Editor’s note: This is a Weird and Wild short. To read this week’s full Weird and Wild column, go here.
For weeks, months to be honest, we spent way too much valuable time making all-important comparisons between the 2024 White Sox and Casey Stengel’s legendarily hapless 1962 Mets. But now we know: that was actually the wrong comp.
These White Sox (current record: 33-114) would 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 Cleveland Spiders of 1899 (attractive final record: 20-134).
I came to that stunning realization Thursday morning, as the reality of this crazy number became clear:
81 games under .500!!!
As an old chronicler of all things weird and wild, I’ve seen a lot of things. But I thought to myself as I stared at the leaderboard: Have I ever seen THAT? Have I ever seen a team that fell below .500 for 81 crazy games?
Here’s the truth: No. I have. Not. And neither should you, unless you’re 108 years old. And even if you are indeed 108 years old, your memory of the previous 81-under-.500 history may be a bit hazy. So allow me to complement you.
The ’62 Mets? Sorry. I’ve never gotten below 81.
The Tigers of 2003? Sorry. They never made it either.
Both teams reached 80 under. But it takes a truly special group to sink under the sea in less than 80 games. So let’s salute these White Sox, because they are one of those extraordinary teams that took a wrong turn and just kept going.
And who are these special teams? Here they come – the only teams in American League/National League/19th century American Association history to ever score below 81 or worse (in chronological order):
Whitey Witt’s 1916 A’s – Fell to 81 under at 33-114, just like these White Sox, except it was only September 27th and they only had six games left in the season… but somehow they won three! (Final record: 36-117.)
Harry Colliflower’s spiders from 1899 – There’s a reason why the Spiders are the poster boys for the futility of one season, you know. They plummeted to 81 under on August 31 (at 19-100). They still had 35 games to play… and they lost 34! (Final record: 20-134.)
Alleghenys from 1890 by Kirtley Baker – Once upon a time, before the Spiders, these guys were the standard for 19th century ineptitude. They fell to 81 under on September 16 (at 21-102). They had 14 games left… and won two! (Final record: 23-113, plus two ties.)
Toad Ramsey’s Colonels from 1889 – The worst team in the glorious history of the American Association, the Colonels, fell to 81 under at 26-107. Luckily it was October 8th, so they only had five games left… and won one! (Final record: 27-111.)
And that’s the entire Club of 81 Under. But if you’ve been paying attention (just in case we release a White Sox quiz on you at the end of the 2024 season), you might have noticed something. Only once, in nearly a century and a half of Major League history, had a team woken up this early in September and played 81 games under .500 or worse. And it was… those spiders from 1899, because of course it was!
But now the Spiders have company, in these 2024 White Sox? What a time to be alive.
GO DEEPER
White Sox could break losing record. How should the 1962 Mets feel about this?
With Wednesday’s loss to the Guardians, the White Sox fell to 1-27 in their past 28 home games. (Kamil Krzaczynski / Imagn images)
But in the meantime, in other important White Sox news…
They can’t go home anymore! Since the second game of their July 10 doubleheader against Minnesota, the White Sox are 1-27 when playing baseball at their home park. One and 27! According to Baseball Reference, only one other team in the modern era has ever had a 1-27 stretch at home (or worse). And it was those 1916 A’s (also 1-27, in a messy 28-game stretch in July and August).
So that means that, just since that game against the Twins on July 10, nine teams have more wins on the guaranteed rate field than the team that plays half the season on that field. There would of course be more teams, but only nine of them have allowed America’s schedule makers to play there.
Unparalleled! This seems impossible, but the White Sox are now 6-43 in the second half. Six and 43! Does this seem bad? How about historically bad. Since the invention of All-Star breaks, the fewest number of games a team has won in the second half of a non-strike season is 15, according to Orie Arntzen’s 1943 A’s (15-61). I’m starting to think the White Sox aren’t going to catch them.
Late starters! In a related development, the White Sox starters are now 2-30 in the second half. Two and 30! The record for worst second-half winning percentage by any rotation is .167 (7-35), according to Paolo Espino’s 2022 Nationals. I’m starting to think the White Sox might not get that group either.
No one will save you! On those sporadic occasions when the White Sox take a lead, they have been known to rely on their bullpen to protect it. Here’s how that went:
When they use their relievers in safe situations, their bullpen’s record now stands at 3-17. Three and 17! Plus a 7.79 ERA, 31 failed saves and (somehow) more home runs allowed (26) than converted saves (18).
I’ve spent far too long rummaging through the Baseball Reference files. Since the inception of the modern save rule in 1969, how many other teams could I find with more gopher balls than saves in those situations? That would be none!
I could go on for hours here. But did you know…
• This White Sox team hasn’t started a pitcher with a winning record in over a month? Not even an opener that was 1-0. It’s now 36 games in a row, the fourth-longest streak in franchise history.
• The White Sox have now lost their first game each month – April, May, June, July, August and September? That kind of consistency can’t be beat.
• It’s September 13… and the White Sox have won 33 games! Do you know when the Guardians won their 33rd game? How about May 22nd! That’s three and a half months (and 111 days) ago!
• And finally, is it too late to wish Sister Jean, Loyola’s Chicago icon, a happy 105th birthday? As a friend of mine reminded me last month on Sister Jean’s birthday, she has graced our planet for more than a century now. And she’s seen the White Sox win a postseason series in exactly one of those 105 years (2005, obviously). I’m starting to think the odds of her winning another series in October aren’t good.
GO DEEPER
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(Top photo of Luis Robert Jr.: Matt Krohn / Associated Press)