Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, and Trevor Hoffman were all elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, making the class of 2018 only the fourth in which the Baseball Writers’ Association of America has inducted four players in a single year.
For both Jones and Thome, this was their first year on the ballot, and both were considered virtual locks to be enshrined among the greatest players of all time. Jones received 97.2 percent of votes cast, while Thome picked up 89.8 percent, both well above the 75 percent threshold necessary for induction.
Jones Joins Atlanta Teammates in Hall of Fame
Jones played third base for an Atlanta Braves dynasty that won 14 straight division titles in the 1990s and 2000s. He won one World Series with a group that included the Hall of Fame pitching trio of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz. Jones is considered one of the greatest switch-hitters of all time, finishing his career with a .303 batting average and 468 home runs.
Thome, by comparison, was a slugger who compiled 612 home runs during his career, ranking him eighth all time. He played 22 seasons for the Indians, Phillies, White Sox, Twins, Dodgers, and Orioles, starting as a third baseman and then later switching over to first base and designated hitter.
Former manager Charlie Manuel said he was thrilled for Thome, and that this moment “ranks up there with anything I’ve ever seen happen in the game of baseball.”
“For someone that I met as a 19-year-old and saw improve as much as anyone over time,” Manuel said, “it makes me smile to think all that hard work, all those swings in the batting cage, is now paying off for him.”
Guerrero was also considered highly likely to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame in this class. In his second year on the ballot, he received 92.9 percent of the vote. Over a 16-year career, Guerrero slugged 449 homers and hit .318, all while having one of the greatest outfield arms in the game.
The fourth member of the 2018 class was Hoffman, who received 79.9 percent of the vote. With 601 career saves, he became only the sixth relief pitcher to gain entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Morris, Trammell Elected by Veterans Committee
The four members voted in will be inducted alongside Jack Morris and Alan Trammell, both of whom were elected this year by the Veterans Committee. The induction ceremony will take place in Cooperstown, New York on July 29.
Because of the number of public ballots released by writers ahead of the official announcement, sportsbooks that normally welcome betting on baseball don’t take action on who will make the Hall of Fame. But that doesn’t mean the announcement is short on drama. Every year, there are players who come close but fall just short of induction.
The most notable swing-and-a-miss for this class was Seattle Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez, who fell just 20 votes shy with 70.4 percent of the vote. Martinez was in his ninth year on the ballot, meaning next year will be his last chance at induction.
The number of quality players currently on the ballot has created a log jam issue for some writers. Each voter is limited to voting for a maximum of 10 players, a rule that some have called for eliminating.