Harold Baines

Harold Douglas Baines (born March 15, 1959) is an American former designated hitter and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for five American League (AL) teams from 1980 to 2001, and is best known for his three stints with the Chicago White Sox. A Maryland native, he also played seven years with his hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles, over three separate periods.<ref name="bainesBRplayer">Template:Cite web</ref> The first overall selection in the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft and a six-time All-Star, Baines led the AL in slugging percentage in Template:By. He held the White Sox team record for career home runs from Template:By until Carlton Fisk passed him in Template:By; his total of 221 remains the club record for left-handed hitters, as do his 981 runs batted in (RBI) and 585 extra base hits with the team. His 1,688 hits and 1,643 games as a DH stood as major-league records until David Ortiz broke them in Template:By and Template:By.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also held the mark for career home runs as a DH (236) until Edgar Martínez passed him in Template:By.

One of the most durable, consistent, and respected hitters of his era, Baines batted over .300 eight times and hit .324 in 31 career postseason games, topping .350 in five separate series. Upon his retirement, he ranked seventh in AL history in games played (2,830) and 10th in RBI (1,628). Noted as well for his power hitting in clutch situations, he was tied for seventh in AL history in grand slams (13),<ref name=Spatz46>Template:Cite book</ref> fourth in three-home-run games (three),<ref>Spatz, op. cit., p. 53.</ref> and tied for seventh in major league history in walk-off home runs (10).<ref name=Spatz46/> He served as a coach with the White Sox from 2004 to 2015 before moving into a role of team ambassador and spring training instructor.<ref name="ambassador">Template:Cite web</ref> Baines was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Today's Game Era Committee as part of the class of 2019.<ref name="bainesBRplayer"/>

Early life

Baines was raised in St. Michaels, Maryland, by his father, Linwood, a stonemason, with his three brothers and a sister.<ref name="tanton">Template:Cite news</ref> He described his father as his "idol, more than anybody else." His father was separated from his mother, Gloria.<ref name="bierig">Template:Cite news</ref> White Sox owner Bill Veeck began scouting Baines when he was just 12 years old while Veeck was living on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.<ref name="tanton" />

He graduated in 1977 from St. Michaels High School on Maryland's Eastern Shore where, as a senior, he batted .532 and was named a high school All-American.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The White Sox made Baines the first overall selection in the 1977 amateur draft.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He received a signing bonus of $32,000 – a record low for a first overall pick.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Professional career

Baines took a high step with his right leg, a la Mel Ott, as part of his stride into a pitch.

On April 10, 1980, Baines made his major league debut on Opening Day, starting in right field and going 0-for-4 in a 5–3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1982, he batted .271 with 25 home runs and 105 RBI in 161 games.<ref name="bainesBRplayer" />

In 1984, baseball writer Bill James called Baines his favorite opposing player to watch, saying, "He is gorgeous, absolutely complete. I've seen him drop down bunts that would melt in your mouth, come up the next time and execute a hit and run that comes straight off the chalkboard. I've seen him hit fastballs out of the yard on a line, and I've seen him get under a high curve and loft it just over the fence."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Baines ended the longest game in major league history (eight hours and six minutes over 25 innings on successive evenings) with a walk-off home run against the Milwaukee Brewers' Chuck Porter on May 8, 1984;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the bat he used is currently kept at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In 1986, a succession of knee problems began which gradually ended his fielding career, forcing him to become a regular designated hitter. Despite the knee ailments and the resulting lack of speed, he remained a powerful hitter, picking up 166 hits in 1988.<ref name="bainesBRplayer" />

Baines holds the record for the most seasons by a player between 100-RBI seasons, with 14 seasons between 113 RBIs for Chicago in 1985 and 103 for Baltimore and Cleveland in 1999.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Baines before a 2001 game

Template:MLBBioRet Midway through the 1989 season, the Texas Rangers acquired Baines, along with Fred Manrique, from the White Sox in a much-derided trade which sent Wilson Álvarez, Scott Fletcher and Sammy Sosa to Chicago.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After the trade, the White Sox retired Baines's #3 on August 20, 1989, a rare occurrence for a player who was still active in the major leagues (the number would be "un-retired" each time Baines returned to the White Sox, and he wore it as a coach).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On August 29, 1990, Baines was traded to the Oakland Athletics for minor league pitchers Scott Chiamparino and Joe Bitker,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and he helped them reach the postseason only to be swept by the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series. In 1992, the Athletics returned to the playoffs, but lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS.<ref name="Baines">Template:Cite web</ref>

