Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, it was announced Wednesday.

Jones and Thome were both elected in their first year of eligibility. This is the fourth time that the Baseball Writers' Association of America has elected four players in a year (1947, 1955, 2015).

"It was waterworks," said Jones, who drew 97.2 percent of the vote after being selected on 410 of 422 ballots.

The four will join veterans committee inductees Jack Morris and Alan Trammell in entering the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 29 in Cooperstown, New York.

It took 75 percent for election, or 317 votes, to be elected into the Hall of Fame. Designated hitter Edgar Martinez came close -- falling just 20 votes shy -- after a grass-roots campaign. Roger Clemens, who was picked on 57.3 percent of ballots, and Barry Bonds (56.4), both tainted by the steroids scandal, edged up in voting totals but again fell far short.

Jones, an eight-time All-Star who played all 19 seasons for the Atlanta Braves, ranks third all time in home runs by a switch-hitter. The veteran third baseman had a career .303 batting average with 468 home runs.

Hall of Fame voting results Receiving the necessary 75 percent of votes, Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman were announced as the Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2018. Here are the results from the 422 ballots cast. Name Votes Pct. Chipper Jones 410 97.2% Vladimir Guerrero 392 92.9% Jim Thome 379 89.8% Trevor Hoffman 337 79.9% Edgar Martinez 297 70.4% Mike Mussina 268 63.5% Roger Clemens 242 57.3% Barry Bonds 238 56.4% Curt Schilling 216 51.2% Omar Vizquel 156 37.0% Larry Walker 144 34.1% Fred McGriff 98 23.2% Manny Ramirez 93 22.0% Jeff Kent 61 14.5% Gary Sheffield 47 11.1% Billy Wagner 47 11.1% Scott Rolen 43 10.2% Sammy Sosa 33 7.8% Andruw Jones 31 7.3% Jamie Moyer 10 2.4% Johann Santana 10 2.4% Johnny Damon 8 1.9% Hideki Matsui 4 0.9% Chris Carpenter 2 0.5% Kerry Wood 2 0.5% Livan Hernandez 1 0.2% Carlos Lee 1 0.2% Orlando Hudson 0 0 Aubrey Huff 0 0 Jason Isringhausen 0 0 Brad Lidge 0 0 Kevin Millwood 0 0 Carlos Zambrano 0 0

He is the only switch-hitter with at least 1,000 at-bats and a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage.

"I don't know how you tabulate or calculate WAR,'' Jones said, referring to a sabermetric stat that didn't exist for much of his career. "... What I want to see is batting average, on-base percentage, runs produced.''

Jones, a force for most of the Atlanta teams that won 14 straight division titles, joins former teammates John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, manager Bobby Cox and general manager John Schuerholz in the Hall.

Of the four new members, Jones was the only one to win a World Series. He joins Ken Griffey Jr. as the only overall No. 1 draft picks to reach the Hall.

Thome hit 612 home runs, which ranks eighth all time, over his 22 seasons with the Indians, Phillies, White Sox, Twins, Dodgers and Orioles. The infielder's 13 walk-off home runs are more than any other player.

Thome became emotional after receiving a call from former manager Charlie Manuel, his longtime hitting coach, while he was being interviewed on MLB Network.

"I couldn't be happier for Jim, who is like a son to me," Manuel said. "This is totally deserving and, for me, 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, it makes me smile to think that all that hard work, all those swings in the batting cage, is now paying off for him.

"I started thinking this was possible after he hit his 500th home run. And for the day to finally be here, it's like winning the World Series all over again."

Thome was known for his batter's box routine, standing absolutely still in the box while pointing his bat at the pitcher. He said the posture helped him relax, slow down and "not be so tense.''

Guerrero, a nine-time All-Star, was elected in his second try, getting 92.9 percent of the vote. Over his 16 seasons with the Montreal Expos, Angels, Rangers and Orioles, Guerrero had a .318 career batting average and a .553 slugging percentage -- one of nine players with numbers higher than .315/.550.

"I still can't believe it," Guerrero, the first position player from the Dominican Republic to make the Hall, told ESPN Deportes on Wednesday. "Maybe I have to wait until tomorrow to make sure this is for real. This is for Don Gregorio [his hometown], my people and the entire Dominican Republic."

Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina, who was in Switzerland, congratulated Guerrero on Twitter, saying "it fills all Dominicans with pride that he has carried our flag to the top.''

The outfielder, a notorious bad-ball hitter, also had 449 home runs and 1,496 RBIs. His career batting average is sixth highest among players with at least 400 career home runs.

Guerrero said he developed his hitting talent as a kid in the Dominican Republic, playing a game similar to cricket in which hitters swung broomsticks while pitchers tried to bounce balls past them and knock over folded license plates.

Hoffman, getting 79.9 percent of the vote to become just the sixth reliever to be elected into Cooperstown, has 601 career saves, which ranks second to Mariano Rivera on the all-time list. And his nine seasons with at least 40 saves are tied with Rivera for most all time.

"This was my job title, this is what I was asked to do, and I did it pretty well," Hoffman said at Petco Park in San Diego. "There's really not much else you can do [about making the Hall] after you're done playing. You can choose to kind of battle a fight that's not worth fighting.

"I was comfortable with the career I had, comfortable with the way I went about it, and if enough people felt the same about it as I did, we'd be standing here today. And fortunately, we were."

The seven-time All-Star, who played for the Marlins, Padres and Brewers during his 18 seasons, also had 1,133 career strikeouts.

"Trevor Time" became an event in San Diego, where AC/DC's "Hells Bells" blared when batters knew they'd be facing Hoffman's flummoxing changeup, which dropped toward the dirt and more often than not eluded their bats.

"It was one of those moments in the game that never, never got old, trust me," said Bruce Bochy, who managed Hoffman in San Diego from 1995 to 2006, before becoming the Giants' manager. "It's always good to bring your closer in, but the 'Hells Bells' became part of it, just to see how it brought the crowd to life, the team. It energized the whole ballpark. It was electric."

Rivera highlights the newcomers on next year's ballot, once again raising debate over whether any player will be unanimously elected to the Hall. Todd Helton, Andy Pettitte and the late Roy Halladay also will be first-time candidates.

For Martinez, who finished with 70.4 percent of the vote in his ninth time on the ballot, it was the second straight year with a significant jump; he was at 58.6 percent in the 2017 voting.

Thank you to all the fans out there that supported my #HOF candidacy. We are trending up, next year may be the year. Thank you @Mariners and the best fans in baseball — Edgar Martinez (@11EdgarMartinez) January 24, 2018

Martinez remains optimistic about his chances in 2019.

"Getting 70.4 percent is a big improvement, and all I can think right now is that it's looking good for next year," Martinez said on a conference call. "It would have been great to get in this year, but it looks good for next year."

Just four years ago, Martinez was slogging at 25.2 percent in the balloting, but the past few years have marked a major change in how voters are viewing his contributions, even though he rarely played the field after 1992. Martinez's career .312 batting average, .933 on-base plus slugging and seven All-Star Game appearances created a strong foundation for his candidacy.

"At that time, I thought I would never get to this point," Martinez said. "It is encouraging to see 70 percent going into my final year. I just feel I still have a good chance. But yeah, 2014, I didn't think I was going to be at this point right now."

In addition to Martinez, Clemens and Bonds, pitchers Mike Mussina (63.5) and Curt Schilling (51.2) were named on more than half the ballots but were not elected.

Clemens and Bonds each get four more tries. They seem to be "gaining steam with newer voters,'' Jones said.

Omar Vizquel (37 percent), Scott Rolen (10.2) and Andruw Jones (7.3) were first-time candidates. Among the players who drew under 5 percent and fell off the ballot were Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Johan Santana.

Pete Rose, permanently banned from Major League Baseball after an investigation into his betting on the game, didn't receive any write-in votes, as he often has in the past.

The Baseball Writers' Association of America has elected 16 players to the Hall over the past five years, the largest total over a five-year span, breaking the previous mark of 13 from 1952 to 1956.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>Get out your kleenex, Tribe fans.

