For the Chicago White Sox in chapter 13 bankruptcy. Liquidation. Everything (with the exception of Paul Konerko and Chris Sale) must go. It’s a total tear down, with only Sale and Konerko saved because the team needs at least one or two stars to help market the White Sox and keep some interest as things will get much worse before they get better.
At 40-60, that’s a .400 winning percentage. Maintaining that winning percentage for the final 62 games gets your Chicago White Sox a final record of 65-97. So pretty close. But bear in mind the White Sox are going to have much less talent to play with the final weeks of the season. The major sale has not yet even begun.
Only Matt Thornton has been dealt, with Jake Peavy probably being dealt soon. Alex Rios, Jesse Crain and Alexei Ramirez will probably be jettisoned too. That’s a lot of talent drop off. Now think of what White Sox prospects will replace them? The farm system is DRY DRY DRY. Kenny Williams mortgaged the future by dealing away top prospects in 2008, 2010 and 2011 to keep the White Sox competitive. Williams ordered the feast that Rick Hahn now has to pay the check for.
The White Sox don’t even have a MILB prospect in the system ranked in the top 50! Anywhere! Courtney Hawkins comes closest at #54. The White Sox don’t have MLB quality replacements ready. They have MLB “guys.” AND CHILL OUT with the Phegley mania. I know you need to try and find something to get excited about, but you White Sox fans are acting like Cub fans. They always have some “savior” prospect (see Prior, Rizzo, Scott, Castro etc.) that they get WAY TOO EXCITED over. Now you guys are doing the same with Phegley.
So, when you factor in the talent drop-off once the White Sox are done selling off pieces, would it be fair to say this team drops from a .400 winning percentage to a .370 winning percentage? That gets you to 62-100. Looking at the schedule, it seems fair to make that projection. The 62 games to be played feature opponents which are similar enough to the 100 games that have already been played.
The White Sox have only lost 100 games three times in their history: 1970 (56-106) 1948 (51-101) and 1932 (49-102). Prepare for the fourth. If not this year, then maybe next year. Unlike the Cubs, things are going to get worse before they get better. The Cubs started their demolition project a couple years ago and have suffered a 100 loss season already. They’re not going to get good any time soon, but at least they have some sort of direction. They’re at the bottom right now. The White Sox have only just begun the initial phases of the rebuild.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, a Fox Sports affiliate. He is also an analyst for 95.7 The Fan, and writes on Chicago sports media for Chicago Now. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@PaulMBanks), like him on Facebook