The Kosuke Fukudome & Hiroki Kuroda Thread

[inari]

Old news or new news, the idea of Dempster starting is horrible. We'll trot him out for a few weeks and he'll be 0-5 with a 7.64 ERA and then we'll either move him to the pen or release him.

 

Hm... that sounds really familiar. It's almost as if we've tried Dempster as a starter before, only to put him in the pen because it went so badly.

[E.J.]

One team has backed out of the Fukudome sweepstakes:

 

http://www.japanball.com/news.phtml?id=11228

The Hanshin Tigers have dropped out of the hunt for free agent

outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, club president Nobuo Minami said Tuesday.

 

''Although we would still confirm with his agent, we determined

that we are in a difficult situation as a result of our information

gathering,'' Minami said.

 

Minami was attending a meeting of representatives from

baseball's 12 teams.

 

Hanshin offered a four-year contract worth an estimated 2

billion yen when the club met with the 30-year-old Fukudome in Osaka

on Nov. 16.

 

Hanshin's withdrawal left the Yomiuri Giants and major league

clubs as the remaining bidders for the 2006 Central League MVP.

 

''I haven't heard anything, so I don't even know if it's true,''

Fukudome said. ''I'll have to contact my agent.''

 

So unless he signs with the Ymiuri Giants, he's definitely on his way to the States. I'm guessing if he does come that Hendry will outbid every other team interested.

[soapy]

 

So unless he signs with the Ymiuri Giants, he's definitely on his way to the States. I'm guessing if he does come that Hendry will outbid every other team interested.

 

i think that's likely. there is going to be a whole lot of rage around here if Hendry comes up a few million dollars short on Fukudome because he feels the need to over-pay the likes of Infante and K. Matsui (if that happens).

[CuseCubFan69]

 

So unless he signs with the Ymiuri Giants, he's definitely on his way to the States. I'm guessing if he does come that Hendry will outbid every other team interested.

 

i think that's likely. there is going to be a whole lot of rage around here if Hendry comes up a few million dollars short on Fukudome because he feels the need to over-pay the likes of Infante and K. Matsui (if that happens).

 

I understand the pessimism but don't forget that Hendry can always trade Infante.

[UMFan83]

I still have this bad feeling he signs with the Giants (of Japan, not SF)

[Yestheydo]

Old news or new news, the idea of Dempster starting is horrible. We'll trot him out for a few weeks and he'll be 0-5 with a 7.64 ERA and then we'll either move him to the pen or release him.

 

Hm... that sounds really familiar. It's almost as if we've tried Dempster as a starter before, only to put him in the pen because it went so badly.

 

He wasn't great as a starter, but the reason he went to the pen was named LaTroy Hawkins.

[YearofDaCubs]

So nothing new on the Fukudome front? I thought he was going to give an answer by thanksgiving?

[Post Count Padder]

If Hendry signs Matsui, and not Fukudome, there will be hell to pay.

[CubColtPacer]

So nothing new on the Fukudome front? I thought he was going to give an answer by thanksgiving?

 

The last news I saw said that he may not decide before the first of the year.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

So unless he signs with the Ymiuri Giants, he's definitely on his way to the States. I'm guessing if he does come that Hendry will outbid every other team interested.

 

i think that's likely. there is going to be a whole lot of rage around here if Hendry comes up a few million dollars short on Fukudome because he feels the need to over-pay the likes of Infante and K. Matsui (if that happens).

 

I understand the pessimism but don't forget that Hendry can always trade Infante.

 

Yes, he CAN fix all the mistakes he's made over the years. The likelihood is extremely low, however.

[CuseCubFan69]

 

So unless he signs with the Ymiuri Giants, he's definitely on his way to the States. I'm guessing if he does come that Hendry will outbid every other team interested.

 

i think that's likely. there is going to be a whole lot of rage around here if Hendry comes up a few million dollars short on Fukudome because he feels the need to over-pay the likes of Infante and K. Matsui (if that happens).

 

I understand the pessimism but don't forget that Hendry can always trade Infante.

