#Chisox

[baseballsisco]

Well New York Mets fans, you can be glad that your 1962 Metropolitans no longer have the most season losses. That distinction is now held by the 2024 Chicago White Sox who now have lost 121 games with two games to go. Can they lose two more games? We'll have to wait and see.

[the-mighty-rio-grande]

MIKE TAUCHMAN COME BACK

[baseballfaxmachine]

one thing bout the 2024 red sox they WILL be at 500 dammit

[strawberryblondebutch]

Your explanation of Toronto’s problems reminds me of the White Sox maybe last season (2023)? Or could’ve been 2022 but I remember it made headlines that the Sox were the team with the least consistent starting lineup, as in we rarely got the same lineup. I think it was like out of over 100 games (this was news before the season was over) there were like 90-100 different batting lineups - and not by batting order, literally kept swapping out players and shit. Obviously they have much deeper problems than just that but i do think that (and the apparent clubhouse problems) contributed to their lack of chemistry and horrific performance

Something that Phillies fans rag on Rob Thomson for, which I think is overblown, is his willingness to let players grind out slumps. He’s very slow to bench players and typically only does so when he thinks they’re going through something mentally and need a reset. What impatient fans don’t get is that baseball is, more than any other sport, one of routine. It’s the only professional sport where you’re playing every single day for six months out of the year. A lot of players don’t do well with sudden upheaval. Before last year, Nick Castellanos’s two worst seasons were the years he didn’t have a normal spring training (2020 with Covid and 2022 with the lockout). Every so often we try to give Zack Wheeler another day of rest between starts for his benefit and then he forgets how to pitch, because he runs on a five-day cycle.

Now, that inability to find a rhythm is bad, but the White Sox’ biggest problem is the same as the Detroit Pistons last season: they’re all busts in the crab bucket together. A team that tries to tank by only playing young, cheap players will luck into a few wins while their roster still has hope — look at the A’s! They were scrappy! But the ChiSox clubhouse bred a particular brand of misanthropic apathy that killed whatever hope they might have had. The only players who gave a shit were the ones performing for a chance to get out — Crochet this year and Cease before him. It’s no coincidence that Robert’s best stretch was in the two weeks where it looked like he might be traded to a contender. Once the deadline passed and he realized he was stuck on the Southside, his bat dropped below the Mendoza line.

[marner-hugs]

Jokes about him going to the ChiSox

[stratverse]

4/6/13: ChiSox Win Back-and-Forth Affair

SEA: 100 040 000 // 5-8-1 (LoB: 6) CWS: 200 002 02x // 6-10-0 (LoB: 7)

WP: Veal (1-0); LP: Capps (0-1); S: Reed (2) HR: Morales (off Axelrod; 2 on)

The White Sox rallied for 2 runs off of reliever Carter Capps in the 8th inning and closer Addison Reed escaped from a 2-on, 1-out situation in the 9th to give the White Sox a 6-5 victory over the Mariners. The game see-sawed, not only in the scoring, but also alternating between 1st inning offense, followed by a pitching duel, and then some late inning fireworks. The pitchers combined for a total of 24 strikeouts in the game, though in the end, this was overrun by the sporadic offense - which included 1 home run and 6 double (5 for the White Sox).

The Ms started the scoring in the top of the 1st, with back-to-back-to-back 1-out singles giving them a 1-0 lead; back-to-back strikeouts ended that threat with runners on the corners. The White Sox responded immediately, getting a lead off double, RBI single, and double to tie the game before Félix Hernández had even recorded an out. Like Axelrod, Hernández settled down, getting 3 straight outs after that, though one was a sacrifice fly that made the score 2-1. Both pitchers settled down after the initial hit barrage. Axelrod retired 10 straight, and only allowed a single walk through the 4th. Trouble hit him hard in the 5th, with 4 straight runners reaching, including a RBI single to tie the game and then a Kendry Morales 3-run home run to give the Mariners a 5-2 lead. Hernández, meanwhile, retired 9 straight and allowed only a single walk through the 5th. However, he ran into trouble in the 6th, this time allowing back-to-back-to-back-to-back no-out hits, resulting in 2 runs that cut the deficit to 5-4 and again put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs; this time, though, he he retired 3 straight batters to end the threat there. Hernández came out again for the 7th inning, but after a walk and an error by the pitcher himself, he was pulled. Reliever Charlie Furbush came in and immediately walked a batter to load the bases with no outs; Dewayne Wise subsequently lifted a fly to center field for the first out of the inning, and Michael Saunders fired a throw home that nailed a tagging Héctor Giménez at the plate for the second out. The White Sox reloaded the bases on another walk, but a ground out ended the inning with the bases loaded and a massive wasted opportunity. The White Sox struck gold in the 8th though, as Capps was unable to maintain the lead, with Alexei Ramírez getting a RBI single to tie the game, and Gordon Beckham knocking a 2-out RBI double to give them the 6-5 lead. Addison Reed allowed a 1-out double and subsequent walk to make things interesting, but got 2 straight outs to end the game.

(Strat notes: Truly a back-and-forth affair, mixing offense - death by singles/doubles - with a pitching duel with more offense. Morales had a home run, the ChiSox had 5 doubles - 2 by De Aza; the teams combined for 24 strike outs - 9 by Hernández, 2 by Capps, 8 by Axelrod, and 5 by Veal [5 of his 6 outs were via the K]. Every batter except for Kyle Seager, Jason Bay [who only had 1 plate appearance as a pinch hitter], and Gordon Beckham had at least 1 strikeout; Raúl Ibañez and Héctor Giménez each had 3.

The Mariners actually started Mike Morse in this game, but as he came in 0-20, I started Franklin Gutiérrez in his stead; Morales came in 1-16, but he had 2 hits, including the home run, today. The ChiSox had a planned off day for Viciedo [1-12], so that helped, and Alex Ríos, who came in 1-15, also had 2 hits today.)

Chicago 4-1; Seattle 3-3 Next game in replay: BOS (Lackey, 0-0) @ TOR (Happ, 0-0)

[theultimatefan]

This Year’s White Sox Fall to ‘62 Mets In Strat-O-Matic ‘Worst Team Ever’ Simulation

A current 21-game losing streak has put this year’s Chicago White Sox (27-88, .235 winning percentage through Monday) on a pace for an even poorer record than the famed 1962 New York Mets, who at 40-120 (.250) are acknowledged by many as the worst team in modern Major League Baseball history. So how would the 2024 ChiSox fare against Marvelous Marv Throneberry, Felix Mantilla and the rest of Casey Stengel’s expansion Amazins?

Strat-O-Matic (@strat-o-matic), the market leader in sports simulation games, decided to put that to the test today, simulating a seven-game series between the two lowly squads. And the battle came down to Game 7, where Jay Hook pitched a complete game and Sammy Taylor hit a grand slam in the fourth inning for a 7-5 Mets win.

The 2024 White Sox, further depleted by trade deadline deals that sent away Michael Kopech, Tommy Pham, Eloy Jimenez, Tanner Banks and Paul DeJong, all starters or key "contributors," are on a pace to finish 38-124 based on their record to date. But Strat-O-Matic also decided to simulate the rest of this season with their current roster, and has the final record tabbed at 41-121.

In the ‘62 Mets series simulation, Chicago pitching, which has recorded an A.L.-worst 4.88 ERA, allowing the most walks (451), second most home runs (147) and fourth most hits (977) in actual MLB play to date, permitted 60 runs in the seven games for a 7.28 ERA that included 13 home runs and 41 walks. The ChiSox’s top hitter against New York was Luis Robert Jr., who hit .448 with two home runs and four RBI. Andrew Benintendi checked in at .316 with a home run and six RBI in the series.

Chicago won the first two games of the series and led, three games to two, but lost, 18-3 and 7-5 in the last two contests in New York.

Game 1

Chicago....... 2 0 1  1 2 0  0 0 0  1 -  7 14  2

New York...... 0 1 0  4 0 0  0 1 0  0 -  6  9  1

WP: Ellard; LP: Daviault; SV: Kuhl

HR: Robert Jr., Vaughn, Thomas

Game 2

Chicago....... 0 0 2  0 0 1  0 5 0  -  8 11  1

New York...... 0 1 3  0 0 0  0 2 0  -  6  8  0

WP: Anderson; LP: Jackson; SV: Kuhl

HR: Vargas, Mantilla, Thomas 2, Hickman

Game 3

New York...... 0 0 1  0 0 0  0 4 0  1 -  6 11  2

Chicago....... 0 0 0  0 1 2  0 2 0  0 -  5  8  0

WP: Mackenzie; LP: Brebbia

HR: Fletcher

Game 4

New York...... 1 0 0  0 3 1  2 0 0  -  7  9  3

Chicago....... 0 0 0  0 0 1  0 0 2  -  3  7  2

WP: Miller; LP: Martin

HR: Mantilla

Game 5

New York...... 0 7 0  0 0 0  1 0 2  - 10 12  0

Chicago....... 2 0 0  6 0 0  3 4    - 15 14  2

WP: Shuster; LP: Mackenzie

HR: Hodges, Robert Jr., Sosa

Game 6

Chicago....... 0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 3  -  3  7  0

