Torii Hunter, Carlos Beltran hoping to finally get World Series appearance
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Team members and coaches of the Cardinals, Dodgers, Red Sox and Tigers are hoping that their team will get four wins in their respective league championship series and make it to the World Series. For two players, however, that desire for a trip to the World Series may be burning a little hotter than his teammates.
Detroit‘s Torii Hunter and St. Louis Carlos Beltran currently rank second and third on the list of active major league players who have played the most regular season games without playing in the World Series. Hunter has played in 2,091 games and Beltran has 2,064 games under his belt without making an appearance in the World Series. For Beltran, this is his fourth time playing in an LCS (the final stop before the World Series). Hunter is making his third appearance in an LCS; this is the seventh season that he has played in the post-season.
Of players who played in the majors in 2013, Miguel Tejada tops the list; he has played in 2,171 games without getting to the Fall Classic.
Here’s a look at the active players (players who played in 2013) with the most games without playing in the World Series.
Player (2013 team), Games
Miguel Tejada (Kansas City) 2,171
Torii Hunter (Detroit) 2,091
Carlos Beltran (St. Louis) 2,064
Ichiro Suzuki (NY Yankees) 2,061
Aramis Ramirez (Milwaukee) 1,924
Mark Kotsay (San Diego) 1,914
Adam Dunn (Chicago White Sox) 1,870
Vernon Wells (NY Yankees) 1,731
Eric Chavez (Arizona) 1,571
Ramon Hernandez (L.A. Dodgers*) 1,526
* Hernandez was released by the Dodgers in June
While Hunter and Beltran have over 2,000 games played without a World Series appearance, they are still several games short of the all-time leader. Rafael Palmeiro played in 2,831 MLB games in his career, appeared in two LCS and played in the post-season in three seasons. He did not, however, ever see action in the World Series.
Here are the players who played the most games in MLB history without playing in the World Series.
Player, Games
Rafael Palmeiro, 2,831
Ken Griffey Jr., 2,671
Andre Dawson, 2,627
Ernie Banks, 2,528
Julio Franco, 2,527
Billy Williams, 2,488
Rod Carew, 2.469
Luke Appling, 2,422
Mickey Vernon, 2,409
Buddy Bell, 2,405
Four of the players listed above not only never played in the World Series, they also never played in any post-season game. The four: Banks, Appling, Vernon and Bell. Carew made four appearances in the LCS, but his team never won the chance to advance to the World Series.
Source: Baseball-Reference.com
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Baseball players with same team 20+ years
- Image via Wikipedia
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Seventeen major league players played 20 or more seasons in the majors with one team. Topping the list are Brooks Robinson and Carl Yastrzemski who played 23 years with the same team… Robinson with the Orioles; Yaz with the Red Sox.
Following are the players who played 20 or more seasons in the majors, all with the same team.
23 years
Brooks Robinson, Baltimore, 1955-77
Carl Yastrzemski, Boston, 1961-83
22 years
Al Kaline, Detroit, 1953-74
Stan Musial, St. Louis, 1941-63
Mel Ott, NY Giants, 1926-47
21 years
George Brett, Kansas City, 1973-93
Walter Johnson, Washington, 1907-27
Ted Lyons, Chicago White Sox, 1923-46
Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore, 1981-2001
Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh, 1962-82
20 years
Luke Appling, Chicago White Sox, 1930-50;
Craig Biggio, Houston, 1988-2007;
Red Faber, Chicago White Sox, 1914-33;
Tony Gwynn, San Diego, 1982-2001;
Mel Harder, Cleveland, 1928-47;
Alan Trammell, Detroit, 1977-96;
Robin Yount, Milwaukee, 1974-93
On the other side of the coin, here’s a list of the players who played 20 or more seasons in the majors with the most teams.
Teams Player, years
12 Mike Morgan, 1978-2002 (22 seasons)
11 Deacon McGuire, 1884-1912 (26 seasons)
11 Terry Mulholland, 1986-2006 (20 seasons)
10 Paul Hines, 1872-1891 (20 seasons)
Note: Current Washington Nationals player Matt Stairs is knocking at the door to match Morgan. Stairs is playing for his 12th franchise in his 19th season. If he can play another season in 2012, he will match Morgan with 20 or more seasons in the majors with 12 teams.
Most games played with no World Series appearance
Rafael Palmeiro...via Wikipedia
Rafael Palmeiro is one of only four major league players in history to have more than 500 career home runs and 3,000 career hits. But Palmeiro’s suspension after the 2005 season for steroid use has severely hampered his Hall of Fame quest. In fact, in his first year of eligibility last year he garnered only 11% of the vote.
But another disappointment in Palmeiro’s career is that he tops the list of players who played the most games in the majors, 2,831, without an appearance in the World Series. His 20-year MLB career began with the Cubs and included two stints each with Texas and Baltimore. He did, however, in three seasons play in the post season, but his teams never advanced to the Fall Classic.
Here’s a look at the ten players who played the most career games without a World Series appearance.
Player Most games played without World Series appearance
Rafael Palmeiro 2,831
Ken Griffey, Jr. 2,671
Andre Dawson 2,627
Ernie Banks 2,528
Julio Franco 2,527
Billy Williams 2, 488
Rod Carew 2,469
Luke Appling 2,422
Mickey Vernon 2,409
Buddy Bell 2,405
Note: Palmeiro, Griffey, Dawson, Franco, Williams and Carew all played in post-season games but their teams lost before the World Series. Banks leads the list of players who never played in a post-season game. Following Banks are Appling, Vernon, Bell and another Cub, Ron Santo (2,243).
Looking at active players, Bobby Abreu tops the list of active players with the most games played without a World Series appearance with 2,179. Adam Dunn tops the list of active players with the most games played who have never even played in a post season game with 1,514. (Through games of June 25)
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