 

Yes, he CAN fix all the mistakes he's made over the years. The likelihood is extremely low, however.

 

I agree. It's possible that the O's might desire Infante over Theriot or Cedeno if the Cubs go that route.

[Backtobanks]

So nothing new on the Fukudome front? I thought he was going to give an answer by thanksgiving?

 

The last news I saw said that he may not decide before the first of the year.

 

If I were Fukudome's agent, I would make sure he makes a decision sooner than that. Some teams will drop out of the bidding because of trades or signings they make in the next week or two. Obviously, the more teams that are interested, the bigger the contract.

[CuseCubFan69]

So nothing new on the Fukudome front? I thought he was going to give an answer by thanksgiving?

 

The last news I saw said that he may not decide before the first of the year.

 

If I were Fukudome's agent, I would make sure he makes a decision sooner than that. Some teams will drop out of the bidding because of trades or signings they make in the next week or two. Obviously, the more teams that are interested, the bigger the contract.

 

Doesn't he already have the proverbial bird in the hand with the Giants offer? Maybe he's waiting for that to be topped and hoping the desperate will do just that.

[nilodnayr]

I still have this bad feeling he signs with the Giants (of Japan, not SF)

 

 

I don't know why I feel this, but if the Tigers are dropping out based on "information gathering", its because they think hes going to hop the pond.

[jersey cubs fan]

I still have this bad feeling he signs with the Giants (of Japan, not SF)

 

 

I don't know why I feel this, but if the Tigers are dropping out based on "information gathering", its because they think hes going to hop the pond.

 

Or that the information they gathered was that the Giants and the MLB teams were going to offer a lot more than they were every considering. They were never an option. He's either going to stay in Japan, but with a new deeper pocketed team, or come to the states. He was never going to stay with his old team.

[1908]

Or that the information they gathered was that the Giants and the MLB teams were going to offer a lot more than they were every considering. They were never an option. He's either going to stay in Japan, but with a new deeper pocketed team, or come to the states. He was never going to stay with his old team.

The Tigers are not Fukudome's old team but I think your reasoning otherwise is spot on.

[jersey cubs fan]

Or that the information they gathered was that the Giants and the MLB teams were going to offer a lot more than they were every considering. They were never an option. He's either going to stay in Japan, but with a new deeper pocketed team, or come to the states. He was never going to stay with his old team.

The Tigers are not Fukudome's old team but I think your reasoning otherwise is spot on.

 

 

Man, I was questioning that part the whole time I was typing and just didn't feel like looking it up. Stupid laziness.

[nilodnayr]

Or that the information they gathered was that the Giants and the MLB teams were going to offer a lot more than they were every considering. They were never an option. He's either going to stay in Japan, but with a new deeper pocketed team, or come to the states. He was never going to stay with his old team.

The Tigers are not Fukudome's old team but I think your reasoning otherwise is spot on.

 

I know its more of a feeling, but if Fukudome makes the decision to stay in Japan, what benefit would it be for the Tigers to come out and say now that they are out of the race for him? Even if they don't think they can get him, wouldn't it be best for them to not acknowledge that and try to drive up the price for the Giants?

 

I don't know if that type of gamesmanship happens over there, and frankly it doesn't happen here sometimes either, but it just seems odd that they would come out and declare that. Like I said, just a feeling.

[jersey cubs fan]

Or that the information they gathered was that the Giants and the MLB teams were going to offer a lot more than they were every considering. They were never an option. He's either going to stay in Japan, but with a new deeper pocketed team, or come to the states. He was never going to stay with his old team.

The Tigers are not Fukudome's old team but I think your reasoning otherwise is spot on.

 

I know its more of a feeling, but if Fukudome makes the decision to stay in Japan, what benefit would it be for the Tigers to come out and say now that they are out of the race for him? Even if they don't think they can get him, wouldn't it be best for them to not acknowledge that and try to drive up the price for the Giants?

 

I don't know if that type of gamesmanship happens over there, and frankly it doesn't happen here sometimes either, but it just seems odd that they would come out and declare that. Like I said, just a feeling.

