Last night, the results of the Today’s Game Era Veteran’s Committee vote was revealed and 2 players will join the Hall of Fame class of 2019: Harold Baines and Lee Smith. Smith was a unanimous selection by the 16 person committee, while Baines nabbed 12 votes, the minimum needed for election.
Baines, 59, was the first overall selection in the 1977 draft by then-White Sox owner Bill Veeck and reached the majors three years later. He collected 2,866 hits, the 46th largest total in history, during a 22-year career, with parts of 14 spent with the White Sox. He was a six-time American League All-Star selection and won the 1989 Silver Slugger award as a DH. At the time of his retirement after the 2001 season, Baines was the all-time leader among designated hitters in games, hits, home runs and RBIs.
Smith, 61, retired in 1997 with 478 saves after an 18-year career, holding the title of all-time saves leader from 1993 until 2006, when he was surpassed by Trevor Hoffman. He spent eight seasons with the Cubs, before becoming a journeyman and splitting his final ten seasons between seven teams. The imposing right-hander was an All-Star seven times and saved 30 or more games 10 times.
Harold Baines’ numbers in games I’ve attended were: Continue reading →
