DETROIT -- Lou Whitaker is in town this weekend. Know what that means?
That Alan Trammell is, too? No, he often is, but that's not the case this time. Whitaker is a featured guest of the Tigers as part of their annual Negro Leagues tribute.
That Whitaker is going to have his number retired? That's not happening, either.
But what will occur among fans, because it always does whenever Whitaker comes back to Detroit, is that the question of why he never made it past the first ballot in Hall of Fame voting will be asked.
Sure enough, there will be howls it was an injustice.
And there also will be hopeful suggestions that Whitaker could be voted in by the Veterans Committee someday to right the wrong.
Don't count on it.
I'm saying that, not because I don't think Whitaker should be reconsidered. He was, after all, an outstanding player.
But the measly 2.9 percent of the vote he received will always be a hurdle he must overcome.
It's telling you nothing new to say that baseball's Hall of Fame has the thickest of all doors to get through. But because it is, reconsiderations don't start at the bottom -- namely, with those players who were quickly bumped because their first-ballot vote total was under five percent.
At the same time, it might stun you to realize how many Lou Whitakers there are out there -- players who had admirable careers, but for whatever reason didn't get anywhere when it came time to be considered.
It's important, though, to realize that Whitaker is not alone in being eliminated so quickly. I'm not campaigning for his reconsideration, nor am I taking sides about the fairness of the process.
I'm just saying that you might be less indignant on his behalf when you fully realize the caliber of those who keep him company in the One-and-Done club.
Whitaker is not the exception you might have thought he was. Through the years, in fact, it has happened to many excellent players.
Starting with 2001, the year in which Whitaker was bumped, you can make an argument, and likewise label it an injustice, for 20 one-and-done's.
Would they have gone on to be Hall of Famers? Probably not, but as a ballot also-ran, you'd have to agree that Whitaker is in good company.
2001
Whitaker received 2.9 percent of the vote despite 2,397 career hits and a WAR of 74.9 that was substantially higher than the two hitters, Dave Winfield and Kirby Puckett, who were inducted that year.
2002
Frank Viola -- 1987 World Series MVP and 1988 Cy Young Award winner for the Minnesota Twins.
2003
Vince Coleman -- averaged 91 stolen bases while leading the National League in six consecutive seasons (1998-1990).
Not a Hall of Famer, agreed, but a one-and-done?
2004
Joe Carter -- World Series hero who hit 396 home runs with 1,445 RBI and 2,184 hits.
Dennis Martinez -- four-time All-Star who won 245 games and led the NL with a 2.39 ERA in 1991.
2005
Darryl Strawberry -- 335 career home runs and 1,000 RBI.
Chili Davis -- 350 home runs, 2,380 hits and 1,372 RBI.
2006
Will Clark -- six-time All-Star, .303 career hitter with 2,176 hits and 1,205 RBI.
Dwight Gooden -- Cy Young Award winner, Rookie of the Year, threw a no-hitter and four-time All-Star.
2007
Paul O'Neill -- A.L. batting champ of 1994 with .359 BA for Yankees, five-time All-Star with .288 career BA, 2.105 hits and 1,205 hits.
2008
Robb Nen -- 314 career saves, seven consecutive seasons of at least 35 saves.
2009
Mark Grace -- four-time Gold Glove first-baseman, .303 career hitter with 2,445 hits and 1,146 RBI.
David Cone -- did everything as a pitcher: Threw a perfect game, struck out 19 in agame, won a Cy Young and was on five World Series winners.
2010
Andres Galarraga -- former NL batting champ (.370 in 1993) who hit 399 career home runs, with 2,333 hits and 1,425 RBI.
2011
John Franco -- fourth on all-time list of saves with 424, second when he retired, most career saves by left-hander.
2012
Ruben Sierra -- no votes for him at all, despite 306 HR, 1322 RBI and 2,152 hits.
2013
Kenny Lofton -- six-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glover, led AL in SB's five consecutive seasons, .299 career hitter, 2,428 hits, 15th on all-time list of SB's with 622.
David Wells -- pitched in the postseason with six different teams, threw a perfect game for the Yankees, had a 239-157 career record.
2014
Moises Alou -- .303 career hitter, 332 HR, 2,134 hits, 1,287 RBI, six-time All-Star.
Luis Gonzalez -- .283 hitter, 354 HR, 2,591 hits, 1,439 RBI, five-time All-Star.
2015
Carlos Delgado -- 473 HR, 1,512 RBI and 2,038 hits, 31st on all-time list of home runs.
Quite a list.
It's the One-and-Done Hall of Fame, in fact.