 

Teams declare themselves out of races all the time. Look how many teams rushed to say they weren't going after ARod. Perhaps the owners don't have an interest in driving up player costs.

[1908]

I know its more of a feeling, but if Fukudome makes the decision to stay in Japan, what benefit would it be for the Tigers to come out and say now that they are out of the race for him? Even if they don't think they can get him, wouldn't it be best for them to not acknowledge that and try to drive up the price for the Giants?

 

I don't know if that type of gamesmanship happens over there, and frankly it doesn't happen here sometimes either, but it just seems odd that they would come out and declare that. Like I said, just a feeling.

I think you're putting too much thought into this. What benefit would if be for the Tigers to come out and say they are out of the race for him if they know he's coming to the US? I suspect they just want their rabid fan base to focus on something else because they know they can't sign him.

[craig]

The last news I saw said that he may not decide before the first of the year.

 

That would be pretty tough for Hendry to stay involved with Fukudome, I'd think. Getting a LH RFer has been his primary objective since the season ended. Most all teams are trying to shape their rosters and their budgets. Does Hendry really want to freeze that hunt and sit out the winter meetings and all of the roster resolutions that other clubs are making during December in order to wait for Fukudome? Unless he's really confident/sure that he's going to get Fukudome anyway, or that some desirable alternative will still be available in January, wouldn't stalling a Fukudome decision really paralyze absolutely everything else that hendry can do?

 

So much so that Hendry might decide he can't wait any longer, and needs to get what he can here before it's too late?

[Post Count Padder]

Sox could make a play:

 

Kosuke Fukudome-OF- Player Nov. 30 - 1:34 am et

 

 

Unwilling to pay the price for Aaron Rowand, the White Sox are looking at signing Kosuke Fukudome or trading for Jason Bay.

 

Bringing in an expensive left fielder like Fukudome could cause them to go cheap in center or perhaps even stick with Jerry Owens there. Fukudome's left-handed bat would seem to make more sense than another right-hander in Bay, especially since the White Sox don't have a lot of depth to trade from.

Source: FOXSports.com

[BigbadB]

The last news I saw said that he may not decide before the first of the year.

 

That would be pretty tough for Hendry to stay involved with Fukudome, I'd think. Getting a LH RFer has been his primary objective since the season ended. Most all teams are trying to shape their rosters and their budgets. Does Hendry really want to freeze that hunt and sit out the winter meetings and all of the roster resolutions that other clubs are making during December in order to wait for Fukudome? Unless he's really confident/sure that he's going to get Fukudome anyway, or that some desirable alternative will still be available in January, wouldn't stalling a Fukudome decision really paralyze absolutely everything else that hendry can do?

 

So much so that Hendry might decide he can't wait any longer, and needs to get what he can here before it's too late?

 

Agreed. Which really makes me despise the Jacque Jones trade even more. To me, you don't trade a commodity unless you have a replacement already locked up.

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

from Crasnick

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove07/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=3135031

For a while, the consensus was that Fukudome would stay in Japan. That's no longer the case. Agent Joe Urbon told ESPN.com that he met with Fukudome in Nagoya, Japan, on Wednesday night and went over the "multiple offers" the outfielder had received from MLB clubs.

 

"Although staying in Japan certainly is an option, it is highly unlikely," Urbon said in an e-mail.

[CuseCubFan69]

Sox could make a play:

 

Kosuke Fukudome-OF- Player Nov. 30 - 1:34 am et

 

 

Unwilling to pay the price for Aaron Rowand, the White Sox are looking at signing Kosuke Fukudome or trading for Jason Bay.

 

Bringing in an expensive left fielder like Fukudome could cause them to go cheap in center or perhaps even stick with Jerry Owens there. Fukudome's left-handed bat would seem to make more sense than another right-hander in Bay, especially since the White Sox don't have a lot of depth to trade from.

Source: FOXSports.com

 

Have the Sox gutted their system or is it still in ok shape?