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To: Alberta's Child

Agree with you on Baines, he was a good player for a long time but probably not good enough for the HOF.

Raines kind of borderline as well, but he was a very dynamic offensive player for a long time. Did not have the big career counting stats for HR/RBI/BA but was just a little short of a lifetime 300 average and was considered the second best leadoff hitter of his era behind only the great Rickey Henderson.


9 posted on 01/25/2023 5:45:53 AM PST by oldskoolwargamer2
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To: oldskoolwargamer2
I don't think Raines was even borderline.

His career numbers are remarkable for what they DON'T say about his greatness as a ballplayer.

He was a dominant player for a few years early in his career, but that was it. It's amazing how long he hung around as a journeyman after his best days were over. He actually played 12 years in Major League Baseball after his last All-Star Game appearance.

If he hadn't been on two World Series with the Yankees in the late 1990s I would have forgotten the guy was even still active after 1990.

I'm usually not one to focus too much on major milestones in baseball when it comes to HOF eligibility, but when someone plays the outfield, has a 21+ year career, and is supposed to be worthy of the HOF on the merits of his offensive production, it's a glaring omission that he doesn't have 3,000 hits to his credit.

16 posted on 01/25/2023 6:42:25 AM PST by Alberta's Child ("It's midnight in Manhattan. This is no time to get cute; it's a mad dog's promenade.")
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