For the good of the game, MLB needs to prevent a Chicago White Sox repeat of 2024

Major League Baseball owes it to the game, the teams and their fans to not let what the Chicago White Sox did this season happen again.

Perhaps, it might not be a bad idea to punish teams who meet a certain level of futility, such as what the White Sox did in setting a new, modern-era record for losses in a season at 121.

Of course, this will not happen as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and the owners will not take action against one of their own just for having a losing record.

However, baseball can't let something as embarrassing as what transpired take place again.

Maybe there needs to be some sort of deterrent put in place that keeps a club from setting itself up to be out of the playoff hunt by the end of May.

The White Sox's 41-121 output set the modern-day record for losses in a season, surpassing the 120 L's put up by the 1962 New York Mets.

The difference between the two teams is the Mets were an expansion franchise when they achieved their futility, while the White Sox will be celebrating their 125th year of existence in 2025.

During the whole period the White Sox were fumbling their way through the season (their second consecutive 100-loss season), owner Jerry Reinsdorf seemed to distance himself from the situation,save for a press release issued a while back stating how the year was "embarrassing" and that as "leader" he felt responsible for what happened.

But, instead of focusing on the team and finding ways to get things righted, Reinsdorf put his time and attention into trying to secure public money for a new stadium he is hoping to build in the South Loop.

As if that wasn't enough to put the baseball team on the backburner, Reinsdorf also forged ahead with a new media venture in the form of Chicago Sports Network, which debuted several weeks ago and replaced NBCSports Chicago as the home of the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks.

Add to that the comments of general manager Chris Getz who said just a few weeks ago the White Sox will not be real active in the free agent market this coming offseason, and you have a recipe to repeat as basement dwellers once again.

It's because of choices such as these by the White Sox that MLB needs to step in and protect the integrity of the game. Teams are going to lose 95 or 100 plus games, but when ownership virtually seems indifferent to the dire situation facing its club, MLB should do something to ensure at least an appearance of competitiveness on the part of the teams going forward.

A loss of draft picks, fines, and an inability to participate in league business for a determined period of time are things which can be assessed, but is that enough? Maybe it's time to implement the relegation system used by the Premier League in English soccer.

This isn't just a White Sox issue either. Teams such as the Oakland A's and Colorado Rockies could be lumped into the discussion of poorly run organizations that need a talking to as well.

In this day and age, a large market club such as the White Sox should not be the poster child for futility. By comparison, the New York Yankees have had two seasons with 100 plus losses (1908, 1912), the Boston Red Sox most recent 100 loss season was 1965, while the New York Mets surpassed the century mark back in 1993.

One has to go back to 1961 the last time the Philadelphia Phillies hit the skids that badly, while it was World War I (1908) when the Los Angeles Dodgers-then called the Brooklyn Superbas-posted 101 defeats. Even the Chicago Cubs have only managed to hit the 100 mark three times in its history.

The prospect of the White Sox hitting the century mark in losses again in 2025 is a very real possibility unless a miracle occurs.

White Sox fans are growing tired of seasons such as this and MLB should as well.