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Harold Baines
Nickname(s): Hal
Born: 1959

DH-OF 1980-2001 White Sox, Rangers, Athletics, Orioles, Indians

All-Star in 1985-87, 89, 91, 99

	Games	Average	HR	RBI
Career	`2830`	`.289`	`384`	`1628`
League DS	`6`	`.368`	`2`	`5`
League CS	`20`	`.333`	`2`	`9`
World Series	`3`	`.143`	`1`	`2`

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Corrections
ť September 7, 2003 (#373)

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One of the finest pure hitters of his time, Baines was a 12-year-old little leaguer in Easton, MD when he caught the eye of White Sox owner Bill Veeck. When Chicago made him the first pick in the June 1977 draft, GM Paul Richards said Baines "was on his way to the Hall of Fame. He just stopped by Comiskey Park for 20 years or so."

The expectations placed much pressure on the soft-spoken 20-year-old when he became a regular in 1980. It wasn't until 1982 that he began to produce (hitting 25 home runs with 105 RBI) and he soon developed a reputation that would follow him throughout his career as one of the game's best clutch performers and a lethal hitter with men on base.

In 1983, the sweet-swinging lefty with a batting style reminiscent of Mel Ott led the AL with a then-major-league record 22 game-winning RBI. Surrounded by a powerful lineup that also featured Greg Luzinski, Carlton Fisk and Rookie of the Year Ron Kittle, Baines's 99 runs batted in that season matched the White Sox' major-league-leading win total. The Sox ran away with the Western Division Crown, but fell to the eventual World Champion Baltimore Orioles in the LCS. During the four-game series, Baines registered just two hits in sixteen at bats.

In the years that followed, Baines would post steady numbers for White Sox teams that never recaptured their success in 1983. From 1984 (when he slammed a career high 29 home runs) through 1987, Baines never hit below .293 or failed to drive in more than 88 runs or hit 20 homers.

On May 9, 1984, his home run off Milwaukee's Chuck Porter ended the major leagues' longest game ever by time (8:06) and the AL's longest game by innings (25). The bat went to the Hall of Fame.

In 1986 a serious knee injury would require two operations and force Baines onto the disabled list. It was the first of a series of knee problems that would plague him throughout his career and force him to be used almost exclusively as a designated hitter.

But leaving the outfield never hindered Baines' effectiveness at the plate. In 1987, his 155th career home run set a White Sox record (since broken by Frank Thomas) and in June of that season he set another Chicago record with 36 RBIs in one month. After slipping to .277 with 13 homers in 1988, Baines rebounded with a vengeance in 1989. But on July 29th the rebuilding White Sox (who would finish in last place with a woeful 69-92 record) dealt Baines and his .321 average to Texas for shortstop Scott Fletcher, left-handed hurler Wilson Alvarez, and a slender young Dominican outfielder named Sammy Sosa. The Rangers had used twenty-five players in the DH slot since they released Larry Parrish in the middle of the 1988 season.

For Baines, the trade marked the beginning of the second half of his career, one that saw him enjoy a series of productive seasons for a number of teams. Traded to Oakland in late August of 1990, he got his first taste of post-season action since 1983, batting .357 as Oakland swept Boston in the playoffs. In Game Three of the World Series, Baines launched a two-run homer in a futile effort to prevent the Reds from pulling off a surprising sweep of the A's. The following year -- the first since 1988 spent entirely with one team -- Baines rapped out a .295 average and added 20 homers and 95 RBIs season for the fourth-place A's. Although he posted the lowest average in his career (.253) in 1992, Oakland returned to the ALCS. Baines stung the ball at a .440 clip and belted a ninth-inning homer off Jack Morris to win Game One, but the Athletics lost to Toronto in six games.

Before the 1993 season, the 34-year-old DH returned to his native Maryland when he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for minor-league pitchers Bobby Chouinard and Allen Plaster. In three seasons with Baltimore, neither age nor persistent knee problems could slow his offensive production. It was said that Baines could hit .300 with both knees broken; at times when he could barely run the bases, his sharp eye, quick bat and level swing still posted impressive numbers. In the three years from 1993 through 1995, Baines batted .313, .294 and .299, while his 24 home runs in 1995 were the third-highest total of his career.

