Worst collapse in franchise history?

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

If it is, it is simply because we haven't had very many division leads. Losing a lead that was hardly larger than 3 games at any point in time isn't that epic of a collapse, especially given how close we were to .500 the entire time

We reached a season high 16 over at one point and more recently the 5 game winning streak put us at 15 over. Since then its been bad base running, bad hitting, bad fundamentals. All the good things we did to stay in 1st so long reversed and hit us like Wile E. Coyote being crushed by an Acme safe.

Edited October 2, 2012 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[greg775]

Good post. I've been wondering where the media outrage has been as well. Sox are going to get let off easy.

 

I'm tired of the posts saying that this was a great season because we exceeded expectations. We didn't, first off, if the other thread is any indication. Second, when you're three up with fourteen to play, the expectation is to win. That's a much greater and important expectation and it's looking like we blew it. I like the emergence of Sale and De Aza, and you hope some of the other young guys you can depend on, but it doesn't look like that will be a trade off with our veterans getting older/moving on

 

Yes, I mean we've lost 8 of 9. What if it was 9 in a row? That would be downright ludicrous. Nobody's paying attention, however, which is fine. Less national embarrassment I guess. But this team does deserve to get ripped.

[scenario]

Would be interested to know how many seasons in our history we led the division in September.

 

Anyone have that info?

[IlliniKrush]

Very true. But if Mariotti was out there calling us chokers every day, it would have been addressed in the clubhouse and maybe just maybe some life would have been instilled in our zombie-like ballclub. Robin would have had to address it at least. And our veterans. Truly they should be embarrassed. They won't say that, though, they'll say we're still in it until mathematically eliminated and have to take care of business, etc.

If you need media to get you fired up...then we need an entire clubhouse of new players. To me, all that stuff is just noise, I don't think that fires anyone up. Looking at the standings should be enough, and again if it isn't...then there are major issues. I just think the media affects fan perception, nothing inside the locker room.

 

Good post. I've been wondering where the media outrage has been as well. Sox are going to get let off easy.

 

I'm tired of the posts saying that this was a great season because we exceeded expectations. We didn't, first off, if the other thread is any indication. Second, when you're three up with fourteen to play, the expectation is to win. That's a much greater and important expectation and it's looking like we blew it. I like the emergence of Sale and De Aza, and you hope some of the other young guys you can depend on, but it doesn't look like that will be a trade off with our veterans getting older/moving on

Anytime you don't win the world series (or at least the division) it's never a great season. Expectations in March don't mean anything when it's August and September and you are in it. It's all irrelevant. This season is a disappointment because of where they were at, and how they finished it. The people who want to look back on March expectations just want to feel happy about everything and pass out trophies like it's t-ball. That's just their coping mechanism and a way to give the Sox a pass.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Would be interested to know how many seasons in our history we led the division in September.

 

Anyone have that info?

Pretty sure it'd be 2012, 2008, 2005, 2003 and 2000 since 2000.

[Cali]

Never had that big of a lead or that great of a record for this to be the worst ever. Sucks for sure but this team never really clicked on all cylinders on a consistent enough basis for this to really sting.

 

You never got the feeling watching these guys play that they were world beaters. Just some real good timing: a struggling Detroit team helped. Also major comeback years from Dunn Rios and Peavy with some timely hitting and solid pitching... But it faded down the stretch.

 

Also, the team had zero expectations going into the season, that dulls the lack of playoffs. They played with house money in a weak ass division. Not epic by any stretch of the imagination.

[greg775]

If you need media to get you fired up...then we need an entire clubhouse of new players. To me, all that stuff is just noise, I don't think that fires anyone up. Looking at the standings should be enough, and again if it isn't...then there are major issues. I just think the media affects fan perception, nothing inside the locker room.

 

 

Anytime you don't win the world series (or at least the division) it's never a great season. Expectations in March don't mean anything when it's August and September and you are in it. It's all irrelevant. This season is a disappointment because of where they were at, and how they finished it. The people who want to look back on March expectations just want to feel happy about everything and pass out trophies like it's t-ball. That's just their coping mechanism and a way to give the Sox a pass.

 

Great post. I was thinking of the T-ball analogy myself but couldn't express it correctly. The Sox are definitely getting a pass for horrendous choking. That eighth inning today was par for the course of late. Man on, failed bunt, whiff. Then that baserunning mistake of all mistakes. Right on cue ... boom, Tampa home run.