On Wednesday evening, legendary slugger Jim Thome was elected to the Class of 2018 of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He'll join Chipper Jones, Trevor Hoffman, Vladimir Guerrero, Jack Morris, and Alan Trammell in this year's class.

The cameras were rolling when the Baseball Writers of America called Thome to give him the good news. Watch Jim as he enjoys the moment with his wife Andrea and their children.

Thome, who was named on 89.8 percent of the 422 ballots cast, is the first Indians player to earn induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame since pioneering outfielder Larry Doby was selected in 1998.

The Class of 2018 will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, on Sunday, July 29, 2018.</s>Wednesday was a day Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman never will forget.

Those four players were elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame and will be inducted into Cooperstown, NY., alongside Alan Trammell and Jack Morris on July 30.

It was the first year on the ballot for both Jones (97.2 percent) and Thome (89.8 percent), while Guerrero (92.9 percent) made the cut on his second try and Hoffman (79.9 percent) got in on his third attempt.

And each of these four Major League Baseball greats had an incredible reaction upon hearing the news.

First, one of the four best third basemen in baseball history got the call.

Then, Vlad the Impaler kept it cool.

Next up: Hell’s Bells gets emotional.

Congrats to the 2018 Hall of Fame class.</s>NEW YORK >> Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero and Trevor Hoffman were elected to the baseball Hall of Fame.

Designated hitter Edgar Martinez came close after a grass-roots campaign to boost him. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, both tainted by the steroids scandal, edged up but again fell far short.

Jones and Thome made it 54 players elected in their first year of eligibility by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Jones drew 97.2 percent (410 of 422) in results announced Wednesday, and Thome was at 89.8 percent.

“It was waterworks,” Jones said after hearing the vote.

Jones was an eight-time All-Star third baseman for the Atlanta Braves. The switch-hitter batted .303 with 468 home runs.

Jones was a force for most of the Atlanta teams that won 14 straight division titles — his election puts another member of those Braves clubs in Cooperstown, along with pitchers John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, manager Bobby Cox and general manager John Schuerholz.

Thome hit 612 home runs, putting him eighth on the career list. The five-time All-Star played mostly for the Cleveland Indians.

Guerrero was elected in his second try, getting 92.9 percent. The nine-time All-Star slugger played half his career with the Montreal Expos. The outfielder was a notorious bad-ball hitter, batting .318 with 449 homers and 1,496 RBIs.

Hoffman was chosen in his third year, getting 79.9 percent after missing by just five votes last time. The former San Diego Padres closer had 601 saves, second to Mariano Rivera’s 652.

It took 75 percent for election, or 317 votes. Martinez made a big move up to 70.4 percent and fell 20 votes short. Mike Mussina climbed to 63.5 percent.

Clemens, winner of 354 games and seven Cy Young Awards, got 57.3 percent after drawing 54.1 percent last time. Bonds, the career home run leader and a seven-time MVP, reached 56.4 percent, up from 53.8 percent.

Clemens and Bonds each have four tries left.

The four new members will be inducted on July 29 . They will be joined by Jack Morris and shortstop Alan Trammell, who were picked last month by a committee that considered older players and executives.

Rivera heads the ballot next year, once again raising debate over whether any player will unanimously elected to the Hall. The late Roy Halladay also will be a first-time candidate.</s>(Reuters) - Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman have been voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018, Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday, with their inductions due to be held on July 29.

Former Detroit Tigers team mates, pitcher Jack Morris and shortstop Alan Trammell, are also included in the six-player list of new entrants after they were selected by the Modern Era Committee last month. Jones and Thome will enter Cooperstown as first-ballot Hall of Famers with the former receiving 97.2 percent of the 422 ballot votes.

The 1999 National League MVP was an eight-time All-Star and helped lead the Atlanta Braves to a World Series title in 1995.

“When you get the call and you’re able to share that with the people you care about the most -- it was waterworks around the Jones’ house,” Jones told reporters. “It’s just a tremendous honor, I couldn’t be more proud.”

Guerrero was voted in on his second year on the ballot and Hoffman made it in his third.

Guerrero, the first Dominican-born position player to make the Hall of Fame, ended his career with 449 home runs and 1,496 RBIs (runs batted in).

