Cooperstown Chronicles - Tim Raines

Photo courtesy of TSN Archives/Icon SMI

Bartolis, a friend of mine from Sporting News, suggested Tim Raines.  Here are my findings.

Image courtesy of Andrea Lavoie
The Numbers
2502 Games (48th All-time)
8872 At Bats (68th ll-time)
1571 Runs (46th All-time)
.294 Batting Average
2605 Hits (68th All-time)
430 Doubles
113 Triples
170 Home Runs
980 RBI
1330 Walks (33rd All-time)
148 Intentional Walks (43rd All-time)
808 Stolen Bases (5th All-time)

Playoffs: 34 Games, 34 hits in 126 at bats (.270), 18 Runs, 7 Doubles, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 14 Walks, 3 Steals, 1 World Series Ring

Awards
1987 All-Star Game MVP
1986 Silver Slugger
7 All-Star Game Appearances
MVP Votes in 7 Seasons

Top Ten Finishes
Batting Average - Four Times (Batting Crown in 1986)
On-Base % - Seven Times (Led league in 1986)
Slugging % - Once
OPS - Four Times
Games - Once
At-Bats - Three Times
Runs - Eight Times (Led league in 1983 & 1987)
Hits - Six Times
Total Bases - Four Times
Doubles - Three Times (Led league in 1984)
Triples - Nine Times
Walks - Six Times
Intentional Walks - Four Times
Stolen Base - Eleven Times (Led league in ‘81, ‘82, ‘83 & ‘84)

Rock Raines had the misfortune of playing in the shadow of Rickey Henderson.  While he isn’t in the same category as Rickey, he was an amazing leadoff man.  He achieved one of the thresholds (1500 runs) that I feel gain you automatic entry to the Hall of Fame.  Not to mention he was one of the most prolific base stealers in the history of the game.  He had six 100 run season (one of 133), seven consecutive 70+ stolen base seasons, 40+ steals in 11 years of a 12 year stretch. 8 straight years with at least 7 triples, and he managed to win a World Series ring with the Yankees.  If he played somewhere other than Montreal in his early years, he would probably be a lot more likely to be enshrined.  In my world, though, he’s already a Hall of Famer.

References
Baseball-reference.com

Past Chronicles
Bert Byleven
Andre Dawson
Dale Murphy
Mark McGwire
Bobby Matthews
Tommy John
Buck O’Neill & Minnie Minoso
Jim Rice
Ted Simmons
Lee Smith
Jack Morris
Al Oliver
Steve Garvey
Jim Kaat
Pete Ro$e
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Dave Concepcion
Lou Whitaker
Alan Trammell
Ron Santo
Ron Guidry
Gil Hodges
Dave Parker
Tony Mullane
Keith Hernandez
Don Mattingly
Dwight Evans
Ralph Houk (Manager)
Jimmie Dykes (Player/Manager)
Charlie Grimm (Player/Manager)
Billy Martin (Player/Manager)
Harold Baines
Gene Mauch (Manager)
Whitey Herzog (Manager)
Tom Kelly (Manager)
Joe Carter
Rusty Staub
Gary Gaetti
Jimmy Ryan
George Van Haltren
Roger Maris
Lance Parrish
Mo Vaughn
Mark Grace
Dennis Martinez
Chuck Finley
Fred McGriff
Wes Parker
Steve Finley
Orlando Cepeda*
Albert Belle
Willie Randolph
Graig Nettles
Luis Gonzalez
Lefty O’Doul
Rocky Colavito
Boog Powell
Jerry Koosman
Mike Cuellar
Edgar Martinez
Brooks Robinson*
Roberto Alomar
Dave Stieb
John Franco
Maury Wills
Sherry Magee
Phil Rizzuto*
Orel Hershiser
Frank Viola
David Cone
Dwight Gooden

* signifies actual Hall of Famers