With the opening pick of the 1977 Draft, the Chicago White Sox selected franchise legend Harold Baines from Easton, MD’s Saint Michael’s High School.
A right fielder turned designated hitter, Baines was a main force for the ChiSox for a decade. With pitching-friendly Comiskey Park as his home—the old place is where home runs went to die—Baines topped 20 for six straight years. Although never a bag stealer, he routinely legged out triples including 10 in 1984. Before getting shipped to the Texas Rangers in a deal involving Sammy Sosa, Baines received MVP votes four times making four All-Star teams.
After two three-year stints with the Rangers and Athletics, he split the rest of his career, except a month in 1990 with Cleveland, with the hometown Orioles and White Sox. A master of consistency, Baines would slug 20 or more homers 11 times in his 22-year career, hitting over .300 seven.
Never getting more than 6.1 percent of the writers vote for the Hall, Baines retired in 2001 with 2866 hits and 384 home runs.
Always a feared hitter with a career on-base percentage of .356, Baines career WAR of 38.5 is seventh-best. One of the most underrated players in history.
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