Yeah, Tram's non-HOF case is kind of puzzling. He won a few Gold Gloves, made some All-Star teams, was the MVP of the '84 World Series, should have won the '87 MVP...and no one cares (or remembers). Part of it, I think, is Tram's numbers don't look sexy enough compared to recent offensive juggernauts at SS like A-Rod, Jeter, Nomar, etc. (whose numbers are at least partially helped by the era they're playing in). And he wasn't like Ozzie Smith where he was a super crowd favorite who got highlight reels on ESPN every night because he made flashy plays, so he doesn't have that going for him, either.
Another guy from those Tigers teams I think is deserving is Lou Whitaker, Tram's double-play partner. At least Tram still has a theoretical chance with the writers; Lou was one-and-done.
What's also sad is that nearly 50% of the baseball writers think Jack Morris is a Hall of Famer, and not Lou or Tram.