Rebuilding White Sox Reluctantly Deal Baines to Texas

Trading Harold Baines to Texas for Scott Fletcher was something Chicago General Manager Larry Himes thought was essential for his rebuilding program. Even if Baines was “Mr. White Sox.”

“We made ourselves a better club now and for the future with this trade,” Himes said Saturday after completing the five-player deal that brought infielder Fletcher back to Chicago along with two prospects.

“This gives us a solid double-play combination. It improves our defense. One of the things any good team needs is to be strong up the middle,” Himes said.

Texas, getting another bat for the stretch run, also sent outfielder Sammy Sosa and pitcher Wilson Alvarez to the White Sox. The Rangers also acquired reserve infielder Fred Manrique.

“For the past several years we’ve been trying to acquire a designated hitter specialist,” Ranger General Manager Tom Grieve said. “We feel we now have the best designated hitter in baseball.”

The 30-year-old Baines spent 10 seasons with the White Sox and is the club’s all-time home run leader. He is a career .289 hitter with 186 homers and 819 runs batted in. This season, he has a .321 average, sixth in the American League, with 13 homers and 56 RBIs.

“Baines came as close as anyone to being Mr. White Sox,” Himes said. “It’s unfortunate that we had to deal him, but I feel strongly about this trade improving our club.”

Manrique is batting .299 with two homers and 30 RBIs.

Texas is expected to move first baseman Rafael Palmeiro from third to second in the batting order and bat Baines third, ahead of Ruben Sierra and Julio Franco, the AL leaders in RBIs.

“Those are four guys who’ve hit third in the major leagues,” Ranger Manager Bobby Valentine said.

Fletcher agreed to re-sign with Texas for a guaranteed $3.9 million over three years, with a $1.2 million option for 1992 that has a $400,000 buyout.

Fletcher, at second base, will team with shortstop Ozzie Guillen.