I guess I really know how to pick ’em, but how can I blame the 8-year-old child that fell in love with the Chicago White Sox 65-years ago in 1959. However, the 2024 version now needs to go 12-19 the remainder of the season to avoid tying the 1962 New York Mets (40-120-1) for the modern major league record for most losses in a season. They currently stand at an embarrassing 31-100 (.236). Thankfully, they will fall short of the all-time record held by the Cleveland Spiders, who finished 20-134 (.129) in 1899. History tells us just how bad this team has been after already losing their 100th game of this season at the hands of the Detroit Tigers. Only the 1916 Philadelphia A’s, who were 29-100-1 (.223), reached 100 losses in fewer games than the White Sox. 

My stinking Sox have lost 100 or more games six times in franchise history and now in consecutive seasons for the first time. They went 61-101 last season under manager Pedro Grifol, who was fired Aug. 8. They are currently 3-11 under interim replacement Grady Sizemore. Their worst losing season was in 1970 when they lost 106-games, soon to be surpassed. You then have to go back to 1932 to find a worst winning percentage with the 49-102-1 (.325) club.

I understand that there is a Bill Veeck-like promotion where the first five people in line will make the starting lineup in an upcoming White Sox game. Veeck did things like this to attract crowds back in the day (See Post #257). Speaking of this, I was finally able to see a Savannah Bananas game in its entirety thanks to TruTV. I’ve obviously seen highlights of this spectacle that I liken to the Harlem Globetrotter shenanigans of my childhood. The closest thing in person that I’ve seen are the Portland Pickles, who play a serious brand of baseball but engage in extensive crowd antics. This is what attracts the crowds to the Minor League parks these days.

On a more serious note, my current favorite active MLB player, outside of Kyle Schwarber, is Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers, even though I can’t say that the Dodgers are my favorite team. Japanese-star, Ohtani, has joined the elite 40-40 club, a group of batters, currently six, who have collected 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a single season. There are still 31-games to go before the playoffs and Ohtani has done it in the fewest number of games. The club also includes Jose Conseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Alphonso Soriano, and Ronald Acuna, Jr.

Last but not least, Florida won it first-ever Little League World Series. The team from Lake Mary “needed to win four elimination games and come from behind in both the semi-finals and finals to secure the championship, but thanks to a perfect bunt and a defensive miscue, they won it all.” They beat Chinese Taipei 2-1 in Williamsport. These are some future stars that the White Sox desperately need.