50 FAVORITE WHITE SOX PLAYERS

[knightni]

5. Harold Baines

 

 

(19 of 27 lists - 338 points - highest ranking #2 Texsox)

 

bio by Texsox -

 

For most of the past forty years, White Sox seasons were over before they started. Oh sure, there was some marketing driven spring training excitement that this would be the year, but it quickly evaporated as other teams rose to the top. Sox fans, when they came to a game, cheered players. It helped if the player had some skills, a great personality, and worked his butt off without complaining. We might not have a winning team, but we had championship humans in the uniform. And no athlete in Chicago sports carried himself with more class then Harold Baines.

 

His baseball career was stellar. A series of knee ailments kept him off the outfield grass, but he continued to thrive as a designated hitter. He has the most RBIs and hits of anyone not in the Hall of Fame. He is near the top (and surrounded by household names) in most every offensive category. One stat I find compelling is he is 17th in intentional walks. He was so versatile opponents would not want to pitch around him, preferring to give him a pass. He could smash line drive homeruns that sent knowledgeable fans diving for cover, then lay down a perfect sacrifice bunt. He was so smooth it was like watching ice cream poetry.

 

But what distinguishes Baines for me is his poise and class. Working in a profession where many of the players never seem to grow up, he showed maturity from an early age. Where many of his peers adopted a Hollywood lifestyle, he is raising his family in his hometown, with his four children attending the same school he attended. Let the fans of other teams apologize and rationalize the behaviors of their stars, Sox fans can point with pride to players like Baines who have distinguished themselves both on and off the field.

 

Next time you are at US Cellular, stop by the Baines statue with your kids. Here is a star athlete they can actually look up to, much like our grandfathers could look up to Ted Williams or Lou Gehrig and best of all, he is ours. Baines never complained when the Sox traded him away, always smiling, and later happy to return, and with the same smile. To the guys in the front office, this had to be a marketing dream.

 

He has been in and out of a Sox uniform four times, three times as a player and now as a coach. Just over 5% of the baseball writers voted yes for his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, assuring his spot on future ballots. If somehow the baseball writers overlook Baines, perhaps the veteran committee with someday pick up his cause.

[lostfan]

I'd like to add that whenever the Sox come to Baltimore and the attention is on Harold for whatever reason, he always draws applause. He's every bit as much a fan favorite here as he is in Chicago.

[shipps]

Tex,you said what my heart feels...something you often do.

 

 

 

 

[Texsox]

I was flipping coins between him and Fisk for my #1 spot. If there ever was an athlete that could curse his luck, it would be Baines. If his knees stayed healthy, he's a first ballot HoF.

 

Guys like Payton, Banks, and Baines are much too rare in sports today. Maybe it's the money, maybe it's society, I don't know. But I do know it's a damn shame we don't have more heroes in sports.

[earthshiner]

would have been number one on my list. He has been my favorite since way before I can remember. I became a fan of the A's while he was there. Then I would up playing for the orioles in little league while he was there the second time. He had a hell of a season in 1999 and made the all-star game. Had a pinch hit too I believe.

[southsider2k5]

I used to love to mimic the Harold Leg Kick as a kid.

[nitetrain8601]

For guys in the top 10, I expected like 10 page threads. I'm surprised Harold has received so little fan fare.

[ptatc]

#2 right behind Frank Thomas in my book.

[Milkman delivers]

For guys in the top 10, I expected like 10 page threads. I'm surprised Harold has received so little fan fare.

 

As good as he was (which some will debate), he was still undeniably boring. That's probably the reason.