The term being in midseason form usually has a positive connotation. According to the White Sox radio crew, it was 88 degrees and mostly sunny when Shota Imanaga threw the first pitch in today’s tilt between the Sox and Cubs. That it was only 32 degrees in Chicago wasn’t as much a bummer as it should have been. I love that it doesn’t feel like early March somewhere and that 11,000+ Chicagoans are able to enjoy a baseball game.

I‘m one of those guys that never bought the “My dog ate my homework” excuse and am leery of most explanations for baseball failures. They sound more like excuses no matter how clever or pat the jargon. For the past ten days or so, Imanaga and the Cubs have been floating plausible reasons for his uneven 2025 performance. And because of my inherent skepticism I didn’t bother reading the flummery.

As a seasoned Cactus League observer, I know it’s best not to make too much of the highs and lows. However, I’m not encouraged by the three solo homers he surrendered to the Sox mashers today. Maybe he got it all out of his system?