Racing To The Bottom …

They did it!  The Chicago White Sox have lost their 120th game of the MLB season with six games left on their schedule.  The 1962 NY Mets are no longer the standard bearers for “quantity of losses in a single season”.  Barring an intervention by the baseball gods, the Sox will set a new standard of baseball futility in the modern era.

Actually, those 1962 Mets do not hold the record for lowest winning percentage in a season since MLB used to play seasons of 154 games.  The lowest winning percentage for a single season belongs – – at least for the moment – – to the 1916 Philadelphia A’s who posted a record of 36-117 (win percentage of .235).  Check this morning’s MLB standings to see the White Sox record of 36-120 PLUS a winning percentage of only .231.  This White Sox team might just take the lead in the race to the bottom in both categories in 2024.  These are sad times for baseball fans on the South Side in Chicago …

By comparison to the White Sox, the Cincinnati Reds have had a decent season despite posting a mediocre record of 76-81 as of this morning.  Nonetheless, the Reds fired manager David Bell over the weekend and turned the team over to bench coach, Fred Benevides for the team’s five remaining games.  Maybe that makes sense, but if it does, you will have to explain to me what damage to the team next year would accrue by letting David Bell finish out the final 5 games in 2024 and then being fired the day after the final game takes place.

I am not suggesting that Bell should not be terminated.  He has been the Reds’ manager since 2019 and other than the truncated 2020 “COVID-season”, his teams have been below .500 every year.  In fact, he was given a 2-year contract extension in 2021 after that “successful” 2020 season; his contract runs through the end of the 2026 season.  However, there is no obvious reason to dismiss him with 5 games left in the season.

The expansion of the MLB playoffs has certainly made the final week of this year’s regular season interesting to AL fans.  While it is not a mathematical certainty, the Yankees, Guardians and Astros appear to be the three division winners today.  The Orioles have a 4-game lead in the wild card race, so it would take a significant collapse on their part to miss the playoffs.  Then comes the fun:

  • Royals record = 82-74
  • Tigers record = 82-74
  • Twins record = 81-75
  • Mariners record = 80-76.

All four teams have 6 games to play, and the playoffs only have room for two of the four teams.  But there is an “edge” for the Tigers in this race.

  • The Tigers’ final three games of the regular season are at home against – – wait for it – – the Chicago White Sox.
  • Let the games begin …

Moving on …  An injury to Texas QB, Quinn Ewers made room for the Longhorns to showcase their prize recruit, Arch Manning in a starting role.  Texas’ opponent over the weekend was La-Monroe – – a team not likely to deserve mention alongside Texas in the 2024 college football discussion.  Manning posted these stats for the game:

  • 15 of 29 for 257 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs

For a QB not named “Manning” that would be a perfectly fine way to begin a college career.  When asked about his performance after the game, Manning said he would probably give himself a C+ particularly because Texas won the game 51-3.

The Longhorns are ranked #1 in the country in the Coaches’ Poll and #2 in the country in the AP Poll.  The blowout win here was certainly expected but interest in the game focused on the first start for the “third generation” of the Manning family to play QB at the collegiate level.

Finally, words of wisdom from George Carlin:

“When you’re born you get a ticket to the freak show. When you’re born in America, you get a front row seat.”

And …

“Just because you got the monkey off your back doesn’t mean the circus has left town.”

And …

“If you can’t beat them, arrange to have them beaten.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

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