White Sox outfielder Baines and Cubs pitcher Lee Smith will join Cooperstown’s greats.
Today’s Game Era Committee voted former White Sox player Harold Baines and the Cubs’ Lee Smith into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday.
The 16-person committee voted Smith in with a unanimous 16 votes, while Baines received the minimum 12 votes.
According to Sports Illustrated, Baines spent five years on the Hall of Fame Ballot and never received more than 5.9% of the vote. He produced 2,866 hits, 384 homers, and 1,628 RBI during his 22 seasons. Stats that earned him an All-Star spot six times. Although he had a long career, some have argued that his career wasn’t quite Hall of Fame status.
The Hall of Fame voting news reportedly surprised Harold Baines.
Harold Baines says he was "very shocked'' by the news
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 10, 2018
Smith, on the other hand, pitched 18 seasons with the Cubs as a longtime member. He retired as the all-time saves leader with 478 saves and was an All-Star seven times.
Lee Smith and Baines were both joined by Will Clark, Albert Belle, Joe Carter, Charlie Manuel, Orel Hershiser, Lou Piniella, Davey Johnson, and George Steinbrenner as candidates on the ballot.
