Chicago White Sox followers have gone by way of lots of their lifetimes, irrespective of their age.
Profitable seasons have been few and much between. The one yr the Sox have gained a postseason sequence since their 1917 championship was 2005, once they gained the World Collection underneath supervisor Ozzie Guillén.
If successful all of it is the one actual measure of success, they’ve had three profitable seasons because the franchise started in 1901 — a mean of 1 each 41 seasons.
So if anybody must be resistant to the final ineptitude of knowledgeable baseball workforce, it’s Sox followers. They’ve seen all of it earlier than, they usually know they’ll most likely see it once more within the not-too-distant future.
It’s simply the dumb luck of rising up a Sox fan, understanding you’re doomed to take care of adversity from the day you climb out of the crib searching for bother.
Because the Sox ready for Tuesday night time’s potential appointment with future, basic supervisor Chris Getz addressed the elephant within the room — the major-league file for losses in a season, set by the expansion New York Mets 62 years in the past.
The Sox tied that record Sunday in San Diego with No. 120, they usually had been scheduled to take the sector Tuesday towards the Los Angeles Angels with an opportunity to be all alone among the losingest losers in baseball historical past.
Are the Sox in any respect embarrassed by this?
“It’s not one thing we’re happy with,” Getz stated.
Effectively, let’s hope not.
“There’s a myriad of the reason why we stand right here at this time with the file that we’ve got,” he continued. “With that being stated, personally I view this as an amazing alternative to construct one thing. We’ve recognized areas within the group the place we have to enhance.
“I’ve by no means been energized greater than I’m now, and I do know I can communicate for our group. Is it a humiliation? We’re not happy with this. Nobody needs to be related to it, however we’re definitely up for the problem.”
Sox gamers ready for Tuesday’s sport like regular. The media contingent was a lot bigger than regular with historical past on deck, so it was too crowded for a pregame pingpong sport. However in any other case it appeared like an abnormal day.
Catcher Korey Lee, one of many few gamers who’ve been right here since opening day, stated the upside for him is he has his “dream job,” which counts for one thing.
“And irrespective of when you win or when you lose, you continue to get to do what you’re keen on, and I’m lucky to try this each day,” he stated.
The 2024 Sox are so unhealthy, they may wind up because the second workforce in historical past to not win a sport when trailing after the sixth, seventh or eighth innings. The one different workforce was the 2020 Washington Nationals, who performed an abbreviated 60-game schedule due to the pandemic.
The Sox bullpen has blown an MLB-high 36 saves. The Sox have misplaced 56 video games after holding a lead. The very fact they’ve been shut and fallen aside on the finish of so many video games has been heartbreaking.
“Clearly you possibly can take the nice out of it,” Lee stated of the Sox competing. “It means we’re in good video games, we’re enjoying robust opponents. The workforce over there, they drive good automobiles, they receives a commission actually, very well additionally.
“Generally you’ve bought to tip your cap, however clearly you’ve bought to take the nice generally out of the unhealthy.”
Gavin Sheets, who performed on the 2021 Sox workforce that gained the American League Central, has seen his share of highs and lows the final 4 years. He stated the Sox don’t have any excuse for the detrimental consideration they’ve obtained on their highway to 120.
“It’s introduced on by us,” he stated. “It’s introduced on by an extended season, introduced on by our efficiency. It’s the place we’re at proper now, sadly. … Clearly this isn’t the form of consideration we wish. It’s my fourth yr, and we’ve had the actually good consideration and now the unhealthy consideration.
“Hopefully that is one thing we transfer on from. The most important factor for us is getting over this yr and ensuring it by no means occurs once more.”
Getz stated it’s the entrance workplace’s job to “focus extra so on the longer term, be taught from the previous and begin constructing to the place the White Sox should be for our followers and everybody that works right here.” He introduced Tuesday that interim supervisor Grady Sizemore will likely be a candidate for the job in 2025, reversing his authentic assertion that the Sox would go outside the organization for his or her subsequent skipper.
Whether or not the Sox actually can be taught from their previous is a query followers may be questioning to themselves. This isn’t the primary rebuild they’ve been by way of, simply the worst begin to a rebuild. The distinction between this one and former GM Ron Schueler’s rebuild in 1999 and Rick Hahn’s in 2017 is we don’t know whether or not it is going to result in higher days forward.
The Sox gained a division title in 2000 and a World Collection 5 years later after Ken Williams changed Schueler. They made the postseason in 2020 and ’21 underneath Hahn earlier than things went south in a hurry, resulting in their present state of affairs.
Even the darkest days finish in some unspecified time in the future.
“I believe there’s lots left within the tank in there,” Sizemore stated. “There’s plenty of hope. I believe we’re not that far off. We nonetheless have plenty of work to do and there’s plenty of growth that should go on. However I see the promise.”
Getz didn’t have a timeline for when the present rebuild may flip the nook, however he stated they might spend cash in free company this winter, albeit not for the costliest gamers.
The bottom line is how a lot endurance Sox followers have for ready out this one.
“Our followers definitely don’t should undergo something like this,” Getz stated. “I do know they pay cash to return to video games and watch video games, they usually look to look at the Sox as a constructive outlet. We haven’t been in a position to present too many constructive outcomes all through the season.”
That was apparent to anybody who sneaked a peek on the Sox, whether or not from the principally empty higher deck of Assured Fee Subject or the consolation of a straightforward chair whereas watching on TV at dwelling.
Nobody stated it was straightforward being a White Sox fan, some extent the workforce appears intent on proving yr after yr.
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