Sox the "front-runners" for Imai

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

2 hours ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Why does this seem so far fetched?  Fangraphs’ crowd sourcing projects a 4/$64M deal and you’re looking at another $11M in posting fees.  That’s basically the size of Benintendi contract and the number of years are within Reinsdorf territory.

What's far fetched is you talking about the 2026 white sox as contenders. Let's just try not to lose 100 games first. 

[WhiteSox2023]

15 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

What's far fetched is you talking about the 2026 white sox as contenders. Let's just try not to lose 100 games first. 

To be fair, that’s only a 3 win improvement over last season!  Doable, and it only took three entire seasons of putridity.

Edited December 31, 2025 by WhiteSox2023

[ChiSoxFanMike]

13 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

What's far fetched is you talking about the 2026 white sox as contenders. Let's just try not to lose 100 games first. 

If they lose 100 games again next season, that would be a failure of epic proportions.

[Autumn Dreamin]

FWIW, news of Imanaga's signing came out 3 days before his deadline.

Imai is closer to his deadline than that (plus the additional factor of the holiday), so it really feels like something should be imminent.

[Dick Allen]

7 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

If they lose 100 games again next season, that would be a failure of epic proportions.

It would be the first time a team did it 4 seasons in a row in 90 years.

[Chicago White Sox]

20 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

What's far fetched is you talking about the 2026 white sox as contenders. Let's just try not to lose 100 games first. 

I said with the right additions (including Imai), the right breakout performances, and some luck they could sniff the final playoff spot.  And I stand by that claim.

[Chicago White Sox]

4 minutes ago, Autumn Dreamin said:

FWIW, news of Imanaga's signing came out 3 days before his deadline.

Imai is closer to his deadline than that (plus the additional factor of the holiday), so it really feels like something should be imminent.

Tonight most likely is my guess.  Thankfully Getz has no New Year’s Eve parties to attend and doesn’t watch Stranger Things like other GMs.

[WhiteSox2023]

4 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Tonight most likely is my guess.  Thankfully Getz has no New Year’s Eve parties to attend and doesn’t watch Stranger Things like other GMs.

You don’t think Getz is going to watch his boss Vecna in his final appearance?

[Chicago White Sox]

2 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

You don’t think Getz is going to watch his boss Vecna in his final appearance?

Nope, hits to hard to home unfortunately.

[WestEddy]

15 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I said with the right additions (including Imai), the right breakout performances, and some luck they could sniff the final playoff spot.  And I stand by that claim.

Yeah, what you stated was perfectly reasonable. I think with the additions they've made, they're already somewhere above 75 wins. If they add Imai and keep Robert, getting above .500 wouldn't surprise me, and a couple rookies breaking out could push them into contention. 

[Chicago White Sox]

FWIW, Steamer has the Sox at 24.5 fWAR next year (15.3 for positional group + 9.2 for pitchers).  That puts our baseline projected win total 76.5 wins.  Add Imai, an OF like Tauchman, and a high leverage reliever and we’re approaching 80.  From there, you just need some of the young guys and good luck to beat projections.  So yes, I believe we can compete next year for the last playoff spot (87 wins last year) if we keep adding and all goes well.

[SoCalChiSox]

3 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

FWIW, Steamer has the Sox at 24.5 fWAR next year (15.3 for positional group + 9.2 for pitchers).  That puts our baseline projected win total 76.5 wins.  Add Imai, an OF like Tauchman, and a high leverage reliever and we’re approaching 80.  From there, you just need some of the young guys and good luck to beat projections.  So yes, I believe we can compete next year for the last playoff spot (87 wins last year) if we keep adding and all goes well.

Wow I didn't know we were already that high....I would have thought maybe around 70 flat....did they take into account Schultz or Smith?

If we are at 76.5 before Imai...we aren't far off.

[Autumn Dreamin]

5 minutes ago, SoCalChiSox said:

Wow I didn't know we were already that high....I would have thought maybe around 70 flat....did they take into account Schultz or Smith?

If we are at 76.5 before Imai...we aren't far off.

It isn't too surprising when you factor in some regression to the mean in 1 run games + continued development, since they were around 70 expected wins last year.

[Chicago White Sox]

3 minutes ago, SoCalChiSox said:

Wow I didn't know we were already that high....I would have thought maybe around 70 flat....did they take into account Schultz or Smith?

If we are at 76.5 before Imai...we aren't far off.

They have us getting 3 GS from Schultz and 3 GS from McDougal (plus 8 relief appearances) for a combined 0.3 fWAR.  Nothing from Smith.

[Chicago White Sox]

2 minutes ago, Autumn Dreamin said:

It isn't too surprising when you factor in some regression to the mean in 1 run games + continued development, since they were around 70 expected wins last year.

That’s right.  What’s fascinating is they have the pitching staff going backwards from 11.5 fWAR last year to 9.2 next year.  That’s primarily due from losing Houser and projected regression for Taylor (which doesn’t make sense to me).  Personally, I think they beat that 9.2 figure with ease with normal health.  Add Imai and another reliever and they should blow it out of the water.

On the positional side, people are forgetting we got terrible contributions from several players who dragged our total fWAR down including Vaughn (-1.3), Rojas (-1.3), Amaya (-0.8), Robertson (-0.8), Palacios (-0.5), & Noda (-0.3).  Those five guys were worth a combined -5 wins over 685 plate appearances.  I know people don’t love the guys on the back end of the 40 man roster like Tanner Murray and Tristan Peters, but they are intended to provide some floor to avoid sub replacement production in the event of multiple injuries.

[Autumn Dreamin]

Kay endorses the Imai pursuit (and gives Mune a Schwarber comp):

Some other notes from the full episode:

• Directly cited Fedde's first year success here as a big consideration in signing, including the org having familiarity with the transition (back) to MLB from NBP. Mentioned the workload adjustment specifically (from ~110+ pitches once a week to a 5 day rotation). 
• He said he's talked to "all the pitching guys" both before and since signing, and feels they are on the same page and "had everything [he] was looking for"
• Said adding a sinker is one of his major improvements he made, since it let him stay in the zone more in a league where guys don't chase/K as much.

[Chicago White Sox]

3 minutes ago, Autumn Dreamin said:

Kay endorses the Imai pursuit (and gives Mune a Schwarber comp):

Some other notes from the full episode:

• Directly cited Fedde's first year success here as a big consideration in signing, including the org having familiarity with the transition (back) to MLB from NBP. Mentioned the workload adjustment specifically (from ~110+ pitches once a week to a 5 day rotation). 
• He said he's talked to "all the pitching guys" both before and since signing, and feels they are on the same page and "had everything [he] was looking for"
• Said adding a sinker is one of his major improvements he made, since it let him stay in the zone more in a league where guys don't chase/K as much.

Oh s%*#…I’m starting to smell some smoke!

[WhiteSox2023]

8 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Oh s%*#…I’m starting to smell some smoke!

This is where @WestEddy needs to chime in with the Sox finding the new market inefficiency.  International players that the rest of the MLB isn’t completely sold on due to the transition/translation and Getz getting them on short-term and reasonably cheap deals since he isn’t allowed to sign top US free agents to massive deals.  That strategy I would actually believe.

Edited December 31, 2025 by WhiteSox2023

[ron883]

2 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Oh s%*#…I’m starting to smell some smoke!

It's going to happen. All signs are pointing towards it. Unfortunately this board has decided to go full-on Parkman and be overly pessimistic about it. 

[Chicago White Sox]

4 minutes ago, ron883 said:

It's going to happen. All signs are pointing towards it. Unfortunately this board has decided to go full-on Parkman and be overly pessimistic about it. 

Fully agree

[Bob Sacamano]

We’re going to need another hell of a pitch from Boyer and Getz. 

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

1 hour ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

If they lose 100 games again next season, that would be a failure of epic proportions.

The Sox O/U on wins this year will not be much more than 62. That's my guess. Ill guess their O/U as of today is 66-68 wins which isn't too far from 62. 

Not a lot of margin for error!!

Edited December 31, 2025 by Look at Ray Ray Run

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

43 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Yeah, what you stated was perfectly reasonable. I think with the additions they've made, they're already somewhere above 75 wins. If they add Imai and keep Robert, getting above .500 wouldn't surprise me, and a couple rookies breaking out could push them into contention. 

The additions they've made? Lol

Perfectly reasonable to say the Sox could contend for a playoff spot next year. You guys are honestly hilarious.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

44 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

FWIW, Steamer has the Sox at 24.5 fWAR next year (15.3 for positional group + 9.2 for pitchers).  That puts our baseline projected win total 76.5 wins.  Add Imai, an OF like Tauchman, and a high leverage reliever and we’re approaching 80.  From there, you just need some of the young guys and good luck to beat projections.  So yes, I believe we can compete next year for the last playoff spot (87 wins last year) if we keep adding and all goes well.

Using Steamer to project wins isnt a money making prop. I'll say the Sox O/U will be 70 or less. You guys have a great opportunity to make some money. Sox to win the division was 150-1 a week or so ago when I looked and 500-1 to win the AL. By FAR the longest odds of any AL team.

[SoCalChiSox]

13 minutes ago, ron883 said:

It's going to happen. All signs are pointing towards it. Unfortunately this board has decided to go full-on Parkman and be overly pessimistic about it. 

If it really happens then Ishbia is basically the shadow owner who is really in charge now and making the decisions and basically bankrolling everything and this whole waiting until 2029 thing is basically just legal formalities on paper only.