3 issues besides losing that the Chicago White Sox are currently dealing with
The Chicago White Sox are on a collision course with snapping the 1962 New York Mets record for most defeats in a season. They are dealing with other issues lately besides losing.
Losing is the biggest problem the Chicago White Sox are dealing with lately. That does not mean the club has not been dealing with other issues lately.
The list of problems the Sox have is the size of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The owner is clearly at the top. Having an unqualified and overmatched general manager is another.
Well, for the sake of time, it is best to narrow it down to three to discuss...
The team continues to play embarrassingly bad baseball.
Losing has been terrible to watch. It makes it even harder to view when the team plays the game that is mocked.
It is even tougher when the White Sox name has become an adjective for playing terrible ball.
ORIOLES LEGEND ELOY JIMÉNEZ!!!! pic.twitter.com/B39NNVzVdd
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 3, 2024
The embarrassing collision took place on the recently traded Eloy Jimenez at-bat. Eloy recently made some comments that threw some shade toward his former team.
His pop-up on the first pitch was an at-bat that Sox fans are familiar with. One that lacked patience and was going to kill a rally. It would have been nice to see him burn the Orioles like he burnt the Sox for so many years with those types of terrible plays.
Only the Sox playing stupid baseball let him off the hook and allowed him to be a hero for his new team.
The team lacks passion.
Players on this team are on pace to be cemented in history as the worst team ever in the modern era. Yet, they look like that meme where the dog is drinking coffee saying this is fine while the room is on fire.
Sox legends Ozzie Guillen and Frank Thomas noticed that this team did not have a player who was willing to step up and play well enough to carry the club to a victory.
A better attitude in the clubhouse may not equal more wins for the White Sox, but it would equal a heck of a lot more respect for this team from our pre/postgame crew. pic.twitter.com/SnXHn4f5sJ
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) September 2, 2024
That is what makes all this losing even more stunning. Three double-digit losing streaks this season continue to happen when the club lacks players capable of raising their game to shut down a skid.
Passion and pride can only do so much in baseball. The will to win cannot make a player hit a baseball any better. However, a club can decide on a certain day that they will refuse to lose. They can decide that they are not going to play dumb baseball.
At least interim manager Grady Sizemore's first career ejection might light a fire under the team.
First managerial ejection ✅ pic.twitter.com/hZJHtnCrhK
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) September 4, 2024
He got his money's worth and it was the most passion shown by anyone in this organization all year.
The front office refuses to use the only bright side of this losing to get looks at prospects who have the talent to contribute at the big leagues.
Jairo Iriarte made his big-league debut yesterday and picked up his first career strikeout.
First @MLB strikeout for Jairo Iriarte 👏 pic.twitter.com/nWDkhcXLkJ
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 4, 2024
The only problem was the Sox fifth-best prospect should have made his big-league debut about two weeks ago.
The only bright side of all these defeats is the Sox can use this time to get evaluations of prospects they have that have the talent to be in the majors without fear of losing.
Yet, the front office continues to roll out veterans like Chris Flexen, Touki Toussaint, and Chad Kuhl. The bullpen has been terrible that the front office can execute pitching guru Brian Bannister's development plan.
Sox’ No. 5 prospect Jairo Iriarte gets his first big league action. He’s a starter but will work out of the ‘pen.
— Vinnie Duber (@VinnieDuber) September 4, 2024
Brian Bannister said this earlier in the summer: “I personally am a big believer of getting the minor league starters into the major league bullpen at year end.”
Prospects Jake Eder, Sean Burke, and Ky Bush could be getting development time instead of rolling out bad pitchers such as Jared Shuster and Justin Anderson.
Bryan Ramos is getting regular at-bats at Triple-A when he should be getting them in the bigs. Zach DeLoach was hitting well before his promotion and he will be sitting on the bench so Andrew Benintendi can get plate appearances.
While Benintendi is hitting better lately, we know what he can do and he is a lock to be on the roster next season. His at-bats must be cut down so DeLoach can audition to be on the 26-man next year.
Nicky Lopez should not be getting plate appearances the rest of the season either. The excuse of what are the better options completely ignores that this time should be used an early spring training. Get evaluations on younger players to have a clue if they can be contributors down the road.
Instead, the front office continues to stick with the logic that going with tried and true veterans will help them avoid being the worst team ever when it has put them in a prime position to cement that distinction.
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