Thome ranks eighth on the all-time list of home runs with 612 blasts, while Hoffman is second on the saves list with 601.</s>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.

Here's the breakdown of voting percentages (there were 422 ballots). Seventy-five percent gains entry and more than five percent keeps a player on the ballot for next year:

Orlando Hudson, Aubrey Huff, Jason Isringhausen, Brad Lidge, Kevin Millwood and Carlos Zambrano were shut out.

The four-man BBWAA class is tied for the second-most ever, after the original 1936 class.

This is an excellent 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. We'll hear six speeches, whether in person, watching on TV or streaming online.</s>Former Cleveland Indians first baseman Jim Thome was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Jan. 24.

Former Cleveland Indians first baseman Jim Thome was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Jan. 24.

Former Cleveland Indians first baseman Jim Thome was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Jan. 24. (Source AP Images)

Former Cleveland Indians first baseman Jim Thome was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Jan. 24. (Source AP Images)

Longtime Atlanta Braves switch-hitter Chipper Jones is one of four players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, announced Wednesday.

Longtime Atlanta Braves switch-hitter Chipper Jones is one of four players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, announced Wednesday.

Former Atlanta Braves' Chipper Jones is honored during a ceremony before a baseball game between the Braves and the San Diego Padres in Atlanta, Friday, April 14, 2017. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Former Atlanta Braves' Chipper Jones is honored during a ceremony before a baseball game between the Braves and the San Diego Padres in Atlanta, Friday, April 14, 2017. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

(AP Photo/File). FILE - These file photos show baseball players, from left, Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones and Jim Thome. All four were elected to baseball's Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018.

NEW YORK (AP) - Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero and Trevor Hoffman were elected to the baseball Hall of Fame.

Designated hitter Edgar Martinez came close after a grass-roots campaign to boost him. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, both tainted by the steroids scandal, edged up but again fell far short.

Jones and Thome made it 54 players elected in their first year of eligibility by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Jones drew 97.2 percent (410 of 422) in results announced Wednesday, and Thome was at 89.8 percent.

"It was waterworks," Jones said after hearing the vote.

Jones was an eight-time All-Star third baseman for the Atlanta Braves. The switch-hitter batted .303 with 468 home runs.

Jones was a force for most of the Atlanta teams that won 14 straight division titles - his election puts another member of those Braves clubs in Cooperstown, along with pitchers John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, manager Bobby Cox and general manager John Schuerholz.

Thome hit 612 home runs, putting him eighth on the career list. The five-time All-Star played mostly for the Cleveland Indians.

Guerrero was elected in his second try, getting 92.9 percent. The nine-time All-Star slugger played half his career with the Montreal Expos. The outfielder was a notorious bad-ball hitter, batting .318 with 449 homers and 1,496 RBIs.

Hoffman was chosen in his third year, getting 79.9 percent after missing by just five votes last time. The former San Diego Padres closer had 601 saves, second to Mariano Rivera's 652.

It took 75 percent for election, or 317 votes. Martinez made a big move up to 70.4 percent and fell 20 votes short. Mike Mussina climbed to 63.5 percent.

Clemens, winner of 354 games and seven Cy Young Awards, got 57.3 percent after drawing 54.1 percent last time. Bonds, the career home run leader and a seven-time MVP, reached 56.4 percent, up from 53.8 percent.

Clemens and Bonds each have four tries left.

The four new members will be inducted on July 29 . They will be joined by Jack Morris and shortstop Alan Trammell, who were picked last month by a committee that considered older players and executives.

Rivera heads the ballot next year, once again raising debate over whether any player will unanimously elected to the Hall. The late Roy Halladay also will be a first-time candidate.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman are headed to Cooperstown after being voted in as the Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2018, president Jeff Idelson of the Hall of Fame announced Wednesday evening.

Jones and Thome both earned the distinction of being first-ballot Hall of Famers in voting conducted by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Guerrero was voted in on his second year on the ballot, and Hoffman made it in his third.

Edgar Martinez was passed over in his ninth time on the ballot by receiving 70.4 percent of the vote. A candidate needs 75 percent to gain induction.

