Chicago White Sox: Harold Baines is a Hall of Famer
The Chicago White Sox are in the midst of a tough series with the Tampa Bay Rays, but we need to take some time out to appreciate a Hall of Famer.
The Chicago White Sox have had some great players come through their organization. They have had guys go on and be Hall of Fame players and many recognizable names that define the franchise. One of those guys is Harold Baines. He flies under the radar a little bit compared to guys like Frank Thomas, Minnie Minoso, and Carlton Fisk but he had a really nice career with the White Sox.
He played Major League Baseball for 22 years and 14 of them were on the south side. He also spent time with the Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers, and Cleveland Indians. The most he spent with another team was seven years and that was Baltimore. His career is defined by his time with the White Sox.
Now, Harold Baines is able to say he is a Hall of Fame player. He is inducted this weekend and White Sox fans should be so happy. His three stints with the White Sox and coaching with the team shows that yet another one of our guys made it to the Hall of Fame. He is the sixth player or manager that has worn a White Sox uniform to enter the Hall of Fame since 2014.
Bains was an outfielder that became a DH in an era that was changing things as far as the DH goes. He and Edgar Martinez made the DH a prominent spot in an American League lineup, so it is fitting that they enter the Hall of Fame together. Martinez spent his whole career with the Seattle Mariners while Baines spent the second half of his career on the move, playing the role of the leading veteran.
He had a career slash line of .289/.356/.465 over his 22 MLB seasons with 384 home runs, 1628 RBIs, and a 38.7 WAR. He was a six-time all-star and an American League Siver Slugger in 1989. He had lots of accolades and deservedly is now a member of the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Baines goes into the Hall with Mariano Rivera, Edgar Martinez, Roy Halladay, Mike Mussina, and Lee Smith. This is a really nice class and every member of it should be proud of where they are at. It is fun to see all of these guys get in, some waiting longer than others. Everybody should enjoy when Chicago White Sox alumni get recognized and this is an awesome thing for Harold Baines and his family.