Baines returned to the White Sox as a free agent in 1996, where he enjoyed another banner year, blasting 22 homers and driving in 95 runs while batting .311. On his way to similar numbers the next season, Baines found himself traded back to Baltimore in July of 1997 to pad the lineup of the AL East leading Orioles. Reaching the postseason for the fourth time in his career, Baines again distinguished himself, hitting .400 with a home run off Seattle's Jamie Moyer in the Division Series, and .353 with a homer off Jaret Wright during the Orioles' six-game loss to Cleveland in the League Championship Series. In 1998, the 39-year-old Baines hardly missed a beat, driving in 57 runs while batting an even .300 in 104 games for the Orioles. However, the normally placid Baines was ejected from a game for the first time in his long career.

Although he played his first six seasons as an outfielder, Baines has driven in more runs as a designated hitter than anyone in American League history. Entering the 2000 season, Baines' 373 career homers were second only to Al Kaline's 399 among players without a thirty-homer season. (RL/AGL)

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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY

ť June 7, 1977: The White Sox select Harold Baines with the number-one pick in the draft. Bill Veeck had first seen Baines play Little League ball and had followed his career. P Bill Gullickson was taken with the 2nd pick by the Expos, and Milwaukee takes University of Minnesota infielder Paul Molitor with the 3rd pick. Danny Ainge, a potential pro basketball player, is picked in the 15th round. The Reds come up empty with the 8th pick in round 1, picking prep 3B Ted Venger.

ť July 7, 1982: Harold Baines belts three home runs, including a grand slam, to lead the White Sox to a 70 win over Detroit.

ť September 17, 1983: The Chicago White Sox clinch their first-ever American League West championship, beating Seattle 43 on Harold Baines' sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 9th.

ť May 9, 1984: The longestand slowestgame in American League history ends in the 25th inning when Harold Baines homers off Chuck Porter to give the White Sox a 76 victory over the Brewers. It is the latest homer in history. The game falls one inning shy of the ML record, but takes by far the most time to play: eight hours and six minutes. The contest was suspended yesterday after 17 innings with the score tied 33, and each team scores three more runs in the 21st. The Sox lose a chance to win in the 21st as runner Dave Stegman is touched by 3B coach Jim Leyland, which leads to a Sox protest. Tom Seaver pitches the final inning to earn the win, then wins the regularly scheduled game as well 54. Tom Paciorek of the Sox, who sets a major-league record as he enters the game in the fourth inning and registers nine at bats.

ť June 24, 1984: At the Dome, Tim Teufel's bloop single in the 9th inning with two on turns into an inside-the-park homer when it bounces over the head of Harold Baines to give the Twins a 32 win over the White Sox. Rich Dotson is the unlucky loser. The Twins Bush had an IPHR in yesterday's 43 win over Chicago.

ť September 17, 1984: Harold Baines slugs three home runs to lead the White Sox to a 73 win over the Twins and drop Minnesota into 2nd place in the AL West.

ť August 24, 1985: Three outs away from a no-hitter against the White Sox, Toronto's Dave Stieb surrenders consecutive home runs to Rudy Law and Bryan Little and is driven from the game. His replacement, Gary Lavelle, gives up a 3rd-straight home run, to Harold Baines, before Tom Henke comes in to save the 63 win.

ť August 3, 1986: At Comiskey Park, Russ Morman homers and singles in the 4th inning in his first ML game as the Sox beat the Tigers, 101. He ties Billy Martin's debut with his two hits in one inning. A Kirk Gibson homer is the only score for Detroit, while Harold Baines and Carlton Fisk add homers for Chicago.

ť July 29, 1989: The White Sox trade their all-time home run leader, Harold Baines, and IF Fred Manrique to the Rangers for IF Scott Fletcher, OF Sammy Sosa, and P Wilson Alvarez.

ť August 29, 1990: The defending World Champion A's seemingly lock up another pennant by acquiring slugger Harold Baines from the Rangers for a pair of minor leaguers (P Scott Chiamparino and P Joe Bitker) and OF Willie McGee from the Cardinals for Felix Jose and two more minor leaguers (3B Stan Royer and P Daryle Green). McGee, who will be a free agent at the end of the year, is hitting (.335), which will lead the National League in hitting.

ť October 7, 1990: Late-season acquisition Harold Baines drives in three runs to lead the A's to a 41 win over the Red Sox and a 2-0 lead in the ALCS.

