Thome was the best player on any of his teams over a 22-year career.

A second Boston writer who passed on voting for Thome was Bill Ballou of The Telegram. He used just five votes and selected Ramirez, Jones, Guerrero, Clemons, and Bonds. Here’s his extremely brief and uneducating explanation for not voting for Thome

Thome? Reminds me of Sammy Sosa or Rafael Palmeiro. He was always one of the best, never the very best.

Tony Massarotti of 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston had a similar ballot: Bonds, Clemons, Jones, Edgar Martinez, and Ramirez.

I show little respect for those Boston writers’ unintelligent, ill-explained voting methods that picked players suspended for their drug use over a man with over 600 home runs.

The only Boston sports writer who didn’t vote for Thomea tough one because he was caught using after testing was in place, but Manny being Manny was too dominant of a player to ignore.

Finally, to round out those who passed on Thome, we have three writers whose explanations were not found. One is a national baseball writer, one is of the New York Post, and the other in Los Angeles.

Chuck Johnson – Sosa, Sheffield, McGriff, Martinez, Jones, Hoffman, Guerrero, Bonds, Clemons

Kevin Modesti – Omar Vizquel, Bonds, Clemons, Guerrero, Hoffman, Jones, Mussina, Ramirez, Schilling, Sheffield

George Willis – Sheffield, Mussina, McGriff, Martinez, Kent, Jones, Hoffman, Guerrero, Bonds, Clemons

Willis did mention if not for the Rule of 10 Thome would have gotten a vote from him. But those who vote for Sheffield, Bonds, Clemons, and Ramirez with little to no