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If you thought the Chicago White Sox were incapable of setting records this season, think again, bub.
The 2018 club is now, unequivocally, the worst team in White Sox history, at least through 36 games. The 1948 team, which this year’s Chicago 9 had been tied with for worst through 35 games, finished 51-101 (.336), which is 54-108 on a 162-game schedule. The 1948 Hose featured as its best player a 41-year-old third baseman by the name of Luke Appling. His WAR that year was 3.4; the offense’s total was 3.2 — meaning that the sum WAR of every other offensive player on the team was -0.2.
And the 1948 club isn’t even the worst in White Sox history. That distinction goes to the 1932 White Sox, who finished 49-102 (.325, and 56 1⁄2 games out of first), which is 53-109 on a 162-game schedule. Somewhat hilariously, the White Sox didn’t even finish in last place that year; the eighth-place club in the American League was the Boston Red Sox, who went 43-111 and finished 64 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees.
With an 8-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs today, the White Sox fell to 9-27 (.250). That is a 40.5-win pace. Generously rounding up, let’s call it 41-121. That would be 12 games worse than the worst White Sox team in history.
This is the 118th season in White Sox annals, folks.
We are witnessing history.