The Chicago White Sox are so bad that their relief pitcher Michael Kopech won almost 40 games in the standings when he was traded to the Dodgers one week ago.
The White Sox are so bad that they could end up with the worst record of any team since 1900. Their winning percentage of .23.478 (27-88) is below that of the two teams long considered the most miserable – the 1916 Philadelphia Athleticswhich ended in 0.23529 (36-117), and the 1962 New York Metswho finished .250 (40-120) in their expansion season.
The White Sox are so bad that the manager Pedro GrifolUnited’s record is 101 games under .500 (88-189) in less than two seasons through Monday’s games. Perhaps Grifol shouldn’t have worried too much: the managers of the 1916 A’s and 1962 Mets were Connie Mack It is Casey Stengelrespectively, both enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
However, Grifol couldn’t help but worry. With 21 straight losses, his White Sox have tied the American League record set by the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, whose ineptitude is particularly shocking considering future Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr. It is Eddie Murray played every game that season.
See more information: Hernández: October comes early? Dodgers will be tested by brutal August schedule
Next up is the MLB record of 23 consecutive losses set by 1961 Philadelphia Phillies. And, yes, they also boasted a future Hall of Famer in pitcher Robin Robertswhose 1-10 record was an exception in a 19-year career that included six consecutive 20-win seasons.
Sorry Grifol for not asking himself if he has a future Hall of Famer somewhere on his roster. He is consumed with losing.
“We talk about it every day, everyone knows what it is,” he said. “It’s been 21 years in a row, it sucks, it’s painful, it hurts, you name it.”
Here’s a look at the teams that have lost at least 20 consecutive games in a single season:
– 1961 Phillies, 23 consecutive: The streak lasted most of August and the Phillies finished 47-107 under 35-year-old coach Gene Mauchsecond season. Mauch righted the ship in 1962 and the Phillies posted winning records in each of the next six seasons.
See more information: Freddie Freeman’s emotional return is the highlight of the Dodgers’ victory over the Phillies
– 1988 Orioles, 21 in a row: With Cal Ripken Jr. at shortstop and Billy Ripken at second base, manager Cal Ripken Sr. was fired after the Orioles started the season 0-6. The defeats did not cease, however, and the first victory only occurred on April 29. They finished 54-107.
— 1969 Expos, 20 consecutive: Mauch presided over another historic losing streak, this time from May 13 to June 7 in the Expos’ first MLB season. General Manager of Future Angels Bill Stoneman He was the team’s ace, although he lost five times during the sequence. The Expos finished 52-110.
— Athletics in 1943 and 1916, 20 consecutive: Mack (not Mauch) staggered through an inconsistent August 1943 that included 24 losses in the last 25 games of the month. Mack was 80 years old, but he lasted seven more seasons before retiring, having played a record 7,755 games and won five World Series. Mack was 53 years old when he experienced a 1916 season in which the Athletics never won more than two games in a row.
– 1906 Boston Americans, 20 consecutive: May was terrible for the Americans, who changed their name to the Red Sox after the 1907 season. The losing streak began on May 1 and didn’t end until May 25. Five of the losses were to the 39-year-old. Cy Young, who led the AL with 21 losses but rebounded to post 60 wins over the next three years. Player manager Jimmy Collins — another future Hall of Famer — quit the team on July 1 and went from revered to despised in Boston. The Americans finished 49-105-1.
See more information: Column: Activists, celebrities call on Dodgers to drop oil industry advertiser
This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.
