Tim Raines
| Birthdate | 09/16/1959 |
| Death Date | |
| Debut Year | 1979 |
| Year of Induction | 2017 |
| Teams | Athletics, Expos, Marlins, Orioles, White Sox, Yankees |
| Positions | Designated Hitter, Left Field |
The 1986 batting champ and 7-time All Star, Tim Raines has the most stolen bases of any switch-hitter in Major League history.
Leave a commentIn the collection:
Starting with his rookie year, Tim Raines made 7 straight all star teams
Starting with his rookie year, Tim Raines made 7 straight all star teams
Tim Raines got to the big leagues with the Montreal Expos to stay in 1981. An All Star in his first season, Raines hit .304 with a league-leading 71 stolen bases. He finished second to the Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela for the Rookie of the Year.
Raines soon established himself as the top leadoff man in the National League. During his time in Montreal, Raines hit .301 with a .391 on-base percentage. The switch hitter swiped 793 bags for the Expos.
In December, 1990 the Expos traded Raines away. A hero in Montreal, Raines made 7 straight All Star games starting in 1981. He led the league in steals for four consecutive seasons. His run of 70 or more steals from ’81-’86 remains the longest in MLB history.
By the time he retired, Raines had 2,605 hits, 808 steals, a .385 on-base percentage, and a career WAR of 69.4 He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
Shown here are four rookie cards from that season, each autographed by Raines.
Raines was called "the Rickey Henderson of the National League"
Raines was called "the Rickey Henderson of the National League"
Though Tim Raines was lighting up the base paths in the NL, he was overshadowed by the AL’s Rickey Henderson. Widely considered the greatest leadoff hitter of all-time, Henderson was a one-of-a-kind player.
From 1981-1987, the two men were very similar in terms of production. Henderson’s slash line during the run was .290/.401/.453. An All Star in each of those seven seasons, Raines was not far behind at .310/.396/.448.
In those heart-of-the-80s seasons, Henderson snatched 568 bags and was caught 137 times, good for a 80.4% success rate. The 1986 batting champ, Raines success rate of 87.2% in that time was superior as he stole 504 bases and was caught just 74 times.
Raines wrote of the comparison between the two speedsters in his autobiography, Rock Solid: My Life in Baseball’s Fast Lane.
“I heard it said time and time again that I was ‘the Rickey Henderson of the National League.’ That didn’t bother me. Rickey was an outstanding player. But maybe he was ‘the Tim Raines of the American League.'”
Shown here is a payroll check made out to Henderson by the NewYork Yankees dated March 31.
Rickey’s page on this website can be accessed by clicking here.
Tim Raines gained a World Series ring as a member of the Yankees
Tim Raines gained a World Series ring as a member of the Yankees
Tim Raines played for the Yankees from 1996-1998. A useful player off the bench, Raines helped New York play in the postseason each year. In 1996 New York downed Atlanta in the World Series to give Raines a World Series ring.
In the collection is a lineup card from Game 2 of the 1997 ALDS. Signed at the bottom by manager Joe Torre, this card also features the autograph of a 23-year old Derek Jeter homered, playing in just his second post season of his young career. Raines, Paul O’Neill, Bernie Williams, Chad Curtis, and Andy Pettitte also penned their signature next to their names.
Raines remained an offensive force late in his career
Raines remained an offensive force late in his career
Even at 38 years old, Tim Raines was still a potent threat. Yankee skipper Joe Torre put Raines in his familiar leadoff spot in the batting order for Game 2 of the 1997 ALDS.
Raines’ defense had deteriorated as evidenced by his role as the designated hitter, but his offense was as good as ever. Raines put up a .403 on-base percentage in his 318 plate appearances in ’97 for the AL wildcard team.
Shown here is a closeup of the portion of the lineup card that features Raines’ name and signature.
