I'm not looking to make this my thread, but I think we need a depository for baseball's most dysfunctional and dyspeptic club of clodhoppers. So let's get started…
The 3-21 White Sox rank last in the American League in offense, next-to-last in pitching and 12th in defense. Each of their wins has been followed by a minimum of five losses. They've already been shut out eight times and have six losses of 7 or more runs. If they lose their next game, Chicago will match the 2022 Reds and 2003 Tigers for the worst 25-game start to a season in the wildcard era (since 1995).
The oft-injured Luis Robert Jr survived just 7 games while the oft-injured Yoan Moncada lasted 11 before joining the oft-injured Eloy Jimenez in the strained adductor club... Jimenez has since returned to struggle with the rest of his teammates. Meanwhile, the Andrews – Vaughn and Benintendi – have fewer hits than the Andrews Sisters, batting a combined .162 while seeing more at-bats than any of their teammates. That .162 also represents starting catcher Martin Maldonado's entire OPS, as he's gone 2-for-42. Last year's ace Dylan Cease, traded to the Padres during spring training, has as many wins in five games as his old teammates have in 24.
Every club will always have a couple of bright spots and that's still true for the White Sox, though their sustainability is iffy at best. Gavin Sheets looks like he could be on his way to a career year with a 158 OPS+ through 20 games. However, he could also regress back towards the 64 OPS+ he put up last season. Eric Fedde has posted a 2.73 ERA through 5 starts… that's 31-year-old Eric Fedde who pitched in Korea last year after posting a 77 ERA+ over parts of five seasons with the Nats. Perhaps the best thing the White Sox have going for them is that 7 of their top 10 prospects are playing at the AA level or higher, so the second half of 2024 could see some lengthy tryouts. I have my doubts they should or will entrust their future with Pedro Grifol, who has never looked or acted like a leader of men, who spent most of 2023 with an expression similar to Tim Anderson after a run-in with Jose Ramirez, and currently has a career managerial record of 64-121.
The 3-21 White Sox rank last in the American League in offense, next-to-last in pitching and 12th in defense. Each of their wins has been followed by a minimum of five losses. They've already been shut out eight times and have six losses of 7 or more runs. If they lose their next game, Chicago will match the 2022 Reds and 2003 Tigers for the worst 25-game start to a season in the wildcard era (since 1995).
The oft-injured Luis Robert Jr survived just 7 games while the oft-injured Yoan Moncada lasted 11 before joining the oft-injured Eloy Jimenez in the strained adductor club... Jimenez has since returned to struggle with the rest of his teammates. Meanwhile, the Andrews – Vaughn and Benintendi – have fewer hits than the Andrews Sisters, batting a combined .162 while seeing more at-bats than any of their teammates. That .162 also represents starting catcher Martin Maldonado's entire OPS, as he's gone 2-for-42. Last year's ace Dylan Cease, traded to the Padres during spring training, has as many wins in five games as his old teammates have in 24.
Every club will always have a couple of bright spots and that's still true for the White Sox, though their sustainability is iffy at best. Gavin Sheets looks like he could be on his way to a career year with a 158 OPS+ through 20 games. However, he could also regress back towards the 64 OPS+ he put up last season. Eric Fedde has posted a 2.73 ERA through 5 starts… that's 31-year-old Eric Fedde who pitched in Korea last year after posting a 77 ERA+ over parts of five seasons with the Nats. Perhaps the best thing the White Sox have going for them is that 7 of their top 10 prospects are playing at the AA level or higher, so the second half of 2024 could see some lengthy tryouts. I have my doubts they should or will entrust their future with Pedro Grifol, who has never looked or acted like a leader of men, who spent most of 2023 with an expression similar to Tim Anderson after a run-in with Jose Ramirez, and currently has a career managerial record of 64-121.
