Jackson Free Press

The 2016 World Series is set to begin with game one on Tuesday, Oct. 25. When the first pitch is thrown, one thing might already be set in stone: No matter the outcome of this World Series,

three men have earned their place in Cooperstown. With the tough requirements for entering the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, that might sound strange.

These three men are Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona and Cubs Manager Joe Maddon. People might argue against Maddon, but it is hard to argue against Epstein and Francona.

The Boston Red Sox hired Epstein in 2002 as general manager, which made the 28-year-old the youngest general manager in MLB history. Two years later, the team he put together finally broke the “Curse of the Bambino” that plagued the Red Sox.

That 2004 Boston team came back from a 0-3 deficit to the New York Yankees and won the American League Championship Series. The Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals and won their first World Series since 1918.

Epstein signed and brokered the trades that brought some of the biggest pieces to the Red Sox, setting up the 2004 World Series teams. He brought a second World Series to Boston in 2007 when the Red Sox beat the Colorado Rockies 4-0.

The Chicago Cubs hired Epstein to be the president in 2011. That set in motion the Cubs’ trip to the World Series this season. If the Cubs win this series, he has a chance to be a part of two organizations that broke long title droughts.

But even if the Cubs lose, Epstein should still get into the baseball Hall of Fame as quickly as the rules allow. The work he has done with Boston and Chicago are unprecedented.

One of Epstein’s biggest hires with the Red Sox was manager Terry Francona. He hired him after Boston had lost to the Yankees in the 2003 ALCS.

With the hopes of a whole city weighing on each player and coach every single season, it is hard to get everyone on the same page in such a short of amount of time. Francona worked magic in the 2004 and 2007 World Series wins for the Red Sox.

In 2011, the Red Sox decided not to pick up his option for the 2012 season. Francona resurfaced in 2013 as the manager of the Cleveland Indians.

He led the Indians to the AL Wild Card in his first season before Cleveland took a step back in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He righted the ship this season, and the Indians reached the World Series.

Like Epstein, Francona has the chance to reverse the fortunes of two long-suffering franchises. If the Indians win, he should be added to the Hall of Fame as quickly as possible, but he should get in win or lose.

Maddon is best known for his work with the Tampa Bay Rays. He is the manager who led the club to its first winning record and first postseason berth.

The Rays hired Maddon in 2006, and two years later, he led the Rays to the 2008 World Series. Tampa Bay lost 4-1 to the Philadelphia Phillies, but it was a major turn-around for a team that was a constant loser.

With one of the smallest payrolls in MLB, Maddon turned around the Rays. He constantly did more with less than some managers did with large payrolls.

While he managed the Rays, the club reached the postseason three more times but never advanced beyond the American League Division Series. Maddon guided the Rays to six straight winning seasons between 2008 and 2013.

He left Tampa Bay after the 2014 season and joined the Cubs for the 2015 season. In his first season in Chicago, Maddon led the club to the National League Championship Series before the New York Mets beat the team.

While Maddon doesn’t have a World Series victory, he had been one of the best managers in baseball. His work in Tampa Bay and Chicago makes his case for the Hall of Fame easy.

Epstein, Francona and Maddon have played a part in the direction of baseball for more than a decade. All three men have been successful in multiple cities and multiple roles over the course of their careers.

If it was possible, all three should go into the Hall of Fame after this World Series. No matter what, all three earned their spot.