Baines, Lee Smith into baseball Hall
Panel selects DH and closer from 1980s, ’90s
LAS VEGAS — Longtime closer Lee Smith and smooth swinging Harold Baines were elected to the baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. “Very shocked,” Baines said. Former outfielder and manager Lou Piniella fell one vote short.
Results of the 16-member Today’s Game Era Committee were announced at the winter meetings. It took 12 votes for election — Smith was unanimous, Baines got 12 and Piniella had 11.
Smith and Baines both debuted in Chicago during the 1980 season. Smith began with the Cubs and posted a thenrecord 478 saves. Baines started with the White Sox and had 2,866 hits. Baines played for the A’s from 1990 to 1992.
Will Clark, George Steinbrenner, Orel Hershiser, Albert Belle, Joe Carter, Davey Johnson and Charlie Manuel all received fewer than five votes.
Baines was a .289 hitter with 384 home runs in a 22-year career. He did not draw more than 6.1 percent in five elections by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, far from the 75 percent required. “I wasn’t expecting this day to come,” the six-time All-Star said.
The Hall board-appointed panel included longtime White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, and Baines said he was grateful for his support. Hall members Greg Maddux, Roberto Alomar, Joe Morgan, Bert Blyleven, Pat Gillick, Tony La Russa, John Schuerholz, Ozzie Smith and Joe Torre also were on the panel.
Smith’s fastball helped him become a seven-time All-Star in an 18-year career. He owned the major-league record for saves when he retired during the 1997 season while with Montreal, and Trevor Hoffman and then Mariano Rivera reset the mark.
Smith is a minor-league pitching coach for the Giants. He did not reach 51 percent in 15 BBWAA elections, but became the seventh pitcher who was mainly a reliever to make the Hall. Baines was a designated hitter for much of his career, and DHs have struggled to gain backing from Hall voters.
Both closers and DHs could receive greater recognition shortly. Rivera is eligible for the first time, and longtime DH Edgar Martinez is back on the ballot after being named by 70.4 percent of writers last year. Results of the BBWAA election will be announced Jan. 22.
Induction ceremonies will be July 21 at Cooperstown, N.Y.