The Kosuke Fukudome & Hiroki Kuroda Thread

[AllStarMe]

I like to hear this about Pie getting extra attention in the offseason especially the part about improving his selectivity at the plate. He's a huge X factor this year.

 

Any word on when F-Dome announces whether he's staying in Japan or coming to the states?

[BCVM22]

Any word on when F-Dome announces whether he's staying in Japan or coming to the states?

 

As was posted previously in the thread, it appears that he met with his agent in Japan with the specific intent of going over the offers from the various MLB clubs, indicating that it's likely he'll be coming to America.

[RynoRules]

Crasnick of ESPN handicaps the center fielder sweepstakes, including Fukudome:

 

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.

 

The Giants, Rangers and Cubs are among the clubs interested in Fukudome. After parting company with Cliff Floyd and Jacque Jones, the Cubs are looking for a more athletic left-handed hitting outfielder. And Fukudome's .397 career on-base percentage is certainly appealing.

 

"He's kind of a poor man's Carlos Beltran," said a National League personnel man. "He's not top of the line, but a pretty good player. He can run, he can drive the ball in the gaps a little bit, and he can go get it pretty well in the outfield."

 

Link

[UK1679666180]

The poss. of Fukudome, Pie, and Soriano behind them looks good for the Cubs pitching staff.

[cubweiser03]

Crasnick of ESPN handicaps the center fielder sweepstakes, including Fukudome:

 

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.

 

The Giants, Rangers and Cubs are among the clubs interested in Fukudome. After parting company with Cliff Floyd and Jacque Jones, the Cubs are looking for a more athletic left-handed hitting outfielder. And Fukudome's .397 career on-base percentage is certainly appealing.

 

"He's kind of a poor man's Carlos Beltran," said a National League personnel man. "He's not top of the line, but a pretty good player. He can run, he can drive the ball in the gaps a little bit, and he can go get it pretty well in the outfield."

 

Link

 

Cool, Cubs will have Beltran Jr. and Beltran Lite.

[RammyFanny]

"A survey of teams heading to the winter meetings finds that almost as many (17) are looking for outfielders as starting pitchers (18). Eight teams are specifically looking to improve in center field, which is why Aaron Rowand is in such a great spot — and the White Sox are in such a weak position as they try to upgrade in center and left... Seattle is considered the front-runner to sign pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, but the Cubs and Dodgers have paid him house calls."

 

From the Trib

[Electron Blue]

"A survey of teams heading to the winter meetings finds that almost as many (17) are looking for outfielders as starting pitchers (18). Eight teams are specifically looking to improve in center field, which is why Aaron Rowand is in such a great spot — and the White Sox are in such a weak position as they try to upgrade in center and left... Seattle is considered the front-runner to sign pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, but the Cubs and Dodgers have paid him house calls."

 

From the Trib

 

I've got a feeling we lose out of Fukodome, but quietly aren't all that disappointed after seeing how much he signs for. He's the best of the available, which is skewing (at least my own) feeling of how much I want him...

[Post Count Padder]

Kosuke Fukudome-OF-Player Dec. 2 - 10:18 pm et

 

Cubs GM Jim Hendry said he's hoping to know soon whether Kosuke Fukudome will leave Japan and sign for an MLB team.

 

Hendry said he talked to Fukudome's agent, Joe Urbon, last week. The Cubs are looking for a left-handed hitter to start over Matt Murton in right field.

Source: Cubs.mlb.com

[inari]

What a revelation, Jim. We're all hoping to know the same.

[cbbryan]

Kosuke Fukudome-OF-Player Dec. 2 - 10:18 pm et

 

Cubs GM Jim Hendry said he's hoping to know soon whether Kosuke Fukudome will leave Japan and sign for an MLB team.

 

Hendry said he talked to Fukudome's agent, Joe Urbon, last week. The Cubs are looking for a left-handed hitter to start over Matt Murton in right field.

