Manufacturer: Donruss
Set: 1981 Donruss Baseball ➡️
Player Name: Tim Raines
Position/Team: 2nd Base for Expos
Card #: 538
Card Size: 2-1/2” x 3-1/2”
Card Values: See Pricing Table Below
Timothy “Tim” Raines, often called “Rock,” was a dynamic and electrifying leadoff hitter and left fielder whose 23-season Major League Baseball career (1979-2002) was highlighted by exceptional speed, consistent hitting, and a remarkable ability to get on base.
After a brief stint in 1979 and 1980, Raines burst onto the scene in 1981 (the strike-shortened season), stealing 71 bases in just 88 games. He followed that up with 78 steals in 1982, 90 in 1983, and 75 in 1984. He led the National League in stolen bases in four consecutive seasons (1981-1984). Beyond his speed, Raines was an elite hitter. He finished his career with a .294 batting average and a superb .385 on-base percentage.
Raines was a 7-time All-Star (1981-1987) during his prime with the Expos. He finished in the top 10 of NL MVP voting four times, including a second-place finish in 1986 when he hit .334 with 15 home runs and 70 stolen bases. After a lengthy contract dispute that saw him miss the first month of the 1991 season, Raines was traded to the Chicago White Sox.
He continued his high level of play, being a major contributor to competitive White Sox teams. He won another stolen base title in 1991 (51 steals) and helped the White Sox win the AL West in 1993.
Raines joined the New York Yankees in 1996, where he transitioned into more of a part-time role as a veteran bat and pinch-runner/outfielder. He earned two World Series rings with the Yankees in 1996 and 1998, adding championship hardware to his impressive resume.
After brief stints with the Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos (a final return to his original team), Raines notably finished his career playing alongside his son, Tim Raines Jr., for a short period with the Baltimore Orioles in 2001. He retired in 2002 after playing 23 seasons.
Tim Raines has a few significant rookie cards from the 1981 sets, as this was the year Donruss and Fleer entered the market, breaking Topps’s monopoly. This 1981 Donruss #538 is the Tim Raines (Solo Rookie Card). This is generally considered his true or most important rookie card because it is his first solo card from a major manufacturer. Like all 1981 Donruss cards, it’s notorious for centering issues and chipping along the borders, making high-grade examples (PSA 9 or PSA 10) significantly more valuable and much rarer to find perfectly centered.
1981 Topps #479 “Future Stars” (multi-player card): This is Raines’ first appearance in the flagship Topps set, though he shares the card with Roberto Ramos and Bobby Pate.
Read more about Tim Raines on baseballhall.org
See Tim Raines stats at baseball-almanac.com
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Pricing Data For This Rookie Card
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