Our journey through MLB\u2019s worst seasons can be bent to the will of time and space itself\u2026for the most part, at least. This edition is the exception to the rule. Yes, once again, we journey back to the Great Depression era and the year 1932. The only difference is that the sock color has changed. Yes, it\u2019s time to talk about the bottom of the barrel when it comes to the Chicago White Sox. Now, this is a franchise that, historically speaking, is fairly even-keeled. They\u2019ve won over 9,500 games while losing just short of 9,500. They\u2019re almost perfectly mundane. But we\u2019re here to talk about what happens when mundanity turns into depravity. This is the story of yet another of MLB’s worst seasons, the 1932 White Sox.<\/p>\n
The 1930s continued the trend of baseball pulling itself out of the Dead Ball Era. Though homers weren\u2019t quite at a premium, offenses were playing with a more positive efficiency. The 1932 White Sox (49-102) may not have had that type of prowess, but they showed flashes of brilliance. Their main weapon was simply putting the bat on the ball. They struck out the fewest times in the league (384). Third baseman Carey Selph<\/a> only whiffed nine times in 396 at-bats all season. They also relied heavily on speed, stealing 89 bases collectively. That was good for second in the league.<\/p>\n The 1932 White Sox boasted a future Cooperstown honoree among their ranks. Shortstop Luke Appling<\/a> hit .274 in 139 games. However, he was not the team’s offensive leader. Outfielder Bob Fothergill<\/a> put up a .295 mark and a 107 OPS+ in 116 games. He, too, was not the offensive leader. No, it was an above-average bench that helped lead the offense. Utility man Red Kress<\/a> played in 135 contests while hitting .285 and leading the team with nine homers. Backup catcher Charlie Berry<\/a> hit .305 while first baseman Billy Sullivan<\/a> hit .316. They may not have had major roles, but this solidified bench helped the White Sox stay out of the cellar in the AL that season.<\/p>\n Much like the offense, the pitching had some hidden gems, beginning with the rotation. Yes, they were deep within one of MLB\u2019s worst seasons. However, they did boast two double-digit winners. The first was staff ace and Hall of Famer Ted Lyons<\/a> (10-13, 3.28 ERA, 131 ERA+). He was joined by \u201cSad\u201d Sam Jones<\/a>, a journeyman entering the twilight of his career. Despite this, Jones posted a 4.22 ERA and an ERA+ of 102. If his FIP mark of 3.91 is to be believed, Jones was probably a little better than what those numbers would suggest. Unfortunately, fellow starters Milt Gaston<\/a> and Vic Frazier<\/a> combined for ten wins.<\/p>\n #OTD<\/a> in 1932 in Cleveland, White Sox players after getting swept by Indians in a twin bill take their frustration out on plate ump George Moriarty who in return challenges the players to fight and then knocks out pitcher Milt Gaston before getting himself pummeled by White Sox pic.twitter.com\/X1s1QRIcnm<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Old-Time Baseball Photos (@OTBaseballPhoto) May 30, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe Benched Leaders<\/h2>\n
A Somewhat Redeeming Rotation<\/h2>\n
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