Editor’s notice: It is a Bizarre and Wild brief. To learn this week’s full Bizarre and Wild column, go right here.
For weeks now, months to be sincere, we’ve been spending method an excessive amount of worthwhile time making all-important comparisons between the 2024 White Sox and Casey Stengel’s legendarily hapless 1962 Mets. However now we all know: That was really the mistaken comp.
These White Sox (present file: 33-114) would wish a miracle to out-win these ’62 Mets (40-120). So it’s time to do one thing I by no means thought would occur: It’s time to show our consideration to these much more legendary 1899 Cleveland Spiders (enticing closing file: 20-134).
I got here to that mind-blowing realization Thursday morning, when the fact of this nutty little quantity hit dwelling:
81 Video games beneath .500!!!
As a longtime chronicler of the whole lot Bizarre and Wild, I’ve seen plenty of stuff. However I believed to myself as I stared on the standings: Have I ever seen THAT? Have I ever seen any group that fell 81 freaking video games beneath .500?
Right here’s the reality: Nope. I. Have. Not. And neither have you ever, until you’re a spritely 108 years previous. And even in case you are certainly 108 years previous, your reminiscence of earlier 81-under-.500 historical past is perhaps slightly hazy. So permit me to fill you in.
The ’62 Mets? Sorry. By no means bought to 81 beneath.
The 2003 Tigers? Sorry. They by no means made it both.
Each of these groups bought to 80 beneath. However it takes a really particular group to sink under 80 video games beneath the ocean. So let’s salute these White Sox as a result of they’re a kind of extraordinary groups that took a mistaken flip and simply saved going.
And who’re these extraordinary groups? Right here they arrive — the one groups in American League/Nationwide League/Nineteenth-century American Affiliation historical past that ever bought to 81 beneath or worse (in chronological order):
Whitey Witt’s 1916 A’s — Fell to 81 beneath at 33-114, similar to these White Sox, besides it wasn’t till Sept. 27 they usually had solely six video games left within the season … however they someway gained three of them! (Remaining file: 36-117.)
Harry Colliflower’s 1899 Spiders — There’s a purpose the Spiders are the poster boys for single-season futility, you understand. They plummeted to 81 beneath on Aug. 31 (at 19-100). They nonetheless had 35 video games to play … they usually misplaced 34 of them! (Remaining file: 20-134.)
Kirtley Baker’s 1890 Alleghenys — As soon as upon a time, earlier than the Spiders, these guys have been the usual for Nineteenth-century ineptitude. They descended to 81 beneath on Sept. 16 (at 21-102). They’d 14 video games remaining … and gained two! (Remaining file: 23-113, plus two ties.)
Toad Ramsey’s 1889 Colonels — The worst group within the American Affiliation’s superb historical past, the Colonels tumbled to 81 beneath at 26-107. Fortuitously, it was Oct. 8, so that they had solely 5 video games left … and gained one! (Remaining file: 27-111.)
And that’s the entire 81-Below Membership. However in case you have been paying consideration (in case we spring an end-of-season 2024 White Sox quiz on you), you may need seen one thing. Solely as soon as, in almost a century and a half of major-league historical past, had any group woke up this early in September and located itself 81 video games beneath .500 or worse. And it was … these 1899 Spiders, due to course it was!
But now the Spiders have firm, in these 2024 White Sox? What a time to be alive.
GO DEEPER
White Sox may break file for losses. How ought to the 1962 Mets really feel about it?
Wednesday’s loss to the Guardians dropped the White Sox to 1-27 of their previous 28 video games at dwelling. (Kamil Krzaczynski / Imagn Pictures)
However in the meantime, in different essential White Sox information …
They will’t go dwelling once more! For the reason that second recreation of their July 10 doubleheader with Minnesota, the White Sox are 1-27 once they play baseball of their dwelling park. One and 27! In line with Baseball Reference, just one different group within the trendy period has ever had a 1-27 stretch at dwelling (or worse). And it was these 1916 A’s (additionally 1-27, in a messy 28-game span in July and August).
So which means, simply since that recreation in opposition to the Twins on July 10, 9 groups have extra wins at Assured Fee Discipline than the group that performs half its season on that discipline. There can be extra groups, in fact, however solely 9 have been allowed to play there by the schedule-makers of America.
Second to none! This appears inconceivable, however the White Sox are actually 6-43 within the second half. Six and 43! Does this appear unhealthy? How about traditionally unhealthy. For the reason that invention of All-Star breaks, the fewest video games any group has gained within the second half of a non-strike season is 15, by Orie Arntzen’s 1943 A’s (15-61). I’m beginning to assume the White Sox aren’t going to catch them.
Late starters! In a associated improvement, White Sox starters are actually 2-30 within the second half. Two and 30! The file for the worst second-half successful proportion by any rotation is .167 (7-35), by Paolo Espino’s 2022 Nationals. I’m beginning to assume the White Sox won’t catch that group, both.
Nobody will prevent! On these sporadic events when the White Sox take a lead, they’ve been identified to name on their bullpen to guard it. Right here’s how that’s gone:
After they convey of their relievers in save conditions, their bullpen’s file is now 3-17. Three and 17! Plus a 7.79 ERA, 31 blown saves and (someway) extra dwelling runs allowed (26) than saves transformed (18).
I rumbled by the Baseball Reference recordsdata for method too lengthy. What number of different groups might I discover, for the reason that daybreak of the fashionable save rule in 1969, with extra gopherballs than saves in these conditions? That might be none!
I might preserve going right here for hours. However do you know …
• This White Sox group hasn’t began a pitcher with a successful file in over a month? Not even some opener who was 1-0. It’s 36 video games in a row now, the fourth-longest streak in franchise historical past.
• The White Sox have now misplaced their first recreation of each month – April, Could, June, July, August and September? Can’t beat that sort of consistency.
• It’s Sept. 13 … and the White Sox have gained 33 video games! You realize when the Guardians gained their thirty third recreation? How about Could 22! That’s three and a half freaking months (and 111 days) in the past!
• And eventually, is it too late to want a contented a hundred and fifth birthday to Loyola of Chicago icon Sister Jean? As a buddy of mine jogged my memory on Sister Jean’s birthday final month, she’s been gracing our planet for greater than a century now. And she or he has seen the White Sox win a postseason collection in precisely a kind of 105 years (2005, clearly). I’m beginning to assume the possibilities of her seeing one other collection win this October aren’t good.
GO DEEPER
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GO DEEPER
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(Prime picture of Luis Robert Jr.: Matt Krohn / Related Press)