| Harold Baines | |
|---|---|
 Baines with the Chicago White Sox in 2011 | |
| Designated hitter /Right fielder | |
| Born: (1959-03-15)March 15, 1959 (age 66) Easton, Maryland, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 10, 1980, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 27, 2001, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .289 |
| Hits | 2,866 |
| Home runs | 384 |
| Runs batted in | 1,628 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2019 |
| Vote | 75% |
| Election method | Today's Game Era Committee |
Harold Douglas Baines (born March 15, 1959) is an American formerdesignated hitter andright fielder inMajor League Baseball who played for fiveAmerican League (AL) teams from 1980 to 2001, and is best known for his three stints with theChicago White Sox. A Maryland native, he also played seven years with his hometown team, theBaltimore Orioles, over three separate periods.[1] Thefirst overall selection in the1977 Major League Baseball Draft and a six-timeAll-Star, Baines led the AL inslugging percentage in1984. He held the White Sox team record for careerhome runs from1987 untilCarlton Fisk passed him in1990; his total of 221 remains the club record for left-handed hitters, as do his 981runs batted in (RBI) and 585extra base hits with the team. His 1,688hits and 1,643 games as a DH stood as major-league records untilDavid Ortiz broke them in2013 and2014.[2] He also held the mark for career home runs as a DH (236) untilEdgar Martínez passed him in2004.
One of the most durable, consistent, and respected hitters of his era, Bainesbatted 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 ingames 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 ingrand slams (13),[3] fourth in three-home-run games (three),[4] and tied for seventh in major league history inwalk-off home runs (10).[3] He served as acoach with the White Sox from 2004 to 2015 before moving into a role of team ambassador andspring training instructor.[5] Baines was elected to theBaseball Hall of Fame by theToday's Game Era Committee as part of theclass of 2019.[1]
Baines was raised inSt. Michaels,Maryland, by his father, Linwood, astonemason, with his three brothers and a sister.[6] He described his father as his "idol, more than anybody else." His father was separated from his mother, Gloria.[7] White Sox ownerBill Veeck began scouting Baines when he was just 12 years old while Veeck was living on theEastern Shore of Maryland.[6]
He graduated in 1977 fromSt. Michaels High School on Maryland's Eastern Shore where, as a senior, he batted .532 and was named a high school All-American.[8] The White Sox made Baines thefirst overall selection in the1977 amateur draft.[9] He received a signing bonus of $32,000 – a record low for a first overall pick.[10]
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 theBaltimore Orioles.[11] In 1982, he batted .271 with 25 home runs and 105 RBI in 161 games.[1]
In 1984, baseball writerBill James called Baines his favorite opposing player to watch, saying, "He is gorgeous, absolutely complete. I've seen him drop downbunts that would melt in your mouth, come up the next time and execute ahit 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."[12] Baines ended the longest game in major league history (eight hours and six minutes over25 innings on successive evenings) with awalk-off home run against theMilwaukee Brewers'Chuck Porter on May 8, 1984;[13] the bat he used is currently kept at theBaseball 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.[1]
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.[14]
Midway through the 1989 season, theTexas Rangers acquired Baines, along withFred Manrique, from the White Sox in a much-derided trade which sentWilson Álvarez,Scott Fletcher andSammy Sosa to Chicago.[15] 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).[16]
On August 29, 1990, Baines was traded to theOakland Athletics for minor league pitchersScott Chiamparino andJoe Bitker,[17][18][19] and he helped them reach the postseason only to be swept by theCincinnati Reds in theWorld Series. In 1992, the Athletics returned to the playoffs, but lost to theToronto Blue Jays in theALCS.[20]
On January 14, 1993, Baines was traded by the A's to theBaltimore Orioles for minor league pitchersBobby Chouinard andAllen Plaster.[21] Baines batted .313, .294 and .299 over his first three seasons with Baltimore.[1] On December 11, 1995, Baines returned to the White Sox as afree agent.[22] On July 29, 1997, Baines was traded back to the Orioles for aplayer to be named later.[23] He helped the Orioles reach the playoffs, where they lost to theCleveland Indians in the League Championship Series.[24]
Baines represented the Orioles in the1999 All Star Game.[25] On August 27, 1999, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians for minor league pitcher Juan Aracena and a player to be named later.[26] On December 9, 1999, Baines returned for a third stint with the Orioles, signing a one-year, $2 million contract.[27] He was traded back to the White Sox with catcherCharles Johnson in exchange for Miguel Felix, Juan Figueroa,Brook Fordyce and Jason Lakman on July 29, 2000.[28]
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.[1] His career RBI total is 34th all-time (through 2022);[29] 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).
Baines's fourth stint with the Chicago White Sox began when he was namedbench coach in March 2004 under new managerOzzie Guillén, his White Sox teammate, from 1985 to 1989 and in 1996–97.[30] Baines served as the team’sinterim manager for four games, from August 17–20, 2004, while Guillén was serving two consecutive two-game suspensions.[31][32]
In 2005, as a coach for the White Sox, he earned aWorld Series ring when the White Sox won the2005 World Series.
On July 20, 2008, the White Sox unveiled a bronze statue of Baines atU.S. Cellular Field prior to their game against the Kansas City Royals; it is the seventh statue featured on the park's outfield concourse.[33][34]
In August 2009, the Orioles announced that Baines would be inducted into theOrioles 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.[35]
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Baines first became eligible for theNational Baseball Hall of Fame with the2007 election. While 75% of the vote is needed for induction, he never received greater than 6.1% (which he received in 2010).[1] 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.[36]
On December 9, 2018, Baines was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2019 via theToday's Game Era ballot, a voting panel of 16 consisting of six players, one manager, six executives, and three journalists.[37] His election drew criticism from baseball writers and fans due to his lowwins 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.[38][39] Specific criticism was leveled atTony La Russa,[40]Jerry Reinsdorf,[38] andPat Gillick[39] 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.[41][42] As of 2025[update], Baines is one of only four former first-overall MLB draft picks to be elected to the Hall of Fame, along withKen Griffey Jr.,Chipper Jones, andJoe Mauer.
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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.[43]
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.[31]
In May 2021, Baines had to undergo emergency surgery for both heart and liver transplants on successive days. Both organs had been damaged byamyloidosis, the condition that his father had. Baines (the son) had learned of this disease a couple of years earlier. The surgeries were successful.[44]
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| Preceded by | Chicago White Sox Bench coach 2004–2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chicago White Sox First base coach 2006–2015 | Succeeded by |