36 Facts About Tim Raines

1.

Tim Raines played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos.

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2.

In 2013, Raines began working in the Toronto Blue Jays organization as a roving outfield and baserunning instructor.

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3.

Tim Raines was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017.

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4.

Tim Raines was born in Sanford, Florida, to Ned and Florence Tim Raines.

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5.

Tim Raines rushed for 1,000 yards in eight football games and set two school track and field records that lasted for several years.

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6.

Tim Raines reportedly received over 100 scholarship offers to play college football.

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7.

Tim Raines was the runner-up for the National League's Rookie of the Year Award in 1981, which was won by Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela.

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8.

Tim Raines used cocaine before games, in his car, after games, and on some occasions between innings in the clubhouse.

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9.

In 1983, Tim Raines stole a career high of 90 bases, the second-highest total in franchise history, and scored 133 runs, a franchise record.

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10.

Tim Raines was named Expos Player of the Year in 1983,1985, and 1986.

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11.

Tim Raines became a free agent on November 12,1986 but in spite of his league-leading play no team made a serious attempt to sign him.

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12.

On May 1,1987, hours after being permitted to negotiate again with Montreal, Tim Raines signed a new deal with the Expos for $5 million over three years and a $900,000 signing bonus.

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13.

Tim Raines finished the game with four hits in five at-bats, three runs, one walk, a stolen base, and a game-winning grand slam in the 10th inning.

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14.

Tim Raines garnered MVP honors in the All-Star Game as he delivered a game-winning triple in the 13th inning.

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15.

Tim Raines later admitted he left Montreal because he wanted to win a World Series and did not believe the Expos "had what it took", even though he ended up not winning the title in Chicago after all but years later with the New York Yankees instead.

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16.

Tim Raines was signed by the Yankees as a free agent on February 1,2000, but was released on March 23.

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17.

At the Expos home opener in 2001, Tim Raines received what he described as the longest and loudest standing ovation in his entire career, resulting in the pitcher walking him on four pitches.

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18.

Tim Raines played his last season in 2002 with the Florida Marlins.

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19.

Tim Raines is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have appeared in Major League baseball games in four decades, was the last active player who was involved with the Pittsburgh drug trials, and the last MLB batter to wear a batting helmet with no ear flap.

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20.

Tim Raines stole at least 70 bases in each of his first six full seasons, leading the National League in stolen bases each season from 1981 to 1984, with a career high of 90 steals in 1983.

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21.

Tim Raines had six full seasons with an on-base percentage above.

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22.

Tim Raines is listed as the 40th greatest non-pitcher in major-league history according to Bill James's win shares formula, one place ahead of Mark McGwire.

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23.

Tim Raines was a National League All-Star in 7 consecutive seasons, and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1987 All-Star Game.

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24.

Tim Raines won a Silver Slugger Award as an outfielder in 1986 when he led the National League in both batting average and on-base percentage.

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25.

In 2013, Tim Raines was elected into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

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26.

On January 18,2017, Tim Raines was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

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27.

Tim Raines was gifted a ceremonious key to the city of Sanford in March 2019, and the Sanford Historical Museum dedicated an exhibit to Tim Raines, filling it with memorabilia from his career.

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28.

Tim Raines was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2017, appearing on 86.

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29.

Tim Raines was eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2008, and various sabermetricians and commentators had supported his induction prior to his being elected in 2017.

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30.

Tim Raines began his coaching career in 2003 as manager of the Class A-Advanced Brevard County Manatees affiliate of the Expos.

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31.

Tim Raines was promoted to the major league team in 2004 and was present for the Expos' final games as a Montreal franchise.

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32.

Tim Raines was a coach for the White Sox from November 2004 until October 2006.

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33.

Tim Raines was the hitting coach for the minor-league Harrisburg Senators in 2007, but was not retained by the team for 2008.

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34.

Tim Raines signed a two-year contract to manage the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League, starting in 2009.

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35.

In 1979, Tim Raines married Virginia Hilton, a classmate at Seminole High School.

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36.

In 2017, Tim Raines published his autobiography, written with journalist Alan Maimon, Rock Solid: My Life in Baseball's Fast Lane.

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