chitownsportsfan

Never been but from all accounts friends and otherwise Tokyo is a fucking sweat box similar to NYC in the summer. Chicago ain't got nothing on that swamp ass.

I won't stand this Big Nashville propaganda!

"We wanted to establish a presence in the [Pacific] Rim and that starts with hiring a scout, Satoshi Takahashi," Keller said. "Once we were able to get him on board, I think that's where those conversations became more real." "Got Jerry [Reinsdorf] up to speed on the reality of bringing in Mune," said Getz, using Murakami's preferred nickname. "The more he was hearing from me, and Brooks as well on the marketing front and the international impact that it can have in bringing in someone as significant as Mune, led us to get to the finish line. A lot of that was support from Jerry in the end." That is both promising and pathetic.

I really love this aspect of the signing, can never underestimate how these signings can create new fans and renew old bonds:

If you can't be bothered to know enough about the team you're covering to write such an obvious misinterpretation of a FA signing -- I can't be bothered to read your article. Mune is gonna have an Area 51 like runway to take off or crash here: and that's exactly why it makes a ton of sense for both sides, at this price tag, at this junction.

clown ass article and a perfect example of why legacy media is dying. You get better analysis here in one page of this thread of random sox fans.

Maybe I'm wrong but the finances of baseball seem pretty healthy if this sort of deal is happening. No 2027 lockout necessary.

When I was living in NYC my roomate's fiance was a FOB Japanese woman. From my understanding X-Mas in Japan is a romantic holiday and yea, time to get fried chicken. someone give JR a peck on the cheek for finally selling the team to someone that wants to compete.

My first spring training was to go see Jose. Went to two more after that to see Moncada and Gio and others. Haven't bothered last several years. Might entice me back down this year for a few days. This move has invigorated quite a few White Sox fans here stateside and created new ones in Japan.

You gotta wonder how much is left of JRs brain after that quote.

One of the most upvoted comments suggests that our old friend Shingo advised him on how it is in Chicago. Just a random comment but interesting.

This is basically my lineup. You can rotate Beni, Mura, Teel in with Quero at DH. Kinda a sexy young lineup really. Baldwin has a chance to be a player imo. His fielding was horrific but park in RF and see what he can do to start the year imo. His EV numbers suggest with everyday playing time he could improve to an average regular bat assuming his defense isn't bottom 30th percentile in RF. Chase has something to prove, but so does almost everybody other than Beni, who is just playing out the string. A nice change in this stage of the rebuild.

JR is old news on the South Side. Thank the Lord.

The Sox usually manage to waste three roster spots on replacement level 33 years olds out of 17 million per. This is better, obviously. I get doubting ownership and management but in isolation this is a great use of limited resources.

He had a reverse split which is encouraging. Hit LHP slightly better. https://baseball.yahoo.co.jp/npb/player/1700084/top

His swing doesn't look particularly long to me I think it was probably just a product of being one of the most scouted players in the league and how in Japan almost every pitcher has an arsenal of off speed junk even if they are topping out at 92. If a Japanese pitcher is hitting 93+ he's probably on the verge of being good enough for MLB. He's gonna strike out like 200 times. But can he hit 240/300/500? We'll see.

I mean I know this is the white Sox but if they were afraid of Robert's 20 million they both wouldn't have picked up the option or signed Murakami. If they trade Robert it will because the trade improves the team after 2026.

Nick has zero bwar over his last 1000 PA and had a wRC+ of 88 last year as a DH. He's a 33 year old expensive version of Andrew Vaughn. No thanks. Nobody wants him and we don't have any PA for him to try and build value. If we want to use money to get better prospects IMO the obvious avenue is to pay Robert's freight.

Fun signing that comes at a lower AAV than Beni and falls off at same time. Well done.

Interesting. I spitballed top 30ish type guy that would fall because of demands but top 25ish is even better.

He isn't good enough to command an opt out not with the posting fee on top. Three years with a vesting option makes sense to me. I'd offer 3/65 with a 500 PA 30 million option for 2029. If he's just a 1 WAR player bench him and move on. Little downside risk here given the context imo so get it done.

I'm not sure he's that good. However he would not get more than a 3 or 4 year deal from anybody so the risk is relatively low if he stinks the deck is cleared around 2028 when ideally the money is refreshed via Ishbia and Sox can play in a bigger pool. Signing him also would give the Sox a big marketing boost in baseball crazy Japan. Small upside to consider revenue wise long term.

what does wetbutt33 have to say?

It's an inscrutable situation with Murakami sounds like.

Good article from ESPN. Hell no I wouldn't want Sox pitchers challenging. I agree with the managers pitchers think everything is a strike. Hinch had a good quote: Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch: "I've spent some time talking to our player development group and even some of the players who have gone up and down [to the minors]. I think, similar to the replay, there are subtle little adjustments that everybody's had to make around some new rules. It will fall into a good rhythm and a good understanding of it. I think the first month will probably be the hardest month. Maybe spring will help a little bit. But in the spring, you can try and fail and it's not that penal. "You do that in San Diego or Arizona or a home opener against St. Louis and it's a little more costly. We'll have a running tab on who's good at it and who is not. Because there might be some position players who get their optionality taken away from the challenge call."