Source: Cubs.mlb.com

 

That struck me as being really funny!

[craig]

I've got a feeling we lose out of Fukodome, but quietly aren't all that disappointed after seeing how much he signs for. He's the best of the available, which is skewing (at least my own) feeling of how much I want him...

 

Not sure how expensive he'll be. But the word suggests he wants "only" 3 years, not the 5 or 6 that a normal American FA would want. 2nd, he's a FA, so while he'll cost a lot of money, he'll cost only money. Lou has (rightfully) said that FA doesn't offer other satisfactory alternatives, so that if not Fukudome, they'll trade. To get a good RF by trade will cost serious *talent*, as well as money.

 

So in a sense, Fukudome may well be less expensive, given that losing talent in trade is a real cost.

[PrimeTime]

I hope we get him. I've been seein on other sites, Cubs fans have been emailing him at his website trying to pursuade him to come over here,just letting him know the benefits of coming to Chicago...Its worth a try I guess..Why arent we going hard after starting pitching? Our 4 and 5 is a mess right now.. Were going nowhere with Marshall/Whoever and Marquis..Thats jsut terrible right there

[JeffH]

Why arent we going hard after starting pitching? Our 4 and 5 is a mess right now.. Were going nowhere with Marshall/Whoever and Marquis..Thats jsut terrible right there

 

If the Cubs could manage to assemble a good offense for a change, Dempster/Marquis/Marshall/Gallagher/Hart could be a very successful back end of the rotation.

 

Sadly, Jim Hendry knows very little about putting together a legitimate MLB offense.

[pitchcs]

From today's Tribune:

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/cs-071202citybits,1,2498734.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

 

Gotta love these 2 beauties:

 

Would Hendry accept a right-handed hitter in a trade?

"Depends on the guy," he said. "In a perfect world, I think we're going to try to center on a left-handed bat in the outfield."

Does that player have to be a power hitter?

"Nah, not at all," Hendry said. "We [want] the best player. If he hits left-handed and hits for a higher average, I'm fine with that."

 

 

the question is what happens to Matt Murton.

 

"We still like Murton," Hendry said. "We think Murt's an everyday big-leaguer. He knows we all like him. Life would be a lot easier if Murton were left-handed."

 

 

Talk about left handed obsession.

[SouthSideRyan]

From today's Tribune:

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/cs-071202citybits,1,2498734.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

 

Gotta love these 2 beauties:

 

Would Hendry accept a right-handed hitter in a trade?

"Depends on the guy," he said. "In a perfect world, I think we're going to try to center on a left-handed bat in the outfield."

Does that player have to be a power hitter?

"Nah, not at all," Hendry said. "We [want] the best player. If he hits left-handed and hits for a higher average, I'm fine with that."

 

 

the question is what happens to Matt Murton.

 

"We still like Murton," Hendry said. "We think Murt's an everyday big-leaguer. He knows we all like him. Life would be a lot easier if Murton were left-handed."

 

 

Talk about left handed obsession.

 

The very definition of focusing on what a player isn't. Yeah, Matt's a starting OF in the big leagues no doubt. But have you seen what side of the plate he swings from? EWWWW

 

That series of quotes from Hendry are just phenomenal. "All we're focusing on is getting the best player...as long as he's left handed...and his value is tied to batting average...and he has to be fast"

[third eye]

From today's Tribune:

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/cs-071202citybits,1,2498734.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

 

Gotta love these 2 beauties:

 

Would Hendry accept a right-handed hitter in a trade?

"Depends on the guy," he said. "In a perfect world, I think we're going to try to center on a left-handed bat in the outfield."

Does that player have to be a power hitter?

"Nah, not at all," Hendry said. "We [want] the best player. If he hits left-handed and hits for a higher average, I'm fine with that."

 

 

the question is what happens to Matt Murton.

 

"We still like Murton," Hendry said. "We think