Rock Solid My Life in Baseball's Fast Lane

A NATIONAL POST NON-FICTION PICK

For more than a decade, Tim Raines patrolled left field for the Montreal Expos, igniting the powder keg of what would become one of the most innovative and talented teams of the modern era. Alongside superstars such as Andre “Hawk” Dawson and Gary Carter, Raines, nicknamed “Rock,” hit and stole his way into the hearts of the team’s dedicated fan base. The seven-time All-Star tore through the Expos’ record books before moving on to the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles and Florida Marlins, earning three World Series rings (one as a coach). The Expos retired his number (#30), and in January 2017, Raines was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

But it wasn’t always easy being Tim Raines. Raines’s performance dipped in 1982, and at the end of the season, he entered a substance abuse program for cocaine addiction. He used cocaine before games, after games and, on occasion, in the clubhouse between innings. He would ultimately resume his career and once again become one of baseball’s brightest stars, but in 1999, Raines was forced to retire after being diagnosed with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease. After undergoing treatment, Raines returned at the age of forty-one to where it all began—the Montreal Expos.

A fast-paced, powerful memoir by one of baseball’s fastest players, newly elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame

For more than a decade, Tim Raines patrolled left field for the nascent Montreal Expos, igniting the powder keg of what would become one of the most innovative, entertaining, and talented teams of the modern era. Alongside other superstars such as Andre “the Hawk” Dawson, Gary Carter, and Steve Rogers, Raines, nicknamed “Rock,” hit and stole his way into the hearts not only of Montreal fans but of the team’s dedicated fan base coast to coast. The seven-time All-Star tore through the Expos’ record books before moving on to the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, and Florida Marlins, ultimately earning three World Series rings (one as a coach). The Expos retired his number (#30), and in January 2017, Raines was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

But it wasn’t always easy playing for the upstart Montreal Expos or being Tim Raines. Raines’ performance dipped in 1982, and at the end of the season, he entered a substance abuse program for cocaine addiction. He used cocaine before games, after games, and on some occasions, in the clubhouse between innings. Raines later testified at the infamous Pittsburgh drug trials in September 1985. He would ultimately resume his career at a high level and once again become one of baseball’s brightest stars, both on and off the field. In 1999, Raines was forced to retire from baseball after being diagnosed with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs). His was the first known case in an MLB player. However, after undergoing treatment and having missed an entire season, Raines returned at the age of 41 to where it all began in 1979—the Montreal Expos.

This memoir details the life and playing career of one of the sport’s all-time greatest leaders and personalities, and is an honest, raw, and compelling tale of triumph and redemption.