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* Daryl Van Schouwen at the Sun-Times…
Sox fans are a loyal bunch. The 2005 thrill of their lifetimes, to be celebrated in 2025 by a franchise that doesn’t figure to have much else to celebrate, is cherished but now distant.
Six seasons with winning records and three with only brief postseasons since feels unacceptable. […]
If the Sox (36-117) are swept in a three-game series that opens in San Diego Friday, they’ll [tie] the 1962 Mets record of 120 losses. There are nine games left.
* I have found myself occasionally hoping the Sox break the MLB loss record. The record may be the only thing to give this season any sort of meaning. The pathetic team ownership and management must be branded as the worst losers in history, goes the thinking. And that, and only that, may be the motivation which finally produces an attitude change at the top.
But, for many Sox fans, this team has been part of their family their entire lives. And, really, that’s the only thing that makes me think that maybe the Sox should fight like heck to not break the record. Why tarnish future generations with this permanent stain?
Either way, nobody reading this post has any control over the next nine games. And at this point in the season, I don’t think anyone on Earth has that control, either.
* Anyway, talk amongst yourselves.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:02 pm
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Given the story in The Athletic this morning, Jerry deserves to have this record.
Comment by Keyrock Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:10 pm
There’s a lengthy article on the numerous woes of the Sox in the latest The Athletic.
Comment by Mr. Big Trouble Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:12 pm
I do not see 40 wins. And yeah, count me in the saddened column. To me the thought of any team worse than the expansion Mets is mind-boggling. My team doing it is mind-numbing.
Comment by Lurker Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:24 pm
Going to use this thread as a place to drop a reminder that literally any and every for profit sports team owner that even hints at relocation as a way to extort money out of the public for a stadium is openly admitting that they don’t care and never cared about the fans.
That being said, you have to be pretty spectacularly incompetent to put together a team this bad. Like just picking FAs at random should result in a better team.
Comment by Homebody Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:30 pm
“Only I can fix it” is not a plan.
Comment by JoanP Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:32 pm
- Mr. Big Trouble - Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:12 pm:
Really terrific, and for anyone who is an NYT subscriber, The Athletic is part of your subscription FYI. Would share with a gift link, but this article is not available for that at the moment.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5773947/2024/09/19/white-sox-failure-worst-season-history/
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:33 pm
Sad and disappointed doesn’t accurately convey my disgust with what has happened to this once proud franchise. I really feel that is will take years, possibly decades, to win over much of their fanbase again.
Comment by Stones Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:38 pm
–There are nine games left.–
That means there are nine perfect opportunities for this generations Lee Elia to show himself.
There is no better press conference in all of the history of baseball than that rant from Elia, and that was when the cubs had only racked up a whole 14 losses at that point in the season.
Start out with a nice -
“Right now, we have more losses than we have wins…”
And just run with it from there.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:39 pm
Not a Sox fan. But even if I was I would still choose worse team in history of the modern era over being one of the worst teams ever.
Comment by Common Sense Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:41 pm
Since being bad is the only thing the Sox are good at, setting the record would be an accomplishment. /s
Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:44 pm
It’s happening, and it sucks. You have to be a fan for the right reasons. It’s a hobby, a temporary escape from the pressures of everyday life. It is not your identity and not as important as real life.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:46 pm
A little over 100 years since the Black Sox scandal. I agree with Rich, I don’t want to see another generation of Sox fans tarnished, especially in this fashion. It does have me tuning in though.
Comment by Rounding Numbers and Bases Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:51 pm
The AL Central as a division is 31 games under .500. Four of those teams have won more than 80 games.
There is a real possibility that the Detroit Tigers clinch a wildcard berth while also delivering the coup de grace to the Sox in the final series of the season.
Comment by sulla Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:55 pm
I have posted this before, I have not watched a full inning of the Sox or baseball this summer. That is in total. I have missed baseball badly, it was my late evening ritual after the day was over. As a lifelong Sox fan the last three years have been miserable. I don’t really want them to be the worst but Jerry earned it.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:55 pm
The Athletic story is worth reading in full. This quote from Kenny Williams was revealing. Asked about La Russa’s nearly two seasons as manager, Williams said, “I don’t yet have a way to talk about that period of time because it takes me to a bad place, and it will take me from the person I aspire to be.”
Comment by Frustrated White Sox Fan Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 1:59 pm
Can anyone remember when the White Sox sponsored a billboard opposite the Red Line platform at Addison Street and challenged fans of the Cubs to abandon Wrigley Field and travel seven miles south to enjoy major league baseball?
Hubris?
Comment by Gravitas Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 2:02 pm
121 will almost definitely be at home against the Angels next week. Make plans accordingly
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 2:07 pm
That Kenny Williams quote says it all for me.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 3:23 pm
Rich, I am one of those fans you describe. The whole White Sox thing, the whole Southside thing, the second team thing, its something and its real. That said, its all just so pathetic. The Sox wont compete for years. Jerry all but said that when he goes to the great beyond his kids should sell the team. Hello Nashville (banned punctuation). For me its not disgust with this team, its complete disinterest in them. I just dont care, but yet I cant move on from them.
Comment by Red Ranger Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 3:35 pm
I cannot watch them right now. It gives me agida.
Still, no one can match the ‘62 Mets, who made even two hall-of-famers, Willy Mays and Casey Stengel, look pitifull.
Comment by walker Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 4:22 pm
I grew up in Tidewater, Virginia. In 1969, we had a AAA team, the Tidewater Tides. The Tides were an affiliate of those Mets people keep talking about. I remember as a kid always hearing the worst assignment a kid could get would be to play for the Tidewater Tides. And yet, those Tides were pretty darned good.
I cannot speak to the 1962 Mets, but a few years later, they had some very good players. I watched Dwight Gooden, Mookie Wilson, and Darryl Strawberry, along with a few other notable players come up through the Tides. I also remember vividly when Tom Seaver came to town to pitch against the Tides in an exhibition game.
Baseball is life. The Mets used to suck, and still, we loved them. Then they won the World Series and we lost our minds. Then the had troubles again. In the end, baseball is baseball, and fans are fans. For you White Sox fans, rejoice in that no one will ever be able to say, “anyone can choose a winner.” You have earned your reputation as the most loyal fans in Chicago. Not even the Cubs fans have been tested like you have.
Comment by H-W Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 4:39 pm
Im a lifelong fan as you know, Rich, and at this point I could care less if they moved or not. Ive given up on them ever being good as long as Reinsdorf owns the team.
Comment by low level Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 5:45 pm
At this juncture, Jerry Reinsdorf, reminds me of Robert Prosky’s character in “The Natural.” In the book and the film, “The Judge” wants to profiteer off of the New York Knights and is indifferent to losing so long as he dominates in terms of the ownership of the subpar club.
Comment by Gravitas Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 6:02 pm
=== nobody reading this post has any control over the next nine games ===
And the ones who do have control don’t appear to have much.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 6:36 pm