Tim Raines, Pudge Rodriguez and Jeff Bagwell elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

In a 2011 interview on MLB Network Radio, Montreal Expos’ great Tim Raines talked about missing out on election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Raines, now 57, played in 23 seasons total in the majors between 1979-2002, collecting 2,605 hits, 430 doubles, 113 triples, 170 HRs, 980 RBIs and 808 steals, and he finished his career with a .294/.385/.425 line.

Raines spent 13 of his major league seasons in Montreal, and, he explained, as much as he liked the city, he didn’t get the attention players in the U.S. received.

"I think those first [twelve] years, being in Montreal, and being compared to Rickey Henderson is tougher," Raines said, "because this guy plays in Montreal, [and] no one really looked at the Expos as a team that compared to teams in the States during that time. We didn't have the coverage and media attention, so sure you heard my name, but a lot of people didn't actually see the differences between myself and Rickey, and I think we're a lot closer than people really expect."

Raines appeared on 24.3% of ballots in his first year of eligibility in 2008, fell to 22.6% in ‘09, appeared on 30.4% of the ballots in 2010, and 37.5% in 2011.

He jumped to 48.7% of the vote in 2012, received 52.2% in 2013 and fell to 46.1% in 2014 before jumping back up to 55.0% in 2015 and he appeared on 69.8% of ballots last winter.

This time, he appeared on 86% of the ballots and the Expos’ Tim Raines was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame along with Jeff Bagwell and one-time Washington Nationals’ catcher Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. They’re the only three players going into the Hall of Fame this season. Congrats, Rock!

Thoughts on those who made it? Thoughts on those who didn’t?