A short list of teams who have not been in the World Series since 1988

Over a year after the Dodgers’ last World Series appearance, their glorious 1988 championship, the Berlin Wall fell.

The Dodgers have not been in a World Series since the Berlin Wall fell.

— Parker Evans (@parker_d_evans) October 8, 2014

The last time the Dodgers won the World Series, the Berlin Wall still stood.

So, I thought about who hasn’t been in the Series since the Dodgers last made it. When the Dodgers won the 1988 series, Pete Rose was the manager of the Cincinnati Reds.

When Gibson hit his famous home run, Masahiro Tanaka was weeks away from being born and Mike Trout wasn’t even a sparkle in his father’s eye. Trout, in fact, was three years away from being born.

Here is a list of the teams that have not been to the World Series since 1988

* Los Angeles Dodgers

* Seattle Mariners

* Milwaukee Brewers

* Pittsburgh Pirates

* Chicago Cubs

* Baltimore Orioles

* Kansas City Royals

* Washington Nationals

Eight teams, in case you didn’t count. This season, the number is guaranteed to go down by at least one, and maybe two.

There have been four expansion teams since 1988. All have made the World Series and two have won. Everyone in the National League West EXCEPT for the Dodgers have made the Series this century.

I’m not asking anyone to take pity, just trying to contextualize tonight. If I didn’t, I think I might fall into an endless cascade of sorry and self-pity.

I will likely stay off Facebook for the next 24 hours or so to avoid the trollsmanship that’s sure to occur. If you have something to say, go ahead and comment. Pile on, whatever.

Like Chad Moriyama, I’m pretty numb right now. Instead of having a meltdown myself, I’ll just link you to him there.