I still think the media can wake up a clubhouse. Remember how mad AJ and Ozzeroo would get at Mariotti? You guys don't like distractions. Sometimes the distractions I believe helped our team.

[greg775]

Never had that big of a lead or that great of a record for this to be the worst ever. Sucks for sure but this team never really clicked on all cylinders on a consistent enough basis for this to really sting.

 

You never got the feeling watching these guys play that they were world beaters. Just some real good timing: a struggling Detroit team helped. Also major comeback years from Dunn Rios and Peavy with some timely hitting and solid pitching... But it faded down the stretch.

 

Also, the team had zero expectations going into the season, that dulls the lack of playoffs. They played with house money in a weak ass division. Not epic by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Thing is, you said it "faded down the stretch." I think it did more than that. It collapsed. Or choked for those who prefer that word. I mean the team has lost 8 of 9 with more agony sure to come.

[Cali]

Thing is, you said it "faded down the stretch." I think it did more than that. It collapsed. Or choked for those who prefer that word. I mean the team has lost 8 of 9 with more agony sure to come.

 

A collapse is what the Braves and Red Sox did last year. The Tigers and White Sox fumbled their way through September never getting more than a few games up and the Sox ran out of gas with injuries and I'd guess some pretty tired arms.

 

Not a choke or a collapse as far as I'm concerned.

[kitekrazy]

Several amazing individual offensive performances on that club. We still won 90 games, too. Loaded AL Central

 

That was an oddity for the AL Central.

 

[kitekrazy]

Even though it's technically not a collapse because of what happened in the end, I think the biggest collapse for the Sox franchise was in 2005 when they had the 15 game lead and the Indians closed in a matter of weeks to within 1.5 games.

 

Good thing they held on to win the division and then the whole banana!

 

But this season will be memorable for sure. This is about as bad as it gets down the stretch for a team in contention.

 

In fact, I'll bet they lose out or only win one of these remaining 6 games to finish 82-80 or 83-79. Ironically, that's close to the absolute best preseason predictions for this team.

 

How sad that after everything that has happened this season they're ultimately only going to finish around the .500 mark.

 

All too often this team only finishes between .480 and .520 - enough to not be bad, but not good enough to do anything meaningful. Besides 2005, the franchise just can't seem to put enough together in a given year.

 

They really need a full rebuild and to stop with Kenny's band-aids year after year, but it's not going to happen with so many untradeable guys under contract.

 

That's were the attendance problem is. You pay a lot for mediocre baseball. The organization needs to drop the market strategy of blaming the fans.

 

[kitekrazy]

Good post. I've been wondering where the media outrage has been as well. Sox are going to get let off easy.

 

I'm tired of the posts saying that this was a great season because we exceeded expectations. We didn't, first off, if the other thread is any indication. Second, when you're three up with fourteen to play, the expectation is to win. That's a much greater and important expectation and it's looking like we blew it. I like the emergence of Sale and De Aza, and you hope some of the other young guys you can depend on, but it doesn't look like that will be a trade off with our veterans getting older/moving on

 

Actually no. It's the typical mental midget breakdown after ASB. That's actually meeting expectations.

 

[kitekrazy]

To me the strike season was the worst collapse. We still would like to know how that would have panned out.

[Cali]

The biggest reason this hurts: The Tigers suck.

 

If they didn't take 150+ games to finally click this team would have probably fallen out of the race awhile ago.

 

Konerko, Dunn, De Aza, Youk all hurt for massive chunks, playing through it most of the year. A rotation with 2 rookies running out of steam. An inconsistent Peavy. A hurt and inconsistent Floyd and Liriano et al trying to find it. A revolving door of rookies in the pen most of the season. They shouldn't have been anywhere near first place.

 

Think about it, a Tiger offense mashing all season. Verlander pitching like the MVP he was, Scherzer not starting off with an ERA close to 7, Valverde being lock down again? The Sox would probably be at least 8 games back.

 

But because they sucked most of the year the Sox were able to hang onto first despite the fact that the Tigers kicked their ass head to head all year.

[DukeNukeEm]

The Tigers tried to give us the division and we just didn't want it. That's not a collapse, thats not a choke... thats just pathetic.

[Wanne]

The Tigers tried to give us the division and we just didn't want it. That's not a collapse, thats not a choke... thats just pathetic.

