Can Griffey Avoid His Place In History — The Greatest Players To Never Play In The World Series

In Florida tonight, Ken Griffey Jr. continues to chase 600 home runs.  Barring a disaster, Griffey will join the elite 600-HR club soon.  As Junior Griffey’s career crawls to a close, Griffey is running out of time to remove himself from his place in history as the greatest outfielder – possibly the greatest player – to never play in the World Series. 

Griffey will be 39 next year and despite being the American League MVP in 1997, a 10-time Gold Glove winner and 13-time All-Star, he has never appeared in a World Series game.  The end is approaching for Griffey and if the Cincinnati Reds do not pick up his $16-million option for 2009, he will become a free agent for the first time in his 20-year career.  This leaves the door open for Griffey to join a contender and chase that World Series ring but that is likely not going to be the case.  Griffey, one of the classiest guys in the game, has hinted on a return to Seattle to end his career where it started.

If Griffey fails to make it to the World Series, he will join a group of great players who never made an appearance in the Fall Classic.  In honor of Griffey, I now present the All-Time Greatest Team to never play in a World Series game:

First Baseman

Rod Carew — Minnesota Twins (1967-78), California Angels (1979-85)

Originally, Carew played second base but converted to first base in 1976 and stayed there for the rest of his career.  Carew made it to the postseason in 1969 and 1970 with the Minnesota Twins and 1979 and 1982 with the California Angels.  In four League Championship series, Carew hit .220 and his team never made it to the World Series.

Carew boasts an impressive resume – AL Rookie of the Year in 1967, AL MVP in 1977, an 18-time All-Star selection, a member of the 3,000 hit club and owner of a .328 lifetime batting average.  Carew was inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1991 and became the first Panamanian-born player to make the Hall.

Carew’s career ended in controversy.  After the 1985 season, Carew entered free agency but received no contract offers.  In 1995, Carew was awarded damages when it was proven that baseball’s owners colluded to not offer him a contract thus forcing him to retire.

Second Baseman

Nap Lajoie – Philadelphia Phillies (1896-1900), Philadelphia Athletics (1901-02, 1915-16), Cleveland Naps (1902-14)

One of 14 Triple Crown winners in the history of baseball, Lajoie came closest to the post-season in 1908 when his Cleveland Naps (named after him) finished a ½ game behind the Detroit Tigers.  Lajoie never played for another team that finished better than third with a World Series appearance as a possibility.

In his 21 seasons in the Major League, Lajoie won five AL batting titles, is a member of the 3000-hit club and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1937 on the second ballot.

Third Baseman

Alex Rodriguez – Seattle Mariners (1994-2000), Texas Rangers (2001-03), New York Yankees (2004-Present)

A-Rod is 0-for-7 in his 15-year Major League career trying to get to the World Series.  There’s a chance he will someday remove his name from this team since he is only 32 and plays for the Yankees but for now, Rodriguez finishes ahead of Ron Santo as the greatest third baseman to never play in the World Series.

Rodriguez was the youngest player to ever hit 500 home runs and could join the 600 homer club as early as next season.  His career is loaded with honors and awards – 3 AL MVPs, 10 All-Star appearances, two Gold Gloves, five AL home run titles, five-time AL runs leader and a batting title in 1996.  At 32, Rodriguez is well on his way to 3,000 hits and many predict A-Rod will bump Barry Bonds from the top of the All-Time HR list.

Shortstop

Ernie Banks – Chicago Cubs (1953-71)

“Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks might be the greatest player to never play in a World Series game.  Banks never played on a team with a winning record until 1963 and the Cubs finished a distant second in 1969 and 1970. 

Banks played in the Negro League with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1950 and became the first black player to play for the Chicago Cubs in 1953 and played with the Cubs for his entire 19-year career.  Banks won consecutive MVP awards in 1958 and 1959 despite the Cubs finishing in fifth place in the National League in both seasons. 

In addition to his two MVP seasons, Banks won a Gold Glove in 1960, made the All-Star team 14 times, nearly hit for the Triple Crown in 1958 (he led the league in home runs, RBI and finished sixth in average) and ended his career with 512 home runs.

Mr. Cub holds the record for most games played without a postseason appearance with 2528.  That’s 106 more than the next player on the list – Luke Appling with 2422.  Banks was a first ballot Hall of Famer elected in 1977.

Catcher

Joe Torre – Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves (1960-68), Saint Louis Cardinals (1969-74), New York Mets (1975-77)

Joe Torre, the manager, has four World Series rings and 13 postseason appearances but Torre, the player, has zero.  Torre played for three Cardinals teams that came close to the postseason including in 1971 when he won the NL MVP (as a third baseman).

Torre made nine All-Star appearances, won a Gold Glove as a catcher in 1965 and nearly earned a Triple Crown in his MVP season leading the NL in batting average (.363) and RBI (137).

Torre was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the St. Louis Cardinals for Orlando Cepeda and the Braves won the NL West in 1969 but fell to the Mets in the NLCS.  Torre played 2,209 Major League games without a postseason appearance – sixth on the All-Time list.

Outfield

Ken Griffey Jr. – Seattle Mariners (1989-99), Cincinnati Reds (2000-Present)

Griffey came close to a World Series berth with the Mariners in 1995 after beating the Yankees in five games behind Junior Griffey’s five home runs in five games in the ALDS but fell short and fell to six games to the Cleveland Indians.  He made one more postseason appearance in 1997 but the Mariners lost to the Orioles in four games and “The Kid” hit just .133 in that series.

Griffey’s time in Cincinnati has been injury-plagued and the Reds finished a distant second in his first season and have not had a winning season since.

Harry Heilmann – Detroit Tigers (1914, 1916-29), Cincinnati Reds (1930, 1932)

Heilmann’s Tigers played in an era dominated by the Yankees including 1923 when Detroit finished second, 16 games behind the Bronx Bombers.  Heilmann never made a postseason appearance in his 17 seasons and 2,148 games in the Major League. 

Heilmann finished second to Lou Gehrig in 1927 for the MVP and won four batting titles including 1923 when he hit .403.  His .342 career batting average was the 12^th highest in baseball history and he posted four 200-hit seasons.

Heilmann is a Hall of Famer – elected on his fourth ballot in 1952.

Billy Williams – Chicago Cubs (1959-74), Oakland Athletics (1975-76)

Williams played with Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Fergie Jenkins who all never made a World Series appearance and all hold strong arguments to make this team (including Banks who did as the shortstop).  Williams did make the postseason with the Athletics in 1975 but they were swept by the Red Sox.

Williams hit 426 home runs in his career, was Rookie of the Year in 1961, made six All-Star appearances and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987.

Starting Pitcher

Gaylord Perry – San Francisco Giants (1962-71), Cleveland Indians (1972-75), Texas Rangers (1975-77, 1980), San Diego Padres (1978-79), New York Yankees (1980), Atlanta Braves (1981), Seattle Mariners (1982-83), Kansas City Royals (1983)

Perry won 314 games and two Cy Young Awards in his Major League career and even notched a postseason win for the Giants in the 1971 ALCS (the only game the Giants won in the series) but he never made a World Series appearance in his 22 seasons in baseball.

Perry was a five-time All-Star and pitched a no-hitter in 1968.  He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991.

Perry was a tough choice.  Fergie Jenkins, Phil Niekro and Jim Bunning were among the candidates for the starting pitcher spot on this team but with 777 games on eight different teams, he was my choice.

Closer

Lee Smith – Chicago Cubs (1980-87), Boston Red Sox (1988-90), St. Louis Cardinals (1990-93), New York Yankees (1993), Baltimore Orioles (1994), California Angels (1995-96), Cincinnati Red (1996), Montreal Expos (1997)

Smith made two postseason appearances and blew games in both trips to the postseason including Game 4 of the 1984 NLCS in the midst of the Cubs blowing a 2-0 series lead to the San Diego Padres.

At one point, Smith was the All-Time saves leader with 478 but was passed by Trevor Hoffman.

In addition to Smith, Dan Pleasac and Roberto Hernandez each appeared in over 1,000 games as a reliever but never appeared in a World Series game.