Good enough.

Apparently, that's how Harold Baines found himself in Cooperstown on Sunday, giving a 10-minute speech that commemorated his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

He was selected by the hall's 16-member veterans committee last December and said he was “very shocked” when he heard the news. He has a lot of company in that regard.

Any sports hall of fame is bound to spark debate — who belongs, who doesn't. But I can't remember an induction in Cooperstown which yielded such a slanted view by fans and baseball writers/historians alike of a player being as unworthy as Baines.

While playing for five American League teams in a 22-year career (1980-2001), Baines put up very solid numbers — 384 home runs, 1,628 RBI and a batting average of .289. He entered the hall as a member of the Chicago White Sox, for which he played 14 seasons.

He had many good seasons, but it would be a stretch to describe any of his campaigns as great. It's clear that what sold the hall on Baines was his longevity. As a 40-year-old in 1999, he had 25 home runs, 103 RBI and batted .312. That's a very good season for a player in his prime, let alone one in the twilight of his career.

Baines also hit .324 in 31 career postseason games. But should a long career and clutch-hitting in the playoffs equal a spot in the hall of fame?

Here are career numbers of a player who is not in the hall of fame — 339 home runs, 1,493 RBI and a .290 batting average. Any guesses on who they belong to?

It's former Pirate Dave Parker. While Baines has an edge over him in home runs and RBI, Parker's case for Cooperstown is a stronger one.

“The Cobra” won a pair of National League batting titles and finished in the top five in NL MVP voting five times, winning the award in 1978.

Scour Baines' yearly statistics and you'll find one number in bold. He led the American League in slugging percentage in 1984. That's it.

Probably the most telling detail against Baines' selection to the hall of fame is that he never finished higher than ninth in MVP voting. Let that sink in. According to MVP voting, Baines was never, in any season, judged as any better than the ninth best player in his league.

One more note regarding Parker. His right arm was the stuff of legend and Pirate fans became accustomed to him gunning down base runners from right field. Baines, on the other hand, spent the majority of his career as a designated hitter.

I watched Baines' induction speech. He thanked his family, former teammates and coaches in a soft voice while rarely looking up from the podium.

Near the end of his speech, he thanked his father, who died a few years ago. He said something his dad told him when he was a kid has stuck with him: “Words are easy. Deeds are hard. Words can be empty. Deeds speak loudest and sometimes echo forever.”

I'm glad I listened to Baines' speech, if only for that quote. They are words to live by, for sure.

By all indications, Baines is a great husband, father, son and was a very good ballplayer.

But a Hall-of-Famer?

Derek Pyda is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle