Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Friday 26 January 2018
Jones, Thome, Guerrero, Hoffman elected to baseball Hall

By BEN WALKER
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Over 600
home runs. More than 600
saves. A .300 career aver-
age.
In the age of baseball ana-
lytics, there’s still room in the
Hall of Fame for big, round
numbers you can count on.
Chipper Jones, Jim Thome,
Vladimir Guerrero and Trev-
or Hoffman were rewarded
Wednesday, easily elected
in the newest class headed
for Cooperstown.
“I don’t know how you tab-
ulate or calculate WAR,”
Jones said, referring to a
sabermetric stat that didn’t
exist for much of his career.
“Yes, you can dig deeper,”
he said. But he added:
“What I want to see is bat-
ting average, on-base per-
centage, runs produced.”
Designated hitter Edgar
Martinez came close after
a grass-roots campaign to
promote him. Boosted by
advanced metrics, he’ll
get his last chance on the
ballot next year.
Barry Bonds and Roger Cle- Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, from left, Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones and Jim Thome, pose during news
mens, both tainted by the conference, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018, in New York.
steroids scandal, edged up Associated Press
but again fell far short. career list, and launched a “That opened up my hit- As for his wait, Hoffman Scott Rolen (10.2) and An-
A switch-hitter who batted record 13 walk-off homers. ting zone,” Guerrero said said: “You can’t do any- druw Jones (7.3) were first-
.303 with 468 home runs, The five-time All-Star played through a translator. thing to enhance your ca- time candidates. Among
Jones was an eight-time mostly for the Cleveland In- Dominican Republic Presi- reer after not getting that the players who drew un-
All-Star third baseman for dians. dent Danilo Medina, who call. I’m not worried about der 5 percent and fell off
the Atlanta Braves. Thome was known for his was in Switzerland, con- whatever year it is. I’m ec- the ballot were Johnny Da-
He was a force for most of pre-swing routine, stand- gratulated Guerrero, say- static to get in.” mon, Hideki Matsui and Jo-
the Atlanta teams that won ing absolutely still in the ing on his Twitter account It took 317 votes to be han Santana.
14 straight division titles — box while pointing his bat that “it fills all Dominicans elected. There were 422 Pete Rose, permanently
his election put another at the pitcher. He said the with pride that he has car- ballots submitted, including banned from Major League
member of those Braves posture helped him relax, ried our flag to the top.” one blank entry. Baseball after an investiga-
clubs in the Hall, along with slow down and “not be so CDN television in the Do- Martinez made a big move tion into his betting on the
pitchers John Smoltz, Tom tense.” minican showed images up to 70.4 percent and fell game, didn’t receive any
Glavine and Greg Mad- The slugger praised his of fireworks and people 20 votes short in his next-to- write-in votes, as he often
dux, manager Bobby Cox longtime hitting coach, celebrating in the streets last year on the ballot. Mike has in the past.
and general manager Charlie Manuel, for all the in Nizao, Guerrero’s home- Mussina climbed to 63.5 There are now 323 peo-
John Schuerholz. work they did together. town located 30 miles west percent. ple in the Hall, including a
Of the four new members, “It’s about sweat equity, of the capital in Santo Do- “It would have been great rush of 23 elected by the
Jones was the only one and getting after it,” Thome mingo. to get in this year, but it BBWAA and veterans pan-
to win a World Series. He said on MLB Network. Hoffman was chosen in his looks great for next year,” els in the last five years.
joined Ken Griffey Jr. as Guerrero was elected in third year, getting 79.9 per- Martinez said on a confer- The four new members
the lone overall No. 1 draft his second try, getting 92.9 cent after missing by just ence call. will be inducted on July
picks to reach the Hall. percent. The nine-time All- five votes last time. The for- Clemens, winner of 354 29. They will be enshrined
Jones and Thome made Star played half his career mer Padres closer used an games and seven Cy with pitcher Jack Morris
it 54 players elected in with the Montreal Expos. outstanding changeup to Young Awards, got 57.3 and shortstop Alan Tram-
their first year of eligibility The outfielder batted .318 post 601 saves, second to percent after drawing 54.1 mell, picked last month by
by members of the Base- with 449 homers and 1,496 Mariano Rivera’s 652, and percent last time. Bonds, a committee that consid-
ball Writers’ Association of RBIs, and was a notorious revved up fans in San Di- the career home run lead- ered older players and ex-
America. Jones drew 97.2 bad-ball hitter. He said he ego with rocking entrances er and a seven-time MVP, ecutives.
percent (410 of 422) of the developed that talent as to “Hells Bells” by AC/DC. reached 56.4 percent, up This matches the biggest
vote and Thome was at a kid in the Dominican Re- Hoffman became the sixth from 53.8 percent. lineup of living players to
89.8 percent — 75 percent public, playing a game sim- pitcher who was mostly a Clemens and Bonds each be inducted since 1955,
is needed for election. ilar to cricket in which hitters reliever to make the Hall, get four more tries. They when Joe DiMaggio, Gab-
“It was waterworks,” Jones swung broomsticks while along with Goose Gos- seem to be “gaining steam by Hartnett, Ted Lyons,
said after receiving the call. pitchers tried to bounce sage, Bruce Sutter, Dennis with newer voters,” Jones Dazzy Vance, Home Run
Thome hit 612 home runs, balls past them and knock Eckersley, Rollie Fingers and said. Baker and Ray Schalk were
ranking him eighth on the over folded license plates. Hoyt Wilhelm. Omar Vizquel (37 percent), honored.q