.2.

• Mike Mussina appears to be getting closer as well, as his 63.5 this year is an increase from 51.8 in 2017.

• Notable first-timers include Omar Vizquel, who got 37.0, Scott Rolen, who received 10.2 and Andruw Jones, who stayed on the ballot with 7.3. Five percent of the vote is needed to stick around. Johan Santana and Johnny Damon were among the big names knocked off.

Jack Morris and Alan Trammell were already elected by one of the Hall’s Era Committees, meaning we’ll see a class of six new inductees July 27-30 in Cooperstown.

More Hall of Fame coverage from Yahoo Sports:
• Four baseball greats become Hall of Famers
• Tim Brown: The theater of Vladimir Guerrero
• Ex-Braves star’s ‘crazy’ Hall of Fame ride
• Can Schilling overcome his mouth to make Hall of Fame?
• Bonds, Clemens hit roadblock on path to Hall

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

– – – – – –

Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!