The Chicago White Sox are going through a challenging opening to the 2024 season.
As of April 25, the Chicago White Sox have won three games and lost 22 games out of 25 games, a winning percentage of 0.12 percent. This is one of the worst records and winning percentages in Major League Baseball history.
The team with the lowest winning percentage in major league history was the 1899 Cleveland Spiders. At the time, they had 20 wins and 134 losses, with a winning percentage of 0.130. The worst team since the 2000s is the 2003 Detroit Tigers, who went 43-119. If the White Sox continue to play at this level, it will only be a matter of time before they catch up with these infamous records.
The White Sox did not have a good season last year, recording more than 100 losses. After the 2023 season ended, the White Sox signed many underrated prospects or players with low expectations in the 2024 season, while many of the team’s key players transferred to other teams. These platers include Tim Anderson, Liam Hendrick, Yasami Grandal, and others.
Most experts and fans say they didn’t have high expectations for the 2024 White Sox in the offseason, but many of them also didn’t expect them to fall this far.
Another problem with the White Sox in the 2024 season is that they have no clear leader. The White Sox have always been a team with reliable leaders. In the past, Carlton Fisk, Frank Thomas, and after winning the 2005 World Series, Jose Abreu, showed great leadership. However, in this 2024 season, that role is lacking.
Many of the players who could possibly fill this role are either too young or have a personality unsuited for the role. For example, Luis Robert Jr, a 26-year-old from Cuba, is a center field with excellent offense, defense, and base running skills, and is a hitter with excellent slugging power who can hit more than 30 home runs if he plays full-time.
After joining the White Sox in 2020, he was ranked second in the prospect rankings and nominated for the American League Rookie of the Year award. However, his sloppy play became controversial.
Robert Jr. started as the number one hitter and center field in last year’s home game against the Tampa Bay Rays and hit a ground ball between the pitcher and third baseman on the first pitch in the first inning. Tampa Bay pitcher Calvin Faucher caught it and made a running throw to first base, but putting any force into the throw was difficult. It went in with a gentle bounce. The speed of the ball was very slow, and the pitcher’s throw was not good, so if Robert sprinted at full speed, he could easily be safe on first base.
However, after hitting the ball, Robert Jr. slowly jogged toward first base and got a ground ball out. The White Sox home fans, taken aback by this sight, booed Robert Jr. He was replaced after this at-bat, and he spoke in a post-game interview that he wasn’t feeling well but did not tell the manager or coaches. His absurd explanation of his action exposed the lack of communication with the head coach, Pedro Grifol, and even sparked controversy about sabotage. For such reasons, Robert Jr. is seen by fans as not possessing the right traits necessary for team leadership.
Andrew Shelffo, a Williston JV baseball coach, thinks there will be no unexpected twist in the White Sox’s game in the future.
“A baseball season is 162 games. That’s a long time and a lot can happen,” he said. “However, the White Sox are off to a historically horrific start. They may rebound somewhat, but they’re not going to contend for a playoff spot, and they’re probably not going to finish [strong].”
Jack Berrien, a varsity baseball player, thinks the White Sox are a terribly constructed team and they don’t have a lot of major league talent.
“I think they are going to continue to do poorly,” Jack, a junior, said. “Even if they do slightly better and not record the worst of the all time, I will still think they are the worst team of the league.”
Jeffrey Ketcham, head Williston JV baseball coach, thinks the White Sox is not likely to rebound this season.
“If the team is struggling right now, 30 games into the season, it is unlikely that they are going to really become anything,” he said. “That said, funny things happen in MLB, so if they trade someone, something is gonna change, but if they remain in the same roster, they will not pass strong teams like the Orioles and Yankees.”
