Track the new Hall of Famers' careers from their first team to Cooperstown
On Wednesday, the members of the 2018 National Baseball Hall of Fame class were revealed to the public. The names included Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero and Trevor Hoffman.
So, let's take a stroll down memory lane and remember the twists and turns across the country that they've taken throughout their careers on their way to plaques in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Chipper Jones
The dream of every player lucky enough to be drafted first overall is to go on to a Hall of Fame career, lead his team to a World Series title and maybe win an MVP along the way.
However, no No. 1 pick in baseball history has ever managed to pull that trick, let alone entirely with one team. Well, had ever. He was the Braves' top choice in the 1990 MLB Draft out of The Boiles School in Jacksonville, Fla., and he never played a game anywhere else during his tremendous 19-year career.
World Series ring? Check.
MVP? Check.
First-ballot Hall of Famer? Check.
Jim Thome
Like Jones, Jim Thome had a legendary career with the team that drafted him, and the Indians revere the slugger so much that he already has a statue outside Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Unlike Jones, Thome's career brought him to teams all around the country, beginning in 2003 with the Phillies. He even made a brief stop back in Cleveland in 2011 after stints with the White Sox, Dodgers and Twins. After another reunion in Philadelphia, Thome's career came to a close with one last playoff run in Baltimore with the Orioles.
Have dingers, will travel.
Vladimir Guerrero
Long before becoming the proud papa to one of baseball's best prospects, "Vlad the Impaler" was the Expos' last true superstar prior to their move to Washington, D.C. The fame he earned in Montreal for his otherworldly hitting led to him earning a nice free agent contract with the Angels in 2004.
Guerrero won the MVP in his first year there and made three more All-Star teams before departing for the division rival Rangers in 2010. Not only did he make the lone World Series appearance of his career there, but he also earned his ninth and final All-Star spot, too. After one more season of play with the Orioles, Guerrero's career ended, bringing a wild ride to its conclusion.
All that's left is one more stop in Cooperstown.
Trevor Hoffman
Longtime closer Trevor Hoffman's career had humble beginnings. Few will remember that the Reds drafted him as an infielder way back in 1989, and that he made his MLB debut with the Marlins in 1993 after they took him in the Expansion Draft.
The Padres acquired Hoffman on June 24, 1993, and the rest is history. His changeup became synonymous with the end of Padres victories for the next 16 seasons. He spent the last two years with the Brewers, where he became the first closer to ever reach 600 saves.
