How Many Teams Haven’t Been to a World Series Since 1988?

I root for lots of teams, but there are really only two teams that I’ll keep up with, in detail, even if they aren’t winning. Those teams are the Dodgers and the Lakers.

When Shaq was traded in 2004, I questioned my Lakers fansmanship. Call it a temporary frustration. Call it a crisis of faith. Call it what you want.

I put the blame squarely on Kobe Bryant’s shoulders and told myself that if the Lakers didn’t win another title during Kobe’s career, I’d never forgive him or the team. Three finals appearances in a row and two championships in a row later, Kobe has been more than forgiven. The Lakers have regained a status they never really lost: the best-run franchise in Los Angeles. And the owners of the hearts of Los Angeles sports fans.

Over the past decade, the Dodgers had a good chance to start to build back into a perennial winner and a team with a real chance to win a World Series. They had talented players in their farm system and in the second-largest media market, it shouldn’t have been so difficult to do what it took to get not just into the playoffs, but into a World Series.

Dodgers Hire a Consultant for Security at Dodger Stadium

But a Series never materialized. Many of the Dodgers’ core young players are gone. The ones who are left all have a clear deficiency or have threatened to leave in free agency next year. The team’s infield is comprised of two players who have to sit out at least once a week because of age and injury, another “fat toad” akin to the Ronnie Belliard fiasco of the past two seasons, and a young, cheap first baseman who is Sean Casey reincarnated. Casey, like Loney, was a solid major league player. But neither are a championship starting first baseman. It’s been clear for years. And the team has done nothing.

Because the team was “good enough.” In the second biggest media market in the country, a franchise as rich in tradition as any in the history of the sport allows their fans to settle for “good enough.”

The only teams who haven’t been to the World Series since the Dodgers did it last in 1988 are Baltimore, Kansas City, Seattle, Washington/Montreal, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Milwaukee. Only 7 other teams besides the Dodgers have not been to the World Series since 1988. SEVEN. Out of 30. Including 4 expansion teams.

So excuse me if I don’t jump to defend the organization after recent blemishes. The Dodgers’ leadership hasn’t done anything functional in the recent past. And the Giants are the World Series Champions. And I am well into another crisis of fansmanship faith.

CHACIN DOES IT AGAIN…

Jhoulys Chacin, the namesake of my fantasy baseball team this year, pitched a gem on Tuesday night. The only problem was, it was against the Dodgers and I was there to see it.  After watching Chacin throw a combined shutout last season at Chavez Ravine, the Rockies again shut the Dodgers’ lineup down behind Jhoulys’ pitching. Chacin will have a really good year this year and the Rockies could once again be serious contenders for the playoffs. With a name like Jhoulys (pronounced on the radio jo-lees), there is absolutely no reason not to root for the guy.

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1. - Fansmanship says:

   06/16/2011 at 10:24 pm

   […] HOW MANY OTHER TEAMS HAVEN’T MADE THE WORLD SERIES SINCE 1988? […]