Advertisement

Tim Raines' time may come in final year on Hall of Fame ballot

 
FILE - In this June 19, 2004, file photo, former Montreal Expos baseball player Tim Raines gets emotional when giving a speech to the crowd after the Montreal Expos retired his number 30 during a ceremony at the Olympic Stadium, in Montreal. Raines and Jeff Bagwell are likely to be voted into baseball's Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, when Trevor Hoffman and Ivan Rodriguez also could gain the honor. (Francois Roy/The Canadian press via AP, File) NY152
FILE - In this June 19, 2004, file photo, former Montreal Expos baseball player Tim Raines gets emotional when giving a speech to the crowd after the Montreal Expos retired his number 30 during a ceremony at the Olympic Stadium, in Montreal. Raines and Jeff Bagwell are likely to be voted into baseball's Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, when Trevor Hoffman and Ivan Rodriguez also could gain the honor. (Francois Roy/The Canadian press via AP, File) NY152
Published Jan. 18, 2017

In a major-league career that spanned five presidents, Tim Raines surpassed 2,600 hits, 800 stolen bases and 1,500 runs.

Those statistics have not changed since Raines played his final professional baseball game on Sept. 29, 2002.

"You look at those numbers, they are Hall of Fame numbers," 2011 Hall inductee Bert Blyleven said.

But is Raines, 57, a Hall of Famer?

That will be decided today when he appears for the 10th and final time on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot. The Pro Baseball Hall of Fame is set to announce its 2017 class, beginning at 6 p.m. on MLB Network.

Ivan Rodriguez and Vladimir Guerrero are the top newcomers under consideration, with Jeff Bagwell (71.6 percent), Raines (69.8 percent) and Trevor Hoffman (67.3 percent) the returnees with the most support last year.

Seventy-five percent is required for induction.

"Tim Raines is a Hall of Fame player," former major-league outfielder Johnny Damon said. "Unfortunately, he was the second-best leadoff hitter of all time possibly (behind Rickey Henderson), but he was also in the generation where other young leadoff hitters were able to say, 'I want to be like that guy.'"

The guy nicknamed "Rock" was drafted out of high school in the fifth round by the Montreal Expos in 1977. An outfielder, Raines played parts of 23 major-league seasons with six teams — most notably the Expos and Yankees, with whom he earned two World Series rings.

Raines made seven All-Star appearances, including claiming MVP honors in 1987 in Oakland, Calif. He was a batting champion, a four-time stolen-base king and twice led the National League in runs scored. Raines batted .294 for his career and finished with a .385 on-base percentage and .810 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage).

"Tim Raines is a fantastic player," 2015 Hall inductee John Smoltz said. "This is the thing. Everyone is going to have their say, but I never — in my short, little experience around the Hall of Fame — ever had somebody say, 'What year did you get in?'

"That is inconsequential. It doesn't matter. When you are in, you're in, and I think he will get in."

Raines, an outfield and base-running coordinator with the Blue Jays residing in Phoenix, told the Associated Press: "This will be the first year that I really feel that I have a legitimate shot."

Raines received 24.3 percent of the votes in 2008, his first year of eligibility, and did not surpass 50 percent until 2013. After dipping in 2014 when Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas were inducted, he began trending upward again.

"He was one of the best players in the game for a long time during his era," Maddux said. "I remember he was easily the best hitter when you went into Montreal to face the Expos. I would be honored if he got in. It would be cool."

Said Damon: "To win baseball games, you have to score runs, or you have to drive runs in. He scored a lot of runs and was just a menace. He helped Andre Dawson drive in a bunch of runs."

Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

Subscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter

We’ll send you news and analysis on the Bucs, Lightning, Rays and Florida’s college football teams every day.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

As a leadoff hitter, Raines exhibited patience. That quality has helped him endure his lengthy journey to possible induction.

A decade is a long time for the phone not to ring, but several Hall of Famers have waited 10 years or longer for enshrinement.

For example, Jim Rice got in on his 15th year on the ballot, Bruce Sutter on his 13th and Duke Snider on his 11th. It took Blyleven 14 years. The record is 16 years, which is how long it took before Dazzy Vance was inducted in 1955.

The Hall of Fame changed its eligibility requirements from 15 years to 10 years in 2014.

"Don't pack," Blyleven said when asked for advice he would give Raines. "You don't know. Just wait for the phone call. Hopefully it is a positive one."