World Series without a HOF Player

[Gwreck]

With both Scherzer and Kershaw advancing to the WS again (for the last time, probably), I was reflecting on the fact that at least one of the no-doubt HOF pitchers Greinke, Kershaw, Scherzer, and Verlander had been involved in almost every WS from 2017 to present.

Thus, barring some strange revelations between now and voting, there are only 4 World Series in which there’s no current likelihood that either team will have had a Hall of Fame player in that series:

1. 2002 (Bonds may some day get in of course. Perhaps Kenny Lofton is re-evaluated by the modern era committee)

2. 2008 (Rollins and Utley still on the ballot, but not exactly close to election)

3. 2016 (A little early, but between Lindor, Jose Ramirez, and Kyle Schwarber, someone will probably make it)

and…

4. 2015. Best bets are the two still-active players, deGrom and Salvador Perez, but neither one is that likely.

[Edgy MD]

A latebreaking groundswell for Bartolo Colón is also within the 2015 realm of possibility.

[MFS62]

And if there is going to be one from this WS, there is one less than you think, Don Mattingly fans.(he's a Toronto coach)

Later

Edited October 22, 2025 by MFS62

[Edgy MD]

Also, for 2002, I suspect that someday everybody will have forgotten how much nobody liked Jeff Kent, look at his line without any context, and wonder why he wasn't put in years ago.

[Benjamin Grimm]

And who knows, maybe one of those 2015 players will go into the Hall of Fame as a manager. (Would that count?)

[Edgy MD]

Or, quite possibly, a player/manager hybrid candidacy will win out, as it most certainly could for Don Mattingly.

[Gwreck]

Also, for 2002, I suspect that someday everybody will have forgotten how much nobody liked Jeff Kent, look at his line without any context, and wonder why he wasn't put in years ago.

 

I’m not so sure that helps him. I guess if Utley gets in it will help Kent’s candidacy but there are a lot of other second basemen who I think compare favorably to Kent and also aren’t in: Lou Whitaker and Bobby Grich, probably Utley, and also the not-yet-eligible Jose Altuve. And also Cano, who I suppose is in a separate category.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, for what its worth, I think those Grich and Whitaker are two of the strongest cases out there among guys the BBWAA ballot has long passed by. Whitaker getting the one-and-done treatment is one of those things that needs to be talked about.

Why did we do that?

What were we thinking?

Was the ballot entirely composed of Super Friends that year?

I don't know? Maybe I was just being racist.

You're not racist.

I know I'm not A racist, but I have my days, if I'm being honest with myself.

If you were "having a day," what does that say about the rest of us?

You need to deal with your own ****. I'm having enough trouble dealing with my own business right now. He was one-and-done?

Grich was one-and-done, too, and he's white.

Yeah well, that was before my time. Dick Young probably didn't like his hair length or something.

Dick Young was only one guy, though.

I always thought that Whitaker and Trammell were two halves of one whole. Did Trammell get in?

I don't think you really want the answer to that, do you?

Holy ****, you're right. He went in back in 2019, and everybody was happy with that. That must've created a groundswell of support for Whitaker.

It did not.

****, but at least Trammell must have a higher WAR.

He does not.

****! We just suck, don't we?

We indeed do.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, for what its worth, I think those Grich and Whitaker are two of the strongest cases out there among guys the BBWAA ballot has long passed by. Whitaker getting the one-and-done treatment is one of those things that needs to be talked about.

　　Why did we do that?

　　　　What were we thinking?

　　Was the ballot entirely composed of Super Friends that year or something?

　　　　I don't know? Maybe I was just being racist.

　　You're not a racist.

　　　　I know I'm not A racist, but I have my days, if I'm being honest with myself.

　　If you were "having a day," what does that say about the rest of us?

　　　　You need to deal with your own ****. I'm having enough trouble answering for myself right now. He was one-and-done?

　　Grich was one-and-done, too, and he's white.

　　　　Yeah well, that was before my time. Dick Young probably didn't like his hair length or something.

　　Dick Young was only one guy, though.

　　　　I always thought that Whitaker and Trammell were two halves of one whole. Did Trammell get in?

　　I don't think you really want the answer to that, do you?

　　　　Holy ****, you're right. He went in back in 2019, and everybody was happy with that. That must've created a groundswell of support for Whitaker.

　　It did not.

　　　　****, but at least Trammell must have had a higher WAR.

　　He did not.

　　　　****! We just suck, don't we?

　　We indeed do.