The Kosuke Fukudome & Hiroki Kuroda Thread

[Ding Dong Johnson]

The Fukudome might want to stay at home if the Cubs are the only ones giving serious consideration.

[inari]

It really sounds like the Cubs are the only team even interested right now...

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

According to the article referenced above (Link), Fukudome may not make a decisison until Thanksgiving.

 

I'm hoping that my Thanksgiving holiday is marked by a Cowboys win over the Jets and as I return to the sister-in-law's for a nice dinner, I learn that the Cubs have signed Fukudome. Then, I can sit down and be thankful.

[inari]

I hope that by "decision," it is referring to his team selection, not just whether he's going to come to America.

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

Maybe the Cubs can leverage Neil Diamond to help bring Fukudome to America?

 

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/MMPH/258981~Neil-Diamond-Posters.jpg

[JeffH]

Maybe the Cubs can leverage Neil Diamond to help bring Fukudome to America?

 

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/MMPH/258981~Neil-Diamond-Posters.jpg

 

Or Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall.

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

damn, Neil Dimaond is one sexy man.

 

:-s

[jersey cubs fan]

Taking big money from an American team has got to be a lot less tempting than it was a few years ago, when the dollar was actually worth something.

[OleMissCub]

Sorry I'm lazy and don't want to wade through 12 pages of thread....

 

Are the Cubs showing interest in Kuroda as an incentive plan for Fukudome i.e. the Red Sox getting Okajima so Dice-K won't be lonely.

[nilodnayr]

Sorry I'm lazy and don't want to wade through 12 pages of thread....

 

Are the Cubs showing interest in Kuroda as an incentive plan for Fukudome i.e. the Red Sox getting Okajima so Dice-K won't be lonely.

 

We haven't talked about Kuroda in a really really really long time.

[BRASKYS SCOTCH]

According to the article referenced above (Link), Fukudome may not make a decisison until Thanksgiving.

 

I'm hoping that my Thanksgiving holiday is marked by a Cowboys win over the Jets and as I return to the sister-in-law's for a nice dinner, I learn that the Cubs have signed Fukudome. Then, I can sit down and be thankful.

 

If the Cowboys somehow lose to the Jets, I'd just take a step back from sports because clearly the fates would be pretty pissed at you.

[tinkerstoeverstochance]

I thought I throw in a bio/scouting report/vids I found googling Kosuke:

 

http://www.armchairgm.com/Kosuke_Fukudome

[CUBZ99]

I thought I throw in a bio/scouting report/vids I found googling Kosuke:

 

http://www.armchairgm.com/Kosuke_Fukudome

 

Nice find! Dome has a unique stance and appears to play the game with a little attitude. :D Loved the youtube of him throwing out a runner at 1B from RF. The look on the batter's face was priceless.

 

Also, don't speak a lick of Japanese, but those announcers really get into the game.

[OleMissCub]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/655747,CST-SPT-cub18.article

 

"[Fukudome] is a good little player,'' he said. ''He'll remind people a little bit of [suzuki], just not offensively. But he's an acrobat in the outfield. And he has an unbelievable arm, like [suzuki].''

 

Graczyk, the co-publisher along with JapanBall.com of ''Japan Pro Baseball Fan Handbook and Media Guide,'' believes Fukudome would find success in the major leagues.

 

''He is not Ichiro, but he should be a solid, all-around player,'' he wrote. ''In Japan, you'd expect him to hit 30 home runs, 100 RBI and .340. Maybe in the [major leagues], he'd do 20 HR, 80 RBI and .320. Good arm, good baserunner, excellent contact hitter.''

 

Is Fukudome leaning toward remaining in Japan?

 

''The Giants are putting a lot of pressure on him to stay here,'' Wayne Graczyk, a sports columnist for the Japan Times Online, said by e-mail from Tokyo. ''I would say it's 50-50 right now whether he will go to the Giants or [the major leagues].''

 

Then THIS DOOZY....

 

He reminds Destrade of another player, as well: Jacques Jones, the former Cubs outfielder. While he struggled during his two years in Chicago, he had a few excellent seasons with the Minnesota Twins before joining the Cubs.

 

''Fukudome is very comparable to a Jones, who was an All-Star for a while and had good pop and speed, and was good in the outfield,'' Destrade said.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Also....Jones was never an all-star, believe it or not folks.

Edited November 21, 2007 by NCCubFan
Add URL tag so link opens in new window

[Guest]

Wow, I don't see the comparison at all. Based on everything I've read, Kosuke sounds like he has much better on base skills and less or equal power. I'm hoping for the Kotsay-in-his-prime comp that meph gave.

[Mephistopheles]

Who would you trust? Meph or Carol Sleazy Slezak?

 

Edit: Now that I read the article. It was Orestes Destrade. Destrade is Cuban, thus he was not brought up with the knowledge of base on balls so he can't objectively compare Fukudome's skillset to Jones'. He learned that you can't "walk" off the island like many Cubans and Dominican players before him -- which is true for a certain extent. In the short term it's good for them to be hacktastic (ML scouts dont sign players because they can walk) but in the longterm it hurts their development (bc walking is good)

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/655747,CST-SPT-cub18.article

 

"[Fukudome] is a good little player,'' he said. ''He'll remind people a little bit of [suzuki], just not offensively. But he's an acrobat in the outfield. And he has an unbelievable arm, like [suzuki].''

 

Graczyk, the co-publisher along with JapanBall.com of ''Japan Pro Baseball Fan Handbook and Media Guide,'' believes Fukudome would find success in the major leagues.

 

''He is not Ichiro, but he should be a solid, all-around player,'' he wrote. ''In Japan, you'd expect him to hit 30 home runs, 100 RBI and .340. Maybe in the [major leagues], he'd do 20 HR, 80 RBI and .320. Good arm, good baserunner, excellent contact hitter.''

 

Is Fukudome leaning toward remaining in Japan?

 

''The Giants are putting a lot of pressure on him to stay here,'' Wayne Graczyk, a sports columnist for the Japan Times Online, said by e-mail from Tokyo. ''I would say it's 50-50 right now whether he will go to the Giants or [the major leagues].''

 

Then THIS DOOZY....

 

He reminds Destrade of another player, as well: Jacques Jones, the former Cubs outfielder. While he struggled during his two years in Chicago, he had a few excellent seasons with the Minnesota Twins before joining the Cubs.

 

''Fukudome is very comparable to a Jones, who was an All-Star for a while and had good pop and speed, and was good in the outfield,'' Destrade said.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Also....Jones was never an all-star, believe it or not folks.

 

 

It appears the comparison was made by Orestes Destrade. If that's the case, it doesn't bother me. I've listened to Destrade on XM and I doubt he would notice the differences between Jacque and Fukudome.

[CuseCubFan69]

The fact that Fukudome has a great arm should stop that comparison right away.

[E.J.]

The fact that Fukudome has a great arm should stop that comparison right away.

 

That, and the fact that Fukudome actually takes walks.

[moorecg]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/655747,CST-SPT-cub18.article

 

"[Fukudome] is a good little player,'' he said. ''He'll remind people a little bit of [suzuki], just not offensively. But he's an acrobat in the outfield. And he has an unbelievable arm, like [suzuki].''

 

Graczyk, the co-publisher along with JapanBall.com of ''Japan Pro Baseball Fan Handbook and Media Guide,'' believes Fukudome would find success in the major leagues.

 

''He is not Ichiro, but he should be a solid, all-around player,'' he wrote. ''In Japan, you'd expect him to hit 30 home runs, 100 RBI and .340. Maybe in the [major leagues], he'd do 20 HR, 80 RBI and .320. Good arm, good baserunner, excellent contact hitter.''

 

Is Fukudome leaning toward remaining in Japan?

 

''The Giants are putting a lot of pressure on him to stay here,'' Wayne Graczyk, a sports columnist for the Japan Times Online, said by e-mail from Tokyo. ''I would say it's 50-50 right now whether he will go to the Giants or [the major leagues].''

 

Then THIS DOOZY....

 

He reminds Destrade of another player, as well: Jacques Jones, the former Cubs outfielder. While he struggled during his two years in Chicago, he had a few excellent seasons with the Minnesota Twins before joining the Cubs.

 

''Fukudome is very comparable to a Jones, who was an All-Star for a while and had good pop and speed, and was good in the outfield,'' Destrade said.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Also....Jones was never an all-star, believe it or not folks.

 

 

It appears the comparison was made by Orestes Destrade. If that's the case, it doesn't bother me. I've listened to Destrade on XM and I doubt he would notice the differences between Jacque and Fukudome.

 

Agreed...they are both baseball players...that puts them in about the same position as far as Orestes is concerned...the fact that they both play Outfield...well...they might as well be twins.

[jersey cubs fan]

He reminds Destrade of another player, as well: Jacques Jones, the former Cubs outfielder. While he struggled during his two years in Chicago, he had a few excellent seasons with the Minnesota Twins before joining the Cubs.

 

''Fukudome is very comparable to a Jones, who was an All-Star for a while and had good pop and speed, and was good in the outfield,'' Destrade said.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Also....Jones was never an all-star, believe it or not folks.

 

I love how people just feel so willing to hand out labels like "he was an All-Star for a while." Shameless disregard for facts has never gotten in the way of baseball discussion.

[CuseCubFan69]

He reminds Destrade of another player, as well: Jacques Jones, the former Cubs outfielder. While he struggled during his two years in Chicago, he had a few excellent seasons with the Minnesota Twins before joining the Cubs.

 

''Fukudome is very comparable to a Jones, who was an All-Star for a while and had good pop and speed, and was good in the outfield,'' Destrade said.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Also....Jones was never an all-star, believe it or not folks.

 

I love how people just feel so willing to hand out labels like "he was an All-Star for a while." Shameless disregard for facts has never gotten in the way of baseball discussion.

 

Was he a GG winner cuz that means he has a great glove.

[OleMissCub]

 

Destrade is Cuban, thus he was not brought up with the knowledge of base on balls

 

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[TheDude]

Taking big money from an American team has got to be a lot less tempting than it was a few years ago, when the dollar was actually worth something.

 

Wouldn't the end result still equate to about 4x his Japanese salary (if he gets what's projected)?

[1908]

Wouldn't the end result still equate to about 4x his Japanese salary (if he gets what's projected)?

Not sure what the projection is, but his former club offered him $5M per to stay, and the Yomiuri Giants have the means to double that if they're serious about signing him.