People locally wonder (sometimes with suspicion) why I'm so interested in the 120-loss season the White Sox will tie and eclipse: "Aren't you a Cubs fan?" they ask, wondering if I'm just looking to dunk on the South Side, which is something the native borns do that I've never enjoyed. In reality, I like both teams, and want to see both succeed. What I do not like is how one team treats their fans, which is akin to how Blackhawks supporters were treated prior to Rocky Wirtz.
Pretending has been Jerry Reinsdorf's MO for years. Just trying to break even, eh Jerry, poor old owner (in one of the country's largest markets). Shoot for second, you say, and keep them coming back for more. Refuse to offer big contracts, because gosh, we're just trying to scrape by. Refuse to modernize, because all that analytics nonsense is for the birds. Refuse to hire the best you can land in management. Laugh at even the remote possibility of signing Ohtani, who will soon cement his status as the best player in history.
It's abusive to the people who spend their time, money, and most importantly -- their attention -- on this team. The White Sox organization has, for almost the entirety of my life, been a literal scam. That's hard for fans to see and understand, especially when they back-ended their way into a World Series victory in 2005, when cheap players caught fire and had career-defining seasons never matched again. But take it from a Nebraska boy who is, yes, primarily a Cubs fan: you've been scammed, just as Cubs fans were scammed by the Tribune Company, milking us under similar pretenses until the Rickets family came along. Come to terms with it: that's what this season is about. You've been hoodwinked by a man who never had any intention of delivering.
The joy of setting the loss record is the scrutiny it brings. Everything is coming to light, and the chief abuser is reaping what he's sewn. This is his legacy above all. This is what he'll be remembered for.
I'm not so naive as to believe that Dump on Jerry Month will bring any tangible change. It won't, as long as he owns the team. But it's justice, and it's what everyone involved deserves.
The Athletic
An owner who βthinks he knows everythingβ led the White Sox to historic disaster
The Athletic spoke to nearly 40 current and former White Sox employees and MLB sources about issues plaguing the dysfunctional franchise.
