Editor’s note: This is a weird and wild short film. To read this week’s complete Weird & Wild column, go here.
For weeks, and let’s be honest, months, we’ve spent far too much of our precious time making very important observations about the 2024 White Sox and Casey Stengel’s legendary unlucky 1962 Mets. comparison. But now we know: this is actually the wrong combination.
These White Sox teams (current record: 33-114) need a miracle to beat the ’62 Mets (40-120). So it’s time to do something I never thought would happen: It’s time to turn our attention to those even more legendary 1899 Cleveland Spiders (attractive final record: 20-134).
On Thursday morning, as the reality of this crazy little number hit me, I suddenly realized this exciting fact:
81 games under .500!
As someone who has long documented weird and wild things, I’ve seen a lot of stuff. But as I stared at the standings, I thought to myself: Have I seen it? Have I ever seen a team finish 81 games under .500?
The truth is this: no. I have. no. Neither do you, unless you’re 108 years old. Even if you do turn 108, your memory of your previous 81-under-.500 history may be a little hazy. So please allow me to tell you.
The ’62 Mets? sorry. Never got to 81 under.
The 2003 Tigers? sorry. They didn’t succeed either.
Both teams shot 80-under. But it takes a truly special team to sink 80 games into the ocean. So let’s salute the White Sox because they are one of those extraordinary teams that went in the wrong direction but kept going.
Who are those extraordinary teams? Here they come — the only team in American League/National League/19th-century American Association history to finish at 81 under or worse (in chronological order):
Whitey Witt Class A 1916— Falling to 81 under at 33-114, just like these White Sox, except they only have six games left in the season until September 27th… But they somehow won three of them! (Final record: 36-117.)
Harry Colliflower’s 1899 Spider— You know, there’s a reason the Spiders are the poster child for single-season futility. On August 31, their score plummeted to 81 under par (19-100). They still have 35 games to play… They lost 34! (Final record: 20-134.)
Kirtley Baker’s 1890 Allegheny— Once upon a time, before Spider-Man, these people were the 19th century standard of incompetence. On September 16, they dropped to 81 under (21-102). They have 14 games left…and have won two! (Final record: 23-113, plus two ties.)
Toad Ramsay’s 1889 Colonel— The worst team in the American Association’s illustrious history, the Colonels fell to 81 under with a 26-107 record. Luckily, it’s October 8th, so they only have five games left…and one win! (Final record: 27-111.)
That’s the whole under-81 club. But if you’re paying attention (in case we give you a 2024 White Sox end-of-season quiz), you might notice something. Only once in the major leagues’ nearly century-and-a-half history has a team woke up in early September and found themselves 81 games below .500 or worse. It’s… one of those 1899 spiders, because of course it is!
But now the Spiders have company, the 2024 White Sox? What a wonderful time to be alive.
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The White Sox could break their losing record. How did the Mets feel about this in 1962?
Wednesday’s loss to the Guardians moved the White Sox to 1-27 in their past 28 home games. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)
But in the meantime, other important White Sox news…
They can’t go home again! The White Sox are 1-27 when playing baseball at home since the second game of a doubleheader with Minnesota on July 10. One and twenty-seven! According to Baseball Reference, only one team in the modern era has ever gone 1-27 (or worse) at home. This was the A’s in 1916 (also 1-27, in a chaotic 28 games in July and August).
This means that right after that game against the Twins on July 10th, Nine Teams win more games at guaranteed ballparks than teams that play half a season at that ballpark. Of course, there will be more teams, but U.S. schedule makers only allow nine teams to play there.
Second to none! It seems impossible, but the White Sox are now 6-43 in the second half. Six and forty-three! Does this look bad? What about the bad things in history? Since the invention of the All-Star Game, the fewest games any team has won in the second half of a non-strike season is 15, accomplished by Orie Arntzen’s 1943 A’s (15-61). I’m starting to think the White Sox aren’t going to catch them.
A late start! On a related note, White Sox starters are now 2-30 in the second half. Two and thirty! The worst winning percentage record in the second half of any rotation is .167 (7-35), set by Paolo Espino’s 2022 Nationals. I’m starting to think the White Sox might not be able to catch that team either.
No one will save you! When the White Sox occasionally took a lead, they would call the bullpen to protect the lead. How this goes away:
Their bullpen record is now 3-17 when they bring in relievers to make the save. Three and seventeen! Add to that a 7.79 ERA, 31 blown saves and (somehow) allowing more home runs (26) than converted saves (18).
I spent way too long looking through the Baseball Reference files. Since the advent of the modern save rule in 1969, how many other teams can I find that have more saves than saves in this situation? Then no more!
I could stay here for hours. But you know what…
• This White Sox team has gone more than a month without a starting pitcher with a winning record? Not even some 1-0 openers. It’s now 36 games in a row, the fourth-longest streak in franchise history.
• The White Sox have now lost their first game every Months – April, May, June, July, August and September? This consistency can’t be beat.
• It’s September 13th… The White Sox won 33 games! Do you know when the Guardians won Game 33? How about May 22nd! That was three and a half months (111 days) ago!
• Finally, is it not too late to wish Chicago icon Sister Jean a happy 105th birthday at Loyola? As a friend of mine reminded me on Sister Joan’s birthday last month, she has been gracing our planet for more than a century. She saw the White Sox win a playoff series Exactly one of those 105 years (Obviously 2005). I’m starting to think her chances of seeing another series win this October are slim.
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(Above photo of Louis Robert Jr.: Matt Crohn/AP)