New York...... 0 0 6  1 0 1  010    - 18 17  2

WP: Jackson; LP: Flexen

HR: Vaughn, Mantilla 2, Thomas 2, Throneberry

Game 7

Chicago....... 3 0 0  1 0 1  0 0 0  -  5  7  1

New York...... 0 1 1  4 0 0  1 0    -  7  8  2

WP: Hook; LP: Cannon

HR: Benintendi, Lee, Taylor

[jdubqca]

rain delay

` RAIN DELAY #poem #poetry #blogging #baseball - - - >

let’s break it up boys and so the huddle at the mound gives way to an impending fastball the home plate umpire calls it a strike —he’s a regular douchebag the stadium is jam-packed copping a buzz on bud light & goose island the chisox are back on top taking on the loveable losers in comiskey there’s a good chance of rain but there’s nary an umbrella in sight this place doesn’t have a…

[baseballsisco]

Happy Thursday peeps!!! Here is my MLB Immaculate Grid number 374!!!

This has to be the most random grid I've put together. There really is no rhyme or reason to it aside from Wade Boggs having pitched at least one game and a 40+ WAR for his career. After that (and Nolan Ryan as Houston's 40+ WAR Career) I really had to dig deep in the baseball card box to find the other seven players.

I rememebered working in the bar for that game that Reyes pitched for the Mets. It was something like a 20 point deficit when he took the mound. How I rememberd that Josh Harrison pitched at least once for the White Sox? I have no clue. I just did.

Evan Longoria for a 40+ career WAR got Tampa was a no brainer. He was their franchise player for many years. Mannywood dropped significantly ending up with Tampa Bay, the Chisox and Taiwan before hanging up the cleats. Joey Bats was also a former shell of himself playing in Tampa Bay and the Mets after leaving Toronto.

Mike Scott and the Mets had quite the history. Going back to when Scott made life a living hell for the 1986 Mets. They were convinced that he was scuffing the ball against them, collecting multiple buckets of game used balls to catch him. And they couldn't. Scott from almost single handedly derailed the hopes of the 108-win Mets. Aside from winning the 1986 NL Cy Young Award, Scott went 2-0 against the Mets in the NLCS with a 0.50 ERA, 2 complete games and 1 shutout. In total he gave up 8 hits, struck out 19 Mets while walking only 1. He was so good that he became the first player to win the NLCS MVP on a losing team. Any guess who was the second player to win the NLCS MVP for the losing team? Take a guess in the comments section.

Well, I'll leave you for now. On to grid number 375!!!

[the-mighty-rio-grande]

i love when the chisox instagram posts their wins it's like a parent cheering for their toddler when they take like two steps on their own

[coolthingsguyslike]

[strawberryblondebutch]

What do you know about this Garrett Crochet character the red sox signed

Quite a bit! My parents got a (literal) front row seat to watch several of his starts this year, given how bad the White Sox were. The Phillies were in the mix for him, but I never wanted him — not because he’s bad, but because I feel comfortable saying we already have the best rotation in baseball, and if we’re going to sell the farm, why would we get another starter and not a right-handed outfielder?

Crochet is one of those guys where you have to do something I hate, which is look at his hypothetical stats. 99% of the time I hate a “look at the xERA” bitch because baseball is played on the field, not on spreadsheets. However, his middling stats (6–12, 3.58 ERA) fail to take into account that he was on the worst team in all of baseball since the 1899 Cleveland Spiders.

Pros about Crochet:

He has the best fastball in baseball. Yes, even better than much-lauded Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes. The most impressive part about this is that his fastball got BETTER when he became a full-time starter, whereas you almost always lose the juice when a guy goes from the pen to the rotation.

He gets strikeouts. Lots of them. Which, if you have a subpar infield defense, comes as a major relief. Groundball pitchers have their place, but on teams like the Cubs, where you don’t hold your breath every time something bounces up the middle.

He has four pitches: a four-seam, a sweeper, a cutter, and a sinker. I’m a firm believer that a true ace has at least four pitches. Relievers can get away with fewer, but there will be days that one of your pitches just isn’t firing. When that happens, you need backup options. Spencer Strider would periodically get rocked (pre-TJ) because he needed his fastball to sit 97 and his slider to break at least two feet if he wanted to get anywhere. Zack Wheeler has six strikeout pitches, and if he feels one isn’t working during warmups, he tells JT and they work around it.