 

This. I've tried not to get emotionally attached too much this year...just always seemed getting your guts ripped out was around the corner. Call me a fair weather fan if you want...but it's saved me from kicking my dog and being pissed off (I'll save that for the Bears this year). It does suck that Detroit has basically sucked ass this year tho. Now watch...they'll go on an epic run like the Cardinals last year. Now that would be a kick in the balls...

[greg775]

This. I've tried not to get emotionally attached too much this year...just always seemed getting your guts ripped out was around the corner. Call me a fair weather fan if you want...but it's saved me from kicking my dog and being pissed off (I'll save that for the Bears this year). It does suck that Detroit has basically sucked ass this year tho. Now watch...they'll go on an epic run like the Cardinals last year. Now that would be a kick in the balls...

 

I never was a believer in the team, but I think the first time we build the record to 10 or 12 over .500, whatever it was, I thought there was a chance we could be a 20 over .500 team and that would run away with the division. I never got attached to the team, but that hasn't helped my anger issues regarding the team's collapse. Too much boneheaded baseball and stranding-of-runners baseball has driven me insane.

[Dick Allen]

I don't ever remember actually collapsing in 2006. At least not too late. We just couldn't keep up. 2003 is about the only thing comparable to me. Most loaded team in franchise history all goes to waste because of Jose Paniagua

The Paniagua thing was overblown. The only game he pitched, the Sox won. The supposed momentum he gave the Twins is just someone wanting to deflect blame IKO.

[LittleHurt05]

[southsider2k5]

Very true. But if Mariotti was out there calling us chokers every day, it would have been addressed in the clubhouse and maybe just maybe some life would have been instilled in our zombie-like ballclub. Robin would have had to address it at least. And our veterans. Truly they should be embarrassed. They won't say that, though, they'll say we're still in it until mathematically eliminated and have to take care of business, etc.

 

You can't fix injury and exhaustion.

[SnB]

This is definitely more of a collapse than a choke IMO. A choke happens when you have a MAJOR lead and let it slip away. The lead was never more than 3 games, it's been tight for awhile now. This has definitely just been a complete collapse of good baseball.

 

To me, things started to change w/ that Bruce Chen/Sale KC game last week. You had just beaten KC in the first game of the series, won 5 in a row and I assumed the monkey would have been off their backs.

 

Then this happened,

 

"KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Bruce Chen had already pitched out of trouble each of the first three innings when the Royals left-hander issued a pair of walks and served up a base hit to Alex Rios in the fourth.

The bases were loaded, there was nobody out and the White Sox - one of the hottest teams in baseball and winners of five straight - were poised to deliver the crushing blow.

It never happened.

Never even came close."

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/chen-pitches-...24297--mlb.html

[Wedge]

I wouldn't call this so much a "choke" as it is a "wasted opportunity". In my view, this year has much more to do with the Tigers not matching expectations for most of the season than it does with the Sox playing all that well. It's not like the Sox were ever really on pace to be a 90-95 win team and even if the Tigers win out, they'll only be a 90 win squad.

 

Hell, it's not even like the Sox contributed to the Tigers' woes: they went 6-12 against Detroit (2-8 after the All Star break).

[LittleHurt05]

Good post. I've been wondering where the media outrage has been as well. Sox are going to get let off easy.

 

The media would have to care about the White Sox for there to be any outrage. The Bears are 2-1, the Ryder Cup is in town, why waste time on the Sox?

 

They didn't really jump on the bandwagon until after that Detroit makeup game anyway, it was pretty easy for them to jump off.

[southsider2k5]

The media would have to care about the White Sox for there to be any outrage. The Bears are 2-1, the Ryder Cup is in town, why waste time on the Sox?

 

They didn't really jump on the bandwagon until after that Detroit makeup game anyway, it was pretty easy for them to jump off.

 

The media cares about as much as their fans do...

[IlliniKrush]

The media cares about as much as their fans do...

A lot of your posts lately are of this nature, almost like you aren't included as a fan. I find it interesting.

 

I'm pretty sure the fans care. Just because the attendance isn't great, doesn't mean they don't care. That's not exactly the best measuring stick.

 

As has been covered, it's hard to get people to come out this week when you are watching the team suffer a slow, painful death.

 

Here's a good read, especially towards the end.

 

http://www.southsidesox.com/2012/9/28/3421...te-sox-tailspin