Good Luck Harold

Back in 1906, Connie Mack toyed with the idea of a designated hitter. Purists can stuff that in their pipes and smoke it. The idea that being a designated hitter makes a person any less of a player is complete bull.

Harold Baines not only defined what it was to be a designated hitter, he provided the definition of "clutch" to a generation of fans. Harold was a five tool player in the eighties and a premier middle of the order threat for the majority of the nineties.

He is a member of both the White Sox and Orioles Hall of Fame. Harold is a game changer. A pioneer in the art and style of the designated hitter and how it is used today. The notion that a player can still play if he can hit is nothing new today. Harold was the prototype for Frank Thomas and other players who could still add offense to the game, paving the way for more agile position players being able to hone their skills, instead of languishing on the bench and squandering a short window of opportunity.

I don't expect Harold Baines to get voted in today, but I would hope that he would still get enough votes to hold on for another year. Maybe even gain a few votes.

And in case you were wondering, the photo is a painting that I personally painted a number of years back.