ť May 7, 1991: Harold Baines leads Oakland to an 113 win over Baltimore by bashing three home runs and a double in four at bats. Mike Moore (50) is the winner.

ť June 23, 1992: Led by Harold Baines, who has a double and a homer, Oakland scores 10 runs in the 3rd inning enroute to a 122 win over Seattle. Jose Canseco also homers to make it an easy win for Joe Slusarski.

ť October 7, 1992: The A's win the opening game of the ALCS with a 43 victory over the Blue Jays. All but one of the game's runs are scored by homers, as Mark McGwire, Terry Steinbach and Harold Baines connect for Oakland, and Dave Winfield and Pat Borders for Toronto.

ť January 14, 1993: The Athletics trade OF Harold Baines to the Orioles in exchange for minor league pitchers Bobby Chouinard and Allen Plaster.

ť August 2, 1995: Despite tossing a one-hitter, Toronto rookie P Paul Menhart loses to Baltimore, 1-0. The Orioles' only hit is a 2nd inning homer by DH Harold Baines.

ť December 11, 1995: The White Sox sign free agent DH Harold Baines.

ť April 22, 1996: In Arlington, Harold Baines, with a 3-run blast, and Robin Ventura hit consecutive homers in the 6th as the Sox halt the Rangers' five-game win streak, 124. Ventura and Danny Tartabull then hit back-to-back homers in the 8th to cinch Alex Fernandez's 3rd win.

ť May 26, 1996: Frank Thomas, Harold Baines, and Robin Ventura belt consecutive homers in Chicago's 7-run 8th inning as the Sox pound the Brewers, 121. Chad Kreuter adds a 4th homer in the frame as Chicago becomes the 16th team to hit four homers in an inning; The Twins are the only team to have hit 5. The Thomas, Baines, Ventura trio also homered in yesterday's 97 win over Milwaukee.

ť June 7, 1997: On Dog Day (canine attendance 425) at Comiskey Park, it takes the White Sox four hours 19 minutes to finally edge the Orioles, 10, in 11 innings on Harold Baines' one-out single off Randy Myers.

ť July 29, 1997: The Orioles purchase veteran Harold Baines from the White Sox. Baines is hitting .305 for Chicago.

ť October 2, 1997: The Orioles defeat the Mariners by a score of 9-3 for the second day in a row. Brady Anderson and Harold Baines hit home runs to lead the way.

ť October 12, 1997: The Indians again score the winning run in their last at bat, coming back from a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Orioles, 8-7, for their 3rd straight win in the ALCS. Sandy Alomar drives home the winner with a single after hitting a 2-run homer earlier in the contest. He also scores from 2B on a wild pitch in the 5th. Brady Anderson, Harold Baines, Rafael Palmeiro hit homers off Jaret Wright in the 5th while Manny Ramirez goes deep for the Tribe. Jose Mesa blows his 2nd save in two days, but receives credit for the win.

ť August 13, 1998: Baltimore's Harold Baines becomes the alltime leader in RBIs by a DH when he drives in his 824th in a 74 win over the Indians. Hal McRae was the previous recordholder.

ť March 28, 1999: The Baltimore Orioles make the 1st visit to Cuba by major leaguers since 1959, and defeat a team of Cuban amateurs by a score of 32 in 11 innings. P Jose Contreras hurls eight innings of 2hit, 10K ball in relief for the Cubans, while C Charles Johnson hits a 2run homer and DH Harold Baines drives in the winning run for the Orioles. The two teams will play a rematch at Camden Yards in Baltimore on May 3.

ť August 27, 1999: The Indians take out some insurance, picking up DH Harold Baines from the Orioles for P Juan Aracena and a player to be named.

ť October 7, 1999: The Indians slug the Red Sox, 11-1, to take a two game lead in their division series. Charles Nagy gets the win for Cleveland, as Harold Baines hits a 3-run homer and Jim Thome, a grand slam.

ť December 9, 1999: The Orioles sign free agent DH Harold Baines to a contract.

ť July 29, 2000: The White Sox obtain C Charles Johnson and DH Harold Baines from the Orioles in exchange for C Brook Fordyce and minor league Ps Miguel Felix, Juan Figueroa, and Jason Lakman.