On January 14, 1993, Baines was traded by the A's to the Baltimore Orioles for minor league pitchers Bobby Chouinard and Allen Plaster.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Baines batted .313, .294 and .299 over his first three seasons with Baltimore.<ref name="bainesBRplayer" /> On December 11, 1995, Baines returned to the White Sox as a free agent.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On July 29, 1997, Baines was traded back to the Orioles for a player to be named later.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He helped the Orioles reach the playoffs, where they lost to the Cleveland Indians in the League Championship Series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Baines represented the Orioles in the 1999 All Star Game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On August 27, 1999, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians for minor league pitcher Juan Aracena and a player to be named later.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On December 9, 1999, Baines returned for a third stint with the Orioles, signing a one-year, $2 million contract.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was traded back to the White Sox with catcher Charles Johnson in exchange for Miguel Felix, Juan Figueroa, Brook Fordyce and Jason Lakman on July 29, 2000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

His final contract with the White Sox was not renewed following the 2001 season, after his third stint with the team. He finished his career with 2,866 hits, 384 home runs and 1,628 RBI.<ref name="bainesBRplayer" /> His career RBI total is 34th all-time (through 2022);<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> prior to his induction, he had the ninth-highest RBI count among retired players not elected in the Hall of Fame; his hit total ranks 46th all-time (through 2019).

Coaching career

Baines's fourth stint with the Chicago White Sox began when he was named bench coach in March 2004 under new manager Ozzie Guillén, his White Sox teammate, from 1985 to 1989 and in 1996–97.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Baines served as the team’s interim manager for four games, from August 17–20, 2004, while Guillén was serving two consecutive two-game suspensions.<ref name="15chisoxbio">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="bainesRETROmanager">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2005, as a coach for the White Sox, he earned a World Series ring when the White Sox won the 2005 World Series.

Honors

On July 20, 2008, the White Sox unveiled a bronze statue of Baines at U.S. Cellular Field prior to their game against the Kansas City Royals; it is the seventh statue featured on the park's outfield concourse.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In August 2009, the Orioles announced that Baines would be inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame as the 46th member. In his seven seasons with the Orioles, he batted .301 with 107 home runs and 378 RBI as their designated hitter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Hall of Fame candidacy

Baines giving a speech at his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in July 2019

Baines first became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame with the 2007 election. While 75% of the vote is needed for induction, he never received greater than 6.1% (which he received in 2010).<ref name ="bainesBRplayer"/> On January 5, 2011, Baines received just 28 votes (4.8%) in the 2011 Hall of Fame election, dropping him off all future writers' Hall of Fame ballots by receiving less than 5% of the vote.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On December 9, 2018, Baines was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2019 via the Today's Game Era ballot, a voting panel of 16 consisting of six players, one manager, six executives, and three journalists.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His election drew criticism from baseball writers and fans due to his low wins above replacement numbers, poor performance in MVP voting, and lack of defensive playing time. Baines was voted into the Hall of Fame by his peers: he played against five of the six players on the committee, while a sixth served as manager against him. Four executives on the panel were in management while Baines was a player and his former manager and team owner also were on the committee.<ref name="Tayler">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Verducci">Template:Cite web</ref> Specific criticism was leveled at Tony La Russa,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Jerry Reinsdorf,<ref name="Tayler"/> and Pat Gillick<ref name="Verducci"/> for their close personal relationships with Baines, (La Russa managed him for seven seasons in Chicago and three more with the Oakland A's, Reinsdorf owned the White Sox when Baines played, and Gillick acquired him for the Orioles during his time as the team's General Manager).

He and five other players were inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 21 before a crowd of 55,000, including 53 previous inductees.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of Template:Currentyear, Baines is one of only four former first-overall MLB draft picks to be elected to the Hall of Fame, along with Ken Griffey Jr., Chipper Jones, and Joe Mauer.

Personal life

Baines in 2017 at Guaranteed Rate Field

Baines's hometown of St. Michaels has designated January 9 as Harold Baines Day. He has also created the Harold Baines Scholarship Fund to help deserving college-bound students.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Baines is married to Marla Henry and has four children: Toni, Britni, Harold, Jr., and Courtney. All attended Baines's alma mater, St. Michaels Middle/High School.<ref name="15chisoxbio"/>

In May 2021, Baines had to undergo emergency surgery for both heart and liver transplants on successive days. Both organs had been damaged by amyloidosis, the condition that his father had. Baines (the son) had learned of this disease a couple of years earlier. The surgeries were successful.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders

External links

• Template:Baseball Hall of Fame profile
• Template:Baseballstats
• Template:SABR Baseball Biography Project
• Baseball Hall of Fame: Classy Baines Heralded for Clutch Hitting
• White Sox Bio (Manager and Coaches): Harold Baines Template:Webarchive
• WhiteSox Community Relations Representatives: Harold Baines