Following last night’s loss to the Red Sox, the White Sox now have 111 loses. just nine away from the modern record set by the expansion Mets in 1962. They would have to go 11-8 over their remaining 19 games to avoid tying the record. They have won eleven games since June 22.
Category / Baseball
Keeping It 100
With a week left to go in August, the White Sox dropped their 100th game this afternoon, losing to the Tigers 9-4. They are now just the fourth team, and the third in modern history, to lose their 100th game prior to September 1st. They are also just 20 losses away from tying the modern single season record with 31 games to play. 2004 is just the sixth 100-loss season in franchise history, but the third in the last seven years.
Your Latest Crosstown Pitching Leaders
Two months back, the 2024 Crosstown Cup series kicked off at Wrigley Field with the Cubs sweeping the two-game set as part of the first record-setting losing streak the White Sox posted this season. With round two scheduled to get under way tonight across town at Guaranteed Rate Field, we look at the pitching leaders from the 90 contests I’ve attended in the annual match-up between the White Sox and the Cubs, starting with:
Wins
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Carlos Zambrano | 4 |
| Jon Lester | 4 |
| Mark Buehrle | 3 |
| Jon Lieber | 3 |
| 15 tied with | 2 |
Losses
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Kyle Hendricks | 5 |
| Carlos Zambrano | 3 |
| Mark Buehrle | 3 |
| Jon Garland | 3 |
| Jose Contreras | 3 |
ERA (> 9 IP)
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Matt Thornton | 0.00 |
| Glendon Rusch | 0.00 |
| Reynaldo Lopez | 0.00 |
| Chris Sale | 0.56 |
| Ivan Nova | 0.84 |
Strikeouts
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Carlos Zambrano | 46 |
| Kyle Hendricks | 41 |
| Continue reading → |
It’s Over
The White Sox showed some mercy this morning, relieving manager Pedro Grifol of his job and relieving the fanbase of continuing to have to watch him poorly do his job. He finishes his managerial career with a record of 89-190, easily the worst in franchise history and the third worst in Major League Baseball history. He shepherded the team through two franchise-record losing streaks in this season alone, tying the American League record for the longest losing streak just this week.
Personally, I was ready to turn the page on Grifol back on April 8th, when the White Sox found themselves in Cleveland the same day that path of totality of a solar eclipse would pass over Progressive Field. “I’ll see videos of it, see what it looks like,” Grifol had said, “but there’s baseball. I probably shouldn’t say that, [but] family and baseball. People don’t believe it, but I live it. That’s all that matters.” That lack of intellectual curiosity, to have any interests outside of your job and your family, makes you, in my opinion, a poor leader. To look past a team building exercise that was handed to him on a silver platter was, to me, inexcusable and helps explain the two weeks-long losing streaks the team suffered. When the baseball went south, he had nothing else to work with to try and pull the team out of their skids.
Bench coach Charlie Montoyo, third base coach Eddie Rodriguez, and assistant hitting coach Mike Tosar have also been relieved of their duties. Grady Sizemore, who was on the staff with the ambiguous title of “major league coach” will be the interim manager for the remainder of 2024 and will be handing over the lineup card prior to tomorrow night’s game against the Cubs. Doug Sisson will join the staff as bench coach, Triple A manager Justin Jirschele takes over as third base coach, and Mike Gellinger will finish out the year as the assistant hitting coach.
Not Feeling 22
For the first time since July 10, the Chicago White Sox have won a baseball game, defeating the A’s last night 5-1. The victory snapped their American League record-tying 21 game losing streak. Hallelujah.
21 Is The Loneliest Number
Following last night’s 5-1 loss to the A’s, the White Sox have now tied the 1988 Orioles for the longest losing streak in American League history with 21 losses. Only five teams in the history of Major League Baseball have lost more than 21 games in a row and only one of those streaks, by the 1961 Phillies, have come in the modern era.
197 pitchers have notched a win in the 26 days since a White Sox pitcher last won a game. In the history of Major League Baseball, only seven franchises have had a stretch worse than the season record of the 2024 White Sox, who will try to get back on track tonight against the A’s.
How Do You Lose 20 Games In A Row?
The White Sox fell 13-7 to the Twins this afternoon, pushing their franchise-record losing streak to 20 games. They now own the longest losing streak of the Wild Card era and are one of only twelve teams, dating back to 1889, to lose 20 or more games in a row. They are now just one game away from tying the American League record, set by the 1988 Orioles, and three from the modern record, owned by the 1961 Phillies. Their franchise record falls to just two games over .500.
The White Sox head to Oakland for the final time and will look once again to snap their losing streak tomorrow night against the A’s. It has now been 25 days since the White Sox last won a game and Pedro Grifol, who is 88-188 in his managerial career, is somehow still employed.
Stretching To 19
The White Sox extended their franchise-record losing streak to 19 games last night, losing to the Twins 6-2. They are now tied for the 12th-longest losing streak in MLB history and have tied the 2005 Royals and the 2021 Orioles for the longest losing streak in the Wild Card era. They are two games away from tying the American League record, set by the 1988 Orioles, and four from the modern record, owned by the 1961 Phillies.
The White Sox will look to snap their losing streak this afternoon by sending Chris Flexen to the mound. They have lost Flexen’s previous 15 appearances, last winning a game he pitched on May 8th. It has been 24 days since the White Sox last won a game and Pedro Grifol is still employed.
Book 32 (of 52) – The Shift
The Shift: The Business of Baseball at The Youth-High School and Professional Level – Walter Beede
Former college baseball coach Walter Beede takes a look at how youth travel baseball has upended baseball, from Little League all the way up to college ball, and how travel baseball has transformed from a way to let elite talent compete against each other to a free-for-all built to extract as much money from as many parents as possible. Clocking in at about 100 pages, The Shift is really only for parents navigating the world of youth baseball for something other than a recreational activity.
18 And Life
April 10, 2023 was the last time the White Sox won a game at Target Field, going 0 for their last 9 against the Twins on the road. So, as the White Sox returned to Minnesota last night, it seemed an inopportune place for them to try and break their 17-game losing streak. They have now lost ten in a row and Target Field and have extended their franchise-worst losing streak to 18 games.
A loss tonight would tie the White Sox with the 2005 Royals and the 2021 Orioles for the longest losing streak of the Wild Card era and would leave them just five behind the 1961 Phillies for the longest losing streak since 1900. Their season record is now 27-88. Only nine teams in MLB history have had a worse stretch of baseball, none of which occurred during a single season.
And, in case you were wondering, Pedro Grifol is still employed.