Put Harold Baines in the Hall of Fame

This is a Twins blog, but I felt Harold Baines deserved someone saying that he should be in the Hall of Fame. He won't make it this year and may never make it in, but his career numbers are at least worth a second look.

Harold Baines played 22 years.

Hits: 2,866 (40th all time)
HR: 384 (54th all time)
RBI: 1,628 (28th all time)
Batting Avg: .289
OBP: .356
SLG: .465
OPS+: 120

Hall of Famers have been put in with far less accomplishments than Baines, but let's look at his hits and RBI. Of the 39 players ahead of Baines on the all time hits list only 3 are not in the Hall of Fame: Barry Bonds (not eligible yet/steroids), Craig Biggio (not eligible/will get in) and Pete Rose (banned from baseball). The 4 players behind him on the all time hits list are in the Hall of Fame. If Harold Baines had 134 more hits in his career he'd already be in the hall. 134 hits is a thin margin for not voting someone in the Hall of Fame. Harold Baines is basically the White Sox equivalent of Bert Blyleven for Twins fans. Too close to not let in. Looking at the all time RBI list and the 28 players ahead of him, all but 8 are in the Hall of Fame. Those eight are: Sammy Sosa (not eligible/steroids), Gary Sheffield (not eligible/active), Frank Thomas (not eligible/will get in), Alex Rodroguez and Manny Ramirez (both still active/steroids), Ken Griffey Jr. (still active), Rafael Palmeiro (steroids). Harold Baines may not have always been an upper level superstar, but don't let a player like him who achieved his career numbers the "right/clean" way be left out of the Hall of Fame.