He made his Major League debut on September 9, 1983, as a pinch hitter against the New York Mets but did not get an official appearance because the Mets made a pitching change and he was subsequently pinch hit for himself.[3] He played in two more games that season, as late inning defensive replacement against the Chicago Cubs on September 12[4] and as a pinch hitter on October 2 against the Mets. He recorded his first Major League hit in that at-bat, a single to left field off Tim Leary.[5]
In parts of four Major League seasons with the Expos he played in 68 games and had 81 at bats, 15 hits, one double, five RBI, one stolen base, five walks, a .185 batting average, .239 on-base percentage, .198 slugging percentage, 16 total bases and one sacrifice fly. He also pitched an inning in a blowout loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1985.[6] Shines reached base twenty-one times in his Major League career without scoring a run, a record which still stands as of April 2024[update].[7]
He retired after spending 1993 in the Cincinnati Reds system.
On May 16, 2006, the Indianapolis Indians honored Shines, who was managing the visiting Charlotte Knights, with a "Razor Shines Night." Shines kept his residence in Indianapolis during his playing years and for a few years afterwards. After retirement, he began his coaching career there at a local baseball academy and at Bishop Chatard High School.[9] Shines also coached at Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Indiana, in the 1997–1998 season.
On September 13, 2024 the Indianapolis Indians retired Shines' jersey number 3 and to date is the first and only former Indians player to be so honored in the 100+ year history of the franchise.
On December 12, 2007, Shines was named manager of the Phillies single-A Clearwater Threshers team. He managed the Threshers to a 64-76 record in 2008.
Shines served as the first base coach for the New York Mets for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. In 2011, he was replaced by Mookie Wilson. In 2012, he was the hitting coach for the Great Lakes Loons, the A team of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2013, he became the manager of the Loons and in 2014 he was promoted to manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts in the Double-A Southern League. The Dodgers switched Double-A affiliates for 2015, and Shines became the manager of the Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League.[12] Despite being chosen by Baseball America as the best managerial prospect in the Texas League, Shines' contract was not renewed by the Dodgers after the season.[13]
His son, Devin, played baseball for the Cowboys at Oklahoma State and was drafted by the Dodgers in the 38th round of the 2011 MLB Draft.[14] In 2012, Devin played for his dad with the Great Lakes Loons.[15]
In 2009, Shines was named by Maxim as having "the most bad-ass name of all time".[16] "Razor" is a family name. It was his grandfather's middle name and his father's middle name. His son's middle name is also "Razor."[17]
Shines became a spokesman for Aquafina water during the 2009 season and was featured on its website as "The 3rd Base Coach of Life." Visitors to the site could ask yes or no questions and receive "advice" from Shines.[18]
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