Mike Mussina (63.5 percent) also fell short. Controversial candidates Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds again fell short of the threshold, getting 57.3 percent and 56.4 percent of the vote, respectively. It was the sixth year on the ballot for both Bonds and Clemens.

The inductions will be held July 29. Former Detroit Tigers teammates Jack Morris, a pitcher, and Alan Trammell, a shortstop, are part of the class after being selected by the Modern Era Committee last month.

Jones was named on a robust 97.2 percent of the 422 ballots. Guerrero received 92.9 percent, Thome 89.8 percent and Hoffman 79.9 percent.

A total of 317 votes was needed for induction.

Jones, 45, joins Ken Griffey Jr. as the only No. 1 overall picks in the baseball draft to wind up in the Hall of Fame. The Braves selected Jones in 1990 out of The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla., and Jones broke into the majors as a shortstop in 1993 before settling in as a third baseman. He spent his entire 19-season career in Atlanta.

The 1999 National League MVP, Jones was an eight-time All-Star, and he led the Braves to a World Series title in 1995, hitting .364 in the postseason that year.

In 2,499 career games, Jones batted .303 with a .401 on-base percentage, a .529 slugging percentage, 468 homers and 1,623 RBIs.

Guerrero, 42, ranks as one of the best players in the Montreal Expos' abbreviated history. He spent his first eight of his 16 major league seasons in Montreal before moving on to the Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels, the Texas Rangers and the Orioles.

He was the 2004 American League Most Valuable Player in his first season as an Angel, leading the league in runs (124) and total bases (366) while batting .337/.391/.598 with 39 homers, 126 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.

Guerrero wound up with a slash line of .318/.379/.553 to go with 449 homers and 1,496 RBIs. He was a nine-time All-Star.

Thome, 47, spent 12 1/2 of his 22 major league seasons with the Cleveland Indians. He also played for the Philadelphia Phillies, the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Minnesota Twins and the Baltimore Orioles.

His total of 612 homers ranks eighth in baseball history, and he sits 26th in career RBIs with 1,699 and seventh in walks with 1,747. On the flip side, Thome is also second in career strikeouts with 2,548.

A five-time All-Star, Thome surprisingly led his league in homers only once, when he hit 47 for the Phillies in 2003. He produced a career batting line of .276/.402/.554.

Hoffman, 50, ranks second with 601 career saves, trailing only Mariano Rivero (652). After breaking into the majors with the expansion Marlins in 1993, Hoffman was dealt to the Padres that June in the deal that brought Gary Sheffield to Florida.

Hoffman became a fixture in the San Diego bullpen until spending his final two seasons (2009 and '10) with the Milwaukee Brewers.

A seven-time All-Star, Hoffman twice led the NL in saves, posting 53 in 1998 and 46 in 2006. He wound up with a career 61-75 record and a 2.87 ERA to go along with 1,133 strikeouts and 307 walks in 1,098 1/3 innings.

Martinez was attempting to join Frank Thomas as the only Hall of Famers who spent the majority of their careers as a designated hitter.</s>For Vladimir Guerrero, and probably for Trevor Hoffman, the wait at the edge of Cooperstown is almost over.

Guerrero and Hoffman, the most prominent candidates with Southern California ties, both came up just short of earning the votes for election to the Hall of Fame a year ago. When this year’s results are announced on Wednesday, Guerrero is certain to ease over the finish line, while Hoffman’s case is not quite as clear.

Hoffman, an Orange County native and longtime Padres closer, missed by just one percent of the vote last year, coming up five votes shy of the required 75 percent for election. Guerrero, who won an MVP in his six years with the Angels, finished at 71.1 percent.

As of Tuesday afternoon PT, Guerrero has 94.8 percent of the vote, while Hoffman is at 78.4 percent, with just over half of the ballots made public and tabulated by noted Hall of Fame watcher Ryan Thibodaux.

Either or both of them figure to be joined in Cooperstown by first-time candidates Chipper Jones (98.3) and Jim Thome (93.1) and possibly even Edgar Martinez (77.1).

While it looks like it will be another nail-biter for Hoffman, Guerrero is going to sail in with a rare boost.

Since the return of annual balloting in 1966, only nine players have seen their vote totals jump at least 20 percent in one year, according to Hall of Fame expert Jay Jaffe. The only player to jump 20 points to cross the 75-percent threshold was Barry Larkin, in 2012.

For Guerrero, it seems the jump is the result of a ballot number crunch. Voters are limited to picking 10 players, even though the ballot has gotten so crowded a case can be made for nearly twice that many.

Much of Guerrero’s increase is from voters who simply couldn’t fit him on their ballots last year, according to a partial survey. Among writers who added Guerrero this year, six of seven who were questioned said they would have voted for Guerrero last year too if their ballots were unlimited.

“Nothing has changed,” the Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal said via text. “I would have voted for Vlad (last year) if I had room.”

A year ago, Rosenthal said he chose to give the last spot on his ballot to Billy Wagner, who he feared would not get the required 5 percent to remain on the ballot. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle said he made the same decision, giving his last vote to Garry Sheffield. Dan Hayes of the Athletic said he picked Larry Walker over Guerrero for his last spot simply because Walker was closer to the end of his time on the ballot. This is Walker’s eighth year of 10 years of eligibility on the writer’s ballot.

“As far as this year, it was a no-doubter to put Vlad in,” Hayes said. “He’s without question a Hall of Famer to me, and we fortunately cleared three names off the ballot (last year). When I looked at last year’s class, I believed there were 14-15 viable candidates. He was my No. 11 choice and rightfully moved up.”

Clearing names off the ballot is another incentive for some writers who might have viewed Guerrero as a borderline candidate in his first year. Once Guerrero was nearly elected in his first year, it was inevitable that he was going to be elected, so the sooner he got in, the more space there would be for other candidates.

Guerrero figures to be one of at least five who enter the Hall of Fame this year, along with Jones, Thome, Alan Trammell and Jack Morris. The latter two were elected by the Veteran’s Committee after failing to gain entry via the writers.

Hoffman is also likely to join them. Last year Hoffman was included on 72.7 percent of the ballots that were revealed before the final announcement, and he gained a small percentage when all the votes were tallied. Most candidates see their pre-announcement totals drop, because the voters who keep their ballots private tend to be stingier with their support, but Hoffman bucked that trend.

As a closer, Hoffman is likely to favored more by voters who look at traditional stats than those who lean toward advanced metrics. Modern analysis tends to weight how effectively someone pitches, regardless of the inning, instead of giving extra credit for being the one to work the ninth and get a save. Hoffman is second all-time in saves, with 601.

Martinez, who is usually favored more by the public voters, is likely to see a decline, below 75 percent. Mike Mussina (70.1 percent in public ballots) and Curt Schilling (59.3) also seem to be making progress toward eventual election.

One of the most interesting questions when the final totals are released will be what happens with the totals for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, who have been tied together since they appeared on the ballot.

No-doubt Hall of Famers by the numbers, both are also dogged by reports of steroid use. They both received around 54 percent of the vote last year, their highest total so far. They have four years left on the ballot, so they will need to keep trending up if they are to reach 75 percent. Public voting has both around 64 percent, but their support typically drops when all the private ballots are added.</s>NEW YORK (AP) -- Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero and Trevor Hoffman have been elected to the baseball Hall of Fame.

Designated hitter Edgar Martinez came close after a grass-roots campaign to boost him. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, both tainted by the steroids scandal, edged up but again fell far short.

Jones and Thome made it 54 players elected in their first year of eligibility by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Jones was an eight-time All-Star third baseman for the Atlanta Braves. Thome hit 612 home runs, putting him eighth on the career list, and played mostly for the Cleveland Indians.

Guerrero was elected in his second try. The nine-time All-Star slugger played half his career with the Montreal Expos.

Hoffman was chosen in his third year. The former San Diego Padres closer had 601 saves, second all-time to Mariano Rivera's 652.

The Hall announced the voting results Wednesday. The four new members will be inducted on July 29 in Cooperstown, New York.
The Baseball Writers' Association of America elects Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, and Trevor Hoffman to the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame. They will be formally inducted alongside Jack Morris and Alan Trammell, voted in by a special Hall of Fame committee, on July 29.