Chris Getz Discusses White Sox Signing Munetaka Murakami

On the process of scouting and acquiring Murakami...

Getz: “I certainly want to credit David Keller, who oversees our international department. We also have scouts on the ground in Japan. It certainly takes a lot of time and effort to learn about players that are not in the States, and the chance to bring in Mune is something that, it’s beyond the baseball player, it’s the person. We’re talking about someone that’s a superstar in Japan, and to be able to have him now wearing a White Sox uniform, it cannot be understated how significant that is. From the beginning, we’ve been committed to improving the foundation of this organization and making every process as comprehensive as possible. This speaks to that process."

"When free agency hit, every negotiation is a unique one. We’ve got strong relationships with Excel, with Casey and with Bobby, and we stayed in touch. I’m certainly always very attracted to left-handed bats, and certainly if there’s power in there as well. As we put this team together, foundationally, you look at the catching position with Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, and up the middle we got Chase Meidroth and Colson Montgomery and Luis Robert in center field. We’ve really targeted middle of the diamond type players, and now to get the chance to bring some real power and offensive force like Mune to really complement and drive this offense."

"When we got close for this to become a reality –– and quite honestly, I don’t think it’s really sunk in quite yet, just to think about him in the lineup on a regular basis. But yeah, it really starts years ago when we began scouting him, learning more about the player, obviously there’s more information than ever. And we believe that Mune’s gonna be a star in this game."

On how the addition of Murakami changes the White Sox plan for the next two years...

Getz: “We feel like we’ve been able to create a significant amount of momentum from last season. And especially now that we’ve had a lot of our young players from the minor leagues get up to the big leagues, get acclimated, win some baseball games –– the second half was a great example of that –– now using that momentum to take us into the offseason and attract even more talent, it just speaks to the work that’s been done and the determination to continue to improve."

"I know that in talking to Mune and talking to his representatives, knowing that we had a young group, a hungry group that loves to work and loves to play, this is a place where he can come in and just be himself, be comfortable, establish himself at the Major League level, and we’ll see where his journey takes him. It’s a chance for us to really support him, and knowing that we’re gonna get great production from him, and it’s only gonna help other players reach their goals at the Major League level."

"And knowing that we’re gonna win a fair amount of games because these guys enjoy working together, going out there and fighting, finding a pathway to victory on a regular basis, and we’re gonna look up and all of a sudden we’re gonna start working our way up the standings. We felt that a little bit last year. We’re gonna take another jump next year, and we’re just gonna continue to build off this momentum.”

On how big of a move this is for the White Sox...

Getz: “It really can’t be understated how significant this boost is. I think our fan base, we felt it last year that there was a belief. There were more tangible things to point to, and just tracking here recently the impact that it’s had in just the last 24 hours, I feel like we’re just scratching the surface here. And then you hear about the international stage and the eyes and the awakening that’s been happening on the international level."

"So I know based on the feedback that I’ve received from counterparts around the league, they understood the move, that’s for sure, and to be able to get a chance to bring someone like Mune into the city of Chicago, be part of this organization, we know we’re headed in the right direction. We’re in a constant pursuit to find ways to get better, and we feel like we just found a way to take us, accelerate this to a rate that we really didn’t anticipate going into this offseason.”

On where Murakami fits in the lineup and defensively...

Getz: “Well, in regards to finding the left-handed bat, we found our guy. That’s for sure. His defensive versatility is going to be valuable. His ability to play third base, first base. He’s been in the States here the last couple weeks, and he’s working on his defense. We’re gonna get him up to speed with our people, and he's determined to be the best defender that he can. So we really look forward to supporting him on the defensive side."

"And then on the offensive side, whether it be Ryan Fuller overseeing our hitting department, Derek Shomon that’s just coming in the door, our infrastructure is strong. It’s getting better, it’s getting more aligned. We feel like this is the best place for him, we really do. This is a chance for him to really take off, and we know that we’re gonna feel the benefits here in Chicago and for the White Sox. So yeah, this is a big move for us, but yeah, we don’t feel like it’s gonna be a hard time finding a place for him in the lineup, that’s for sure.”

On how concerned Getz is about Murakami’s strikeout numbers and the plan to improve in that area...

Getz: “Well, it starts with what makes Mune so attractive? And it’s the bat speed, you look at the engine, you look at the swing decisions, you look at the power output. It’s significant. And yeah, there’s been some conversations about some contact and some swing and miss. Oftentimes swing and miss comes with a lot of the power. There’s training techniques, just exposure to this level of competition."

"You’re talking about someone where the work ethic is strong. There’s willingness and determination to be successful over here at the Major League level, on top of the infrastructure that we have here. We’re gonna be able to guide him to improve the areas that need to be improved. And that might be the contact ability, it might be on the defensive side, but what makes Mune so attractive to us is this power output and he’s already got the swing decisions. And we’re talking about a guy that’s got some real, real firepower in the engine that makes Mune so special. So we look forward to getting to work.”

On why the White Sox didn’t give Murakami a long-term contract if they think he’s going to be a star...

Getz: “What I pointed to earlier with the uniqueness of every conversation and negotiation when it comes to matching up with the player, this is a clean two-year-deal, it is. And it’s an opportunity for us to provide a runway to a really talented player in the city of Chicago, that was really attractive to us, knowing that there’s only upside in this because you’re looking at someone that’s gonna help our younger players develop."

"It’s a chance for him to show Major League Baseball what he’s capable of doing, and positive things will come from that. That’s the way I’m viewing this deal, and I think the simplicity of it is what got it done in the end. And the conversations were very direct, they were honest, and they were efficient. And a clean Major League deal for two years to come in here and really help the Chicago White Sox.”

On when he felt it was possible to sign Murakami...

Getz: “We stayed close to it. I can’t speak to other teams and how they were going about their communication. A lot of this goes back to the relationship that we have with Casey and Bobby. You really don’t know until the end oftentimes, and when you have this posting window, there’s a timeframe that’s set."

"It’s unique in the sense that US free agents, it just doesn’t apply to. So when you’re reaching the end of the window there’s an urgency to get a deal done, and it became a reality a couple days ago, and when it became a reality, I can assure you everyone in the White Sox organization was pretty excited about it.”

On the accommodations the White Sox need to make to support Murakami, who speaks Japanese...

Getz: “Yeah, we’re still working through the best support for Mune. Obviously communication and the language is something that, for one, I know Mune is determined to improve his English. He’s gotten a head start on it. He knows it’s only going to help, whether it’s communicating with fans and coaches and his teammates."

"Beyond that, obviously there’s the nutritional component to it and making sure he feels like he has the proper nourishment to stay healthy and be productive and continue to build as a professional athlete. So yeah, we want to make this as seamless as possible and provide the support that is needed because we just want him to go out there and be comfortable and play baseball.”

On whether new minority ownership supplementing the White Sox is a signal that more additions are coming...

Getz: “To signal that when we identify a player that we feel like has a chance to really come into the organization and fit with what we’re trying to accomplish, I had a conversation with Jerry [Reinsdorf] about it, and in this case, the more we talked about it –– obviously talking about Mune and what he’s capable of doing on the field, the international connection –– he got more and more excited. We were fortunate to be able to get it to the finish line, so we’ll continue, as players come up and find ways to improve this club, those conversations will continue to happen. Sometimes we’ll be able to get it to the finish line, sometimes we won’t. But we’re on this constant pursuit to find ways to get better.”