He’s part of the long-term future. One of the reasons Crochet was so expensive on the trade market is because he has two more years of control before hitting free agency, and he said he wanted an extension with whoever got him from the ChiSox. Considering how much the Yankees gave up for 22, who ended up being a rental, control is great.

Surely this all seems too good to be true! And it… kind of is, because he has one major risk: injury history. He missed the entire 2022 season while recovering from TJ surgery, and he missed parts of 2023 with elbow and shoulder issues. This season he tossed a respectable 143 innings and made all 32 of his starts. But he never threw more than seven innings in a start, and after June? Never went more than four innings. Yeah, four.

So — you got a legitimate flamethrowing ace, with the durability problems that these types usually come with. His closest comparable is probably Glasnow, a guy who’s electric when he plays… you just have to hope he isn’t on the IL when it matters.

[anthrofreshtodeath]

TA with the Jeter!

[soxjanitor]

RIP Sox Baseball on WGN

Nobody:

Literally no one:

WGN: 

Ah, yes, the sports theme song of my youth. When I was a lad in my late teens my favourite TV broadcast by far was White Sox baseball on, then, Superstation WGN (channel 60 on Buckeye Cable). I saw this was uploaded a while back and it was an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia. Spending weekends during school and weeknights in the summer drinking CocaCoca: C2 (remember that?) in my room, listen to Ken “Hawk” Harrelson calling games before he went senile, the basic but useful black, orange, and white score bug.

Today’s game between the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox from Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago will be the last White Sox game on WGN America. No more. It's over. In 1948 CE the White Sox and WGN agreed on a TV broadcast deal, just two days after WGN signed a TV deal with the Cubs. In 1948 WGN would broadcast all 21-night games at then Comiskey Park. a 72-year-old relationship is officially over.

If you’ve read my past post  Why Am I A White Sox Fan? You’ll know that I’m not a native Chicagoan, I don’t live in Chicago, or even in the Chicago sports market. I grew up, and still live, in the Toledo suburbs. The Sox being on WGN was one of my few chances to watch the games back then. I live in the heart of Tigers; and Indians’ territory, so luckily I got to see the Sox when they played those teams on the local FSN affiliates. And during the World Series year of 2005, and a few years after when they were still a relevant team, on national broadcasts on ESPN or FOX.

But the nice thing about WGN was that those games were the White Sox feed. Hawk Harrelson doing play-by-play with colour commentator (no pun intended “DJ” Darren Jackson, and then in 2009 Steve Stone. It was actually kind of something I was smarmy about back then too. Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, Giants, Mets, etc fans never got THEIR home broadcast nationally (*ESPN bias joke*). The only real downside was when WGN games were against the Indians and Tigers because well, I got to see those games anyway and to me, it felt like a waste. But alas.

WGN mostly aired Cubs games, which makes sense since WGN was owned by the Tribune Company. The Tribune also owned the Cubs. So naturally, their cash cow subsidiary they owned would get 75% of the broadcasts on their channel. It honestly didn’t bother me. Even back then when the Sox were pretty much my whole life I didn’t need to watch every Sox game. A few years down the road I would order MLB.TV and watching every Sox game, even when they usually had winning records was kind of a chore. People who watch most of the 162 game schedule are champs. I simply cannot do it.

Buy anywho as the Sox got shittier and shittier they appeared less, and less on FOX, ESPN, and TBS national broadcasts. And as I started going to University and working 5 nights a week at a local pizza chain I got to watch baseball less and less. Catching the Sox once a week or every 10 days or so dwindled down to catching the last few innings of a game in Oakland, Seattle, or Anaheim after I got off work or going to my dads and watching the Sunday baseball game on WGN, sometimes being the Cubs. 

After the 2014 season, WGN America (the rebranded name of Superstation WGN starting in 2008) pulled all sports broadcasts (Cubs and Bulls too) off of the national broadcast and only aired them in Chicago. The past few years my viewership of Sox baseball is down to the Indians and Tigers games when they’re on TV when I’m not working (which is comically rare), against the Reds now every 3 years, or rando ESPN, FOX, TBS national broadcasts, which are also comically rare considering the Sox haven’t had a winning record since 2012 (LOL!).

Even though I haven’t enjoyed a Sox game on WGN in five seasons, I just want to thank WGN and the Tribune Co. for giving me a taste of Chicago even though I lived 250 miles east, and two states over. The Sox were such a big part of my life when I was younger, and it's sad to see an era come to an end.