White Sox reach halfway mark of season with records for futility in reach
The White Sox reached the halfway point of a season Tuesday trending toward an historical significance they want nothing to do with.
Insignificance and not being noticed is nothing to strive for, but challenging franchise records for futility and the 1962 Mets’ 40-120 record for the most losses in modern history will bring attention no one associated with the organization wants during the second half.
In the clubhouse, the records aren’t talked about. Most players don’t even know what they are.
“It’s not something we think about at all,” outfielder-first baseman Gavin Sheets said.
“I don’t think about it a whole lot and I couldn’t tell you what the worst record of all time is,” reliever Steven Wilson said. “It’s not something I’m focused on.”
The focus from outside will intensify, however, as the season tumbles and stumbles on. The Sox went into Tuesday night’s game against the Dodgers with a 21-59 record, the worst in the majors, focusing on trying to win their 22nd game with almost three months of the season completed. Losing can become a habit and an identity in a season like this one, and that is a topic the players have actually discussed, infielder Danny Mendick said.
“You get done with the game and you’re like, ‘Man. We were in it,’ ’’ Mendick said. “You’re out there competing and you’re drained because we lost that one. It’s never like. ‘Oh yeah, we lost another game. It’s like, ‘Man, that one hurt.’ Every time we lose. Losing sucks.”
When the Sox do win, like once or twice a week on average, the music blasts in the clubhouse and individual feats are celebrated.
When they lose, it’s quiet and the focus shifts to the next game the next day.
“We’ll be mad, I’ll be mad, I’ll break something,” relief pitcher John Brebbia said. “But I also understand we’re giving it the best shot that we can. So there’s a weird dichotomy between being frustrated if I blow a game but at the same time I’m not ruing myself that I should have done this or that in preparation for it.”
That’s because the preparation – throwing, studying, adjusting, tweaking, conversing – is always going on, Brebbia said.
The 1962 Mets were an expansion team and a lovable lot embraced by New Yorkers and they were managed by legendary Casey Stengel. The Sox have their supporters but even their own fans are fed up and disenchanted. They are managed by Pedro Grifol, who many fans hadn’t heard of when he was hired from the Royals organization before last season.
In any event, those '62 Mets are not a topic of conversation in the clubhouse, either.
“Yeah I don’t want to be in that company, that stinks,” Brebbia said. “But at the same time you can’t erase the number and change it. You have to do the work to try and change it and we’re in here doing the work. You only control what you can control.
“If you sit here and go, ‘Let’s not lose X amount of games, then you lose focus of what creates wins.”
The Sox’ win percentage was .263, and a better percentage will be needed in the second half to avoid the dubious distinction of being the worst Sox team ever – the 1932 Sox who were 49-102 own the franchise’s worst .325 win percentage and the 1970 Sox who were 56-106 have the record for the most losses.
Trading away some of their best players before the July 30 trade deadline won’t help their chances of avoiding record infamy.
“It’s not something you want to happen but there will be a team, at least one, that’s not good,” Wilson said. “There will be bad teams every year and we happen to be that team this year.”
How bad remains to be seen.