The five archetypes of the 2013 White Sox's worst games

Whether it's health care, phones or awful ballgames, too many choices can pose a problem.

At least that's what I encountered when I tried ranking the worst White Sox games of 2013.

The first sweep came up with a couple dozen games, and in the process of weeding out a handful that didn't measure up, I ended up playing a sadistic game of Memory (find the matching Jason Giambi walkoffs!). Too many games resembled each other to make a ranking both interesting and meaningful, and by the last month of the season, I'd wager that we all became too numb to feel a difference between them.

So instead, I called an audible and sorted the games by the five ways the Sox stunned their own fans, highlighting the most "impressive" one of the bunch, followed by its identical or fraternal twins. If I missed any, let me know.

The blown lead

Archetype: Tigers 7, White Sox 6 on Sept. 22

Not only did the White Sox carry a 6-0 lead into the ninth inning and lose, but it also robbed Chris Sale of a much-needed win. While this game lacked the uglier moments of other losses, the history-making improbability puts it a cut above the rest.

SEE ALSO:

• Sept. 24: Indians 5, White Sox 4
  (Giambi walkoff erases comeback in ninth)
  
• Sept. 7: Orioles 4, White Sox 3
  (Reed blown save extends winless road trip)
• July 31: Indians 6, White Sox 5
  (Reed blown save erases rare Jeff Keppinger heroics)
• June 28: Indians 9, White Sox 8
  (Reed blows three-run lead to cap off awful doubleheader)
• June 11: Blue Jays 7, White Sox 5
  (Jose Bautista proves Hawk Harrelson wrong)

The total embarrassment

The archetype: Indians 14, White Sox 3 on Sept. 12

Two quick out-of-hand innings led to Robin Ventura's shortest press conference of the season.

SEE ALSO:

• Sept. 10: Tigers 9, White Sox 1
  (Conor Gillaspie's three-error game)
• Sept. 2: Yankees 9, White Sox 1
  (Eight-run third inning is the "most embarrassing" of Harrelson's career)
• July 23: Tigers 6, White Sox 2
  (Twice as many errors as runs)
  
• May 13: Twins 10, White Sox 3
  (Awful defense forces early practice the next day)
• June 28: Indians 19, White Sox 10
  (Punch-drunk play; Casper Wells pitched)

The crosstown letdown

The archetype: Cubs 7, White Sox 0 on May 27

After reaching .500 with a three-game sweep of Miami, the Sox opened a two-and-two series with the Cubs by playing awful defense and getting two-hit by Jeff Samardzija. They never sniffed .500 again.

SEE ALSO:

• May 29: Cubs 9, White Sox 3
• May 30: Cubs 8, White Sox 3
• July 9: Cubs 8, White Sox 2

The slow death by baserunning

The archetype: Astros 4, White Sox 3 on June 15

Jordan Danks is picked off of second for the final out of the game. While the Sox committed multiple basepath blunders on other days, Danks' futile pleading as the worst team in baseball celebrates is one of those indelible moments.

SEE ALSO:

• Aug. 4: Tigers 3, White Sox 2
  (Two misreads cost the Sox two chances at the go-ahead run)
• July 27: Royals 1, White Sox 0
  (Alex Rios couldn't tag on sac fly-looking ball in ninth)

The Pyrrhic victory

The archetype: White Sox 5, Mets 4 on June 25

Speaking of indelible moments:

SEE ALSO:

• June 5: White Sox 7, Mariners 5
  (White Sox blow a 5-0 lead in the 14th)
• May 6: White Sox 2, Royals 1
  (Jordan Danks' solo shot erases his own game-jeopardizing baserunning blunder)