BASE-BALL

[epzik8]

White Sox first team eliminated from playoff contention.

That happened on Opening Day.

Good point.

[Henry]

White Sox first team eliminated from playoff contention.

Could that possibly be the earliest anyone has ever been eliminated?

Tie at August 10 - 1932 Red Sox and 1962 Mets.

I wonder when the 2003 Tigers were eliminated?

EDIT: Found the answer to that question; it was August 22. I thought they'd be eliminated sooner than that, since they were threatening the '62 Mets' 120 losses and came up short. But they still broke the AL record for most losses, with two more than the 1916 Philadelphia A's (something the White Sox definitely will do this season if their performance remains the same).

[mgk920]

White Sox first team eliminated from playoff contention.

Could that possibly be the earliest anyone has ever been eliminated?

Tie at August 10 - 1932 Red Sox and 1962 Mets.

I wonder when the 2003 Tigers were eliminated?

EDIT: Found the answer to that question; it was August 22. I thought they'd be eliminated sooner than that, since they were threatening the '62 Mets' 120 losses and came up short. But they still broke the AL record for most losses, with two more than the 1916 Philadelphia A's (something the White Sox definitely will do this season if their performance remains the same).

So the 1962 Mets still hold that record for a 162 game season.  OTOH, that record will essentially be impossible to beat due to the much extended nature of post-season play today v. then.  In 1962, it was only the two teams with the best win-loss record, one in each league, going straight into the World Series.

Mike

[RZF]

White Sox first team eliminated from playoff contention.

Could that possibly be the earliest anyone has ever been eliminated?

Tie at August 10 - 1932 Red Sox and 1962 Mets.

I wonder when the 2003 Tigers were eliminated?

EDIT: Found the answer to that question; it was August 22. I thought they'd be eliminated sooner than that, since they were threatening the '62 Mets' 120 losses and came up short. But they still broke the AL record for most losses, with two more than the 1916 Philadelphia A's (something the White Sox definitely will do this season if their performance remains the same).

That date of elimination was "relatively" late because the AL Central was weak that year. The 2003 White Sox (then division leader) were only 7 games above .500 on August 22, and the Twins, who would later win the division, would only win it at a 90-72 record.

[epzik8]

Danny Jensen is the first major league player to play for two teams in the same game, having been traded from the Blue Jays to the Red Sox during the two-month weather suspension of their June 26th matchup.

[Henry]

Danny Jensen is the first major league player to play for two teams in the same game, having been traded from the Blue Jays to the Red Sox during the two-month weather suspension of their June 26th matchup.

And thus wound up on both the winning and losing ends of that game, with Toronto winning 4-1.

[triplemultiplex]

I hear they did that on purpose though.
Eh, whatever it takes to become a trivia answer.

[Henry]

The White Sox are now 35-105, and 16 losses away from setting a new all-time low.

[mgk920]

The White Sox are now 35-105, and 16 losses away from setting a new all-time low.

 

Mike

[epzik8]

Someone on Reddit said the Rockies are eliminated from the playoffs, but I don't see it anywhere?

[DTComposer]

Road related: the Bay Bridge approach section of I-80 will be named for Willie Mays:

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/willie-mays-highway-interstate-80-sf-renaming-approved-giants/

[gonealookin]

The White Sox are now 35-105, and 16 losses away from setting a new all-time low.

You gave them 4 wins they may never get.  They are currently 31-109, and "going Full White Sox" is apparently a thing now (even better, an escapee from the White Sox is the hitter).

https://twitter.com/Orioles/status/1831111115436114318

[gonealookin]

Someone on Reddit said the Rockies are eliminated from the playoffs, but I don't see it anywhere?

The math is too complicated for me with all the wild cards, but the standings on Baseball-Reference.com show the Skull and Crossbones under "E#" for teams that are totally out of postseason.

[Henry]

The White Sox are now 35-105, and 16 losses away from setting a new all-time low.

You gave them 4 wins they may never get.  They are currently 31-109, and "going Full White Sox" is apparently a thing now (even better, an escapee from the White Sox is the hitter).

https://twitter.com/Orioles/status/1831111115436114318

My bad; they did get one of those wins back to make it 32-109. Their latest challenge is now trying not to lose more than 11 games, but the '03 Tigers showed that it's possible. Still, I think that the Sox will become the new Mets in terms of futility, as they're even worse off than Detroit ever was in that awful 43-119 campaign.

[Ted$8roadFan]

The Red Sox lost to the worst team in baseball. They've reverted back to form.

[SectorZ]

The Red Sox lost to the worst team in baseball. They've reverted back to form.

The bullpen is like watching the Covid season again. I don't know why these guys at random just implode at any time.

[Stephane Dumas]

The Red Sox lost to the worst team in baseball. They've reverted back to form.

I guess the Curse of the Bambino is back with a vengeance?

[Henry]

Seven more losses to infamy on the South Side...

[epzik8]

Angels eliminated. Mike Trout deserves better.

[SEWIGuy]

Angels eliminated. Mike Trout deserves better.

I don't know if there has been a more anonymous super-star in sports the last 50 years than Mike Trout.

[tigerwings]

Tigers have caught the Twins for the last wild card. Who expected that?

[stormwatch7721]

The Guardians earned a spot in the playoff!

[gonealookin]

Angels eliminated. Mike Trout deserves better.

I don't know if there has been a more anonymous super-star in sports the last 50 years than Mike Trout.

He has had terrible misfortune with injuries the last several years.  As of the end of this season he will have played in only 266 of the Angels' last 648 games (41%).

From 2018-2023 he was overshadowed by Shohei Ohtani, and still is because Ohtani just moved up Interstate 5 a bit.

The team hasn't had a winning season since 2015.  That coincides with a long run of success by the Dodgers, so their status in the region has dropped pretty steeply.  It's been a long time since the Angels' pitching has been good; in their better years it's average, more often near the bottom of the league in ERA.  And, I don't think any team has had more huge contracts blow up in their face than the Angels, Anthony Rendon being the current example but you can add Josh Hamilton, Vernon Wells, Gary Matthews Jr., the list is long.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Shohei Ohtani.....wow.

[kurumi]

Shohei Ohtani.....wow.

I thought he was joining a small group of GOATs in the 50-50 club... no, he's the first.

"I'm sorry I cannot pitch this season; I will do my best to contribute somehow"