Top 20: Most Games Played with No World Series Appearances
Rafael Palmeiro Has the Most Game Played without a World Series Appearance
These 20 players stepped out to the plate or onto the field through many, many games over looooong careers, yet either their teams never made it to the World Series, or they were injured/traded/sent down when their team did.
But oh how close some came.
Like Frank Thomas. After all those years as the face of the Chicago White Sox (1990-2005), he managed only 34 games in the championship 2005 season.
Or Andre Dawson, Chris Speier and Tim Wallach who were all on the 1981 Montreal Expos when they came within one game of the Fall Classic. It was the Expos’ only playoff appearance in their history.
And what about Mickey Vernon, who made the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates‘ 40-man roster, but not the postseason one. Vernon played in just nine games for the Pirates, enough to earn a ring, but did not make a World Series appearance as a player.
Don’t feel too bad for him though. Vernon was also the Pirates’ first base coach that year, straight to the end – Bill Mazeroski’s bottom of the ninth Game 7 walk-off to win it all.
Follow @VinGetz| PLAYER | YEARS | GAMES | SEASONS | TEAMS | |
| 1. | Rafael Palmeiro | 1986-2005 | 2,831 | 20 | |
| 1986-1988 | Chicago Cubs | ||||
| 1989-1993 | Texas Rangers | ||||
| 1994-1998 | Baltimore Orioles | ||||
| 1999-2003 | Texas Rangers | ||||
| 2004-2005 | Baltimore Orioles | ||||
| 2. | Ken Griffey | 1989-2010 | 2,671 | 22 | |
| 1989-1999 | Seattle Mariners | ||||
| 2000-2008 | Cincinnati Reds | ||||
| 2008 | Chicago White Sox | ||||
| 2009-2010 | Seattle Mariners | ||||
| 3. | Andre Dawson | 1976-1996 | 2,627 | 21 | |
| 1976-1986 | Montreal Expos | ||||
| 1987-1992 | Chicago Cubs | ||||
| 1993-1994 | Boston Red Sox | ||||
| 1995-1996 | Florida Marlins | ||||
| 4. | Ernie Banks | 1953-1971 | 2,528 | 19 | |
| 1953-1971 | Chicago Cubs | ||||
| 5. | Julio Franco | 1982-2007 | 2,527 | 23 | |
| 1982 | Philadelphia Phillies | ||||
| 1983-1988 | Cleveland Indians | ||||
| 1989-1993 | Texas Rangers | ||||
| 1994 | Chicago White Sox | ||||
| 1996-1997 | Cleveland Indians | ||||
| 1997 | Milwaukee Brewers | ||||
| 1999 | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | ||||
| 2001-2005 | Atlanta Braves | ||||
| 2006-2007 | New York Mets | ||||
| 2007 | Atlanta Braves | ||||
| 6. | Billy Williams | 1959-1976 | 2,488 | 18 | |
| 1959-1974 | Chicago Cubs | ||||
| 1975-1976 | Oakland A’s | ||||
| 7. | Rod Carew | 1967-1985 | 2,469 | 19 | |
| 1967-1978 | Minnesota Twins | ||||
| 1979-1985 | California Angels | ||||
| 8. | Luke Appling | 1930-1950 | 2,422 | 20 | |
| 1930-1950 | Chicago White Sox | ||||
| 9. | Mickey Vernon | 1939-1960 | 2,409 | 20 | |
| 1939-1948 | Washington Senators | ||||
| 1949-1950 | Cleveland Indians | ||||
| 1950-1955 | Washington Senators | ||||
| 1956-1957 | Boston Red Sox | ||||
| 1958 | Cleveland Indians | ||||
| 1959 | Milwaukee Braves | ||||
| 1960 | Pittsburgh Pirates | ||||
| 10. | Buddy Bell | 1972-1989 | 2,405 | 18 | |
| 1972-1978 | Cleveland Indians | ||||
| 1979-1985 | Texas Rangers | ||||
| 1985-1988 | Cincinnati Reds | ||||
| 1988 | Houston Astros | ||||
| 1989 | Texas Rangers | ||||
| 11. | Sammy Sosa | 1989-2007 | 2,354 | 18 | |
| 1989 | Texas Rangers | ||||
| 1989-1991 | Chicago White Sox | ||||
| 1992-2004 | Chicago Cubs | ||||
| 2005 | Baltimore Orioles | ||||
| 2007 | Texas Rangers | ||||
| 12. | Jose Cruz | 1970-1988 | 2,353 | 19 | |
| 1970-1974 | St. Louis Cardinals | ||||
| 1975-1987 | Houston Astros | ||||
| 1988 | New York Yankees | ||||
| 13. | Bobby Abreu | 1996-2012 | 2,347 | 17 | |
| 1996-1997 | Houston Astros | ||||
| 1998-2006 | Philadelphia Phillies | ||||
| 2006-2008 | New York Yankees | ||||
| 2009-2012 | Los Angeles Angels | ||||
| 2012 | Los Angeles Dodgers | ||||
| 14. | Brian Downing | 1973-1992 | 2,344 | 20 | |
| 1973-1977 | Chicago White Sox | ||||
| 1978-1990 | California Angels | ||||
| 1991-1992 | Texas Rangers | ||||
| 15. | Frank Thomas | 1990-2008 | 2,322 | 19 | |
| 1990-2005 | Chicago White Sox | ||||
| 2006 | Oakland A’s | ||||
| 2007-2008 | Toronto Blue Jays | ||||
| 2008 | Oakland A’s | ||||
| 16. | B.J. Surhoff | 1987-2005 | 2,313 | 19 | |
| 1987-1995 | Milwaukee Brewers | ||||
| 1996-2000 | Baltimore Orioles | ||||
| 2000-2002 | Atlanta Braves | ||||
| 2003-2005 | Baltimore Orioles | ||||
| 17. | Chris Speier | 1971-1989 | 2,260 | 19 | |
| 1971-1977 | San Francisco Giants | ||||
| 1977-1984 | Montreal Expos | ||||
| 1984 | St. Louis Cardinals | ||||
| 1984 | Minnesota Twins | ||||
| 1985-1986 | Chicago Cubs | ||||
| 1988-1989 | San Francisco Giants | ||||
| 18. | Andres Galarraga | 1985-2004 | 2,257 | 19 | |
| 1985-1991 | Montreal Expos | ||||
| 1992 | St. Louis Cardinals | ||||
| 1993-1997 | Colorado Rockies | ||||
| 1998-2000 | Atlanta Braves | ||||
| 2001 | Texas Rangers | ||||
| 2001 | San Francisco Giants | ||||
| 2002 | Montreal Expos | ||||
| 2003 | San Francisco Giants | ||||
| 2004 | Anaheim Angels | ||||
| 19. | Ron Santo | 1960-1974 | 2,243 | 15 | |
| 1960-1973 | Chicago Cubs | ||||
| 1974 | Chicago White Sox | ||||
| 20. | Tim Wallach | 1980-1996 | 2,212 | 17 | |
| 1980-1992 | Montreal Expos | ||||
| 1993-1995 | Los Angeles Dodgers | ||||
| 1996 | California Angels | ||||
| 1996 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
Thanks to baseball-reference.com!
Photo: irvincastellanos.mlblogs.com
Posted on October 27, 2012, in MLB and tagged appearances, baseball, games, List, mlb, most, no, played, players, sports list of the day, top, world series. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a Comment.
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