8 hours ago, Autumn Dreamin said:

Keller and other Sox scouts in attendance

Kaima Taira. Position: Pitcher. Bats: Left • Throws: Right. 5-8, 209lb (173cm, 94kg). Born: November 15, 1999

That would be the shortest MLB starter since Marcus Stroman at 5'7".

10 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Recent slump has knocked $30-40 million off a long term deal unless he can get that OPS back near 900 or higher.

I doubt Murakamis price has dropped despite his numbers tanking since the injury, he's still gonna get 150m+ from someone. I'm not sure that's a wise move tbh, I definitely don't extend him right now, I would wait until at least August next year to see where his numbers are

9 minutes ago, joejoesox said:

I doubt Murakamis price has dropped despite his numbers tanking since the injury, he's still gonna get 150m+ from someone. I'm not sure that's a wise move tbh, I definitely don't extend him right now, I would wait until at least August next year to see where his numbers are

He's probably lower in value than Nick Kurtz would be signing a long term extension for right now.

I was thinking closer to $250 million getting chopped down.

The struggles of Guerrero Jr. and Devers also highlight dangers of signing corner players whose value is predominantly based on offense.

Jordan Alvarez seems to be the one major exception to the rule, along with Ohtani.

I’m worried about Mune, he’s emulating Colson and if at least one of those guys can’t start to produce, we will have a tough September as our starting pitching is in shambles.

2 hours ago, The Mighty Mite said:

I’m worried about Mune, he’s emulating Colson and if at least one of those guys can’t start to produce, we will have a tough September as our starting pitching is in shambles.

2 weeks ago he was on a tear. Definitely a slump. Think he's tired and the exhaustion of an MLB season is getting to him. Needs a day off.

It's kind of interesting. With a month left in the season, and the way ups and the way downs, we kind of got what was largely expected.

Big Power.

Big K rates.

Big Walk rates.

Low average.

77 hits, 29 homers, 42 XBH.

After this, it is still tough to say he is the high end guy who got figured out and waiting to adjust, or he is a lower end guy who had a hot streak and got figured out because of his contact rates.

Extension talks should be interesting. Mune is 26, with his 27 season locked in, meaning his free agent season he will be 28.

Pete Alonso got 5/155, but got that deal for his age 31 season. Is Mune there?

Freddie Freeman was 6/162 for his age 32 season 4 years ago.

Is the combination of a bit less than those guys, but 3-4 more years of prime production keep his valuation in that 5-7 at $30ish million per range? If not where?

Mune needs to hit a few home runs so he can regain the 30-40 million he lost a few days ago when he didn’t hit home runs

16 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

It's kind of interesting. With a month left in the season, and the way ups and the way downs, we kind of got what was largely expected.

Big Power.

Big K rates.

Big Walk rates.

Low average.

77 hits, 29 homers, 42 XBH.

After this, it is still tough to say he is the high end guy who got figured out and waiting to adjust, or he is a lower end guy who had a hot streak and got figured out because of his contact rates.

Extension talks should be interesting. Mune is 26, with his 27 season locked in, meaning his free agent season he will be 28.

Pete Alonso got 5/155, but got that deal for his age 31 season. Is Mune there?

Freddie Freeman was 6/162 for his age 32 season 4 years ago.

Is the combination of a bit less than those guys, but 3-4 more years of prime production keep his valuation in that 5-7 at $30ish million per range? If not where?

A lot depends on the next two months and how much Boyer believes a long term deal could be monetized with Japanese corporate sponsors.

The big unknown is where he'd be now if he hadn't missed those 6 weeks in the middle of the season.

If one had to choose today, the priority would probably be Vargas, but it all depends on what the marketing department thinks. There's the wild card.

Also, whether they could leverage Mune to sign another NPB star like Sato...for now, the timing's just off to sign FA S.Suzuki with Benintendi's looming last season...Shota Imanaga, maybe?

Of course, Sato going to the Yankees Mets Phillies Red Sox Cubs becomes even likelier with Mark Walter's financial issues with the Dodgers.

There's even the possibility of Ohtani leaving the Dodgers if that team is also sold to cover losses in the Guggenheim/TWG insurance portfolio.

I definitely think it's the long MLB season wearing on Mune to a point. The injury didn't help where he lost some momentum. We all figured he was going to a lower BA guy with power and higher OBP. He's slumping right now and probably needs a day off or two.

As far as his future, I still think he gets paid. It would be wise for the Sox to have some conversations but leave any decision to next season. If he comes out the gate next season the same guy, I don't think $200M+ is unreasonable. Contract length will be interesting.

1 hour ago, hogan873 said:

I definitely think it's the long MLB season wearing on Mune to a point. The injury didn't help where he lost some momentum. We all figured he was going to a lower BA guy with power and higher OBP. He's slumping right now and probably needs a day off or two.

As far as his future, I still think he gets paid. It would be wise for the Sox to have some conversations but leave any decision to next season. If he comes out the gate next season the same guy, I don't think $200M+ is unreasonable. Contract length will be interesting.

I don't know Mune's background, but I wonder if he has ever been away from home for this long?

I’m not worried about Mune at all. Here’s the full Getz quote when he brought up efforts to extend him recently:

50 minutes ago, Falstaff said:

I don't know Mune's background, but I wonder if he has ever been away from home for this long?

Definitely not. Iguchi talked about how difficult the adjustment was in his first season. Also the rhythms of that seasons are completely different. They don't have 16 game stretches like they just did. And the travel isn't anything like what it is here.

Yea his tank is empty. Like the rest of the young guys, this is a good learning experience. Gotta prepare all offseason for meaningful games in the dog days. The good news is we have a GOOD team so guys are picking him up. He will get hot again he's too talented.

https://www.mlb.com/news/white-sox-conversations-about-munetaka-murakami-extension

nvm

.199 since ASB feels more like .099 but he's too hard a worker not to come out of this somehow/sometime soon

Edited Thursday at 08:00 PM1 day by caulfield12

"The Dodgers instituted a private player-only plane and added Japanese-style toilets after then-recruit Roki Sasaki asked..."

latimes.com

13 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

"The Dodgers instituted a private player-only plane and added Japanese-style toilets after then-recruit Roki Sasaki asked..."

latimes.com

Japanese style or not. Mune has been in the toilet for too long. Drop him in batting order. He's killing us.

He was streaky in Japan. It'll come back.

On 8/27/2026 at 10:27 PM, Kyyle23 said:

Mune needs to hit a few home runs so he can regain the 30-40 million he lost a few days ago when he didn’t hit home runs

So do you want to give Colson Montgomery an extension now?

For how much?

In the first half of the season, he was a Top 5 milb SS. Now he's seemingly replaceable.

If Murakami hadn't gotten hurt and now had 45+ homers with a .240+ average...what would the extension numbers be?

Well, currently he's a player who has had major injuries two seasons in a row. You also have to weigh his relative performance vs. Vargas, signing a Top FA pitcher, etc.

The Sox are not suddenly SD that had 9 $100+ million contracts on the books simultaneously. They can't just throw money at everyone.

And they also have Bonemer and Cholowsky coming on offense.

Not to mention their best defensive IF is with Vargas at first...so how much is any full time DH not named Yordan Alvarez or Ohtani actually worth?

OFC, Murakami's in his prime and comes with loads of marketing potential attached.

So just like a stock rises and falls in value...so does a player's future value. That there's not a complicated MIT Cal Tech AI-driven valuation formula that provides a precise number doesn't mean the Sox front office doesn't have a constantly evolving number for how much he's worth to the franchise.

And it's STILLcomplicated...because 29 other teams miscalculated his actual value and looked like idiots the first half of the season.

I don’t see the Sox extending any player now, that they already have future control over. And they are also seeking a value deal with Mune

I’m not paying this guy mostly just to be a DH, just to find a place to stick Vargas. Everyone trying to stuff 10 pounds of s%*# into a 5 pound bag should stop. Some hard decisions have to be made, and then executed.

1 hour ago, Chick Mercedes said:

I’m not paying this guy mostly just to be a DH, just to find a place to stick Vargas. Everyone trying to stuff 10 pounds of s%*# into a 5 pound bag should stop. Some hard decisions have to be made, and then executed.

can we talk about that curveball, dude saw that s%*# out of the hand and was sitting on it. I don't know if they pick up something off of Taylor or if he just got lucky there but you could tell he was trying to crush that one pitch