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Thome, Chipper Jones, Vlad, Hoffman Added To Baseball Hall of Fame

The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. is set for a huge ceremony this coming July. The Veterans Committee already elected Tigers greats Jack Morris and Alan Trammell to join the 2018 Hall class and the BBWAA has added four more names to the list on Wednesday night: Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, Indians (and several others) first baseman/designated hitter Jim Thome, Expos/Angels (and some others) outfielder Vladimir Guerrero and Padres (and others) closer Trevor Hoffman. 
 
The four-man BBWAA class is tied for the second-most ever, after the original 1936 class. 
 
Jones played 19 years, all for the Braves. He hit .303/.401/.529 (141 OPS+) with 2,726 hits, 549 doubles, 468 home runs, 1,623 RBI and 1,619 runs. He won the MVP in 1999, won the 1995 World Series and carries a career .287/.409/.456 slash in 93 postseason games. He deservedly makes it in on his first ballot. 
 
Thome spent 13 of his 22 years with the Indians. He was with the Phillies for four, White Sox for four, Twins for parts of two, Dodgers for 17 games and Orioles for 28 games. In all, he hit .276/.402/.554 (147 OPS+) with 2,328 hits, 451 doubles, 612 home runs, 1,699 RBI and 1,583 runs. He hit 17 home runs in 71 career postseason games and won two AL pennants. He ranks seventh in career walks, eighth in home runs and 26th in RBI. Thome is also a first-ballot Hall of Famer. 
 
Guerrero spent eight years with the Expos, six with the Angels, one with the Rangers and one with the Orioles. He hit .318/.379/.553 (140 OPS+) with 2,590 hits, 477 doubles, 449 home runs, 1,496 RBI and 1,328 runs. He won the 2004 AL MVP in his first season with the Angels. With a cannon in right, he ranks ninth all-time in assists from right field, and that can't measure how much impact he had in terms of runners not taking the chance of going for the extra base. Guerrero made it on his second try. 
 
Hoffman spent 16 years with the Padres, coming out from the bullpen to AC/DC's "Hell's Bells." He also spent his first half season with the Marlins and final two years with the Brewers. In all, Hoffman saved 601 saves, which was a record when he retired and he's still second to just the great Mariano Rivera. Hoffman pitched to a 2.87 ERA (141 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP and struck out 1,133 hitters against 249 unintentional walks in 1,089 1/3 innings. He helped the Padres to the 1998 NL pennant. Hoffman gains induction on his third attempt. 
 
Hall of Fame weekend is July 27-30 with the induction ceremony beginning at 1:30 on Sunday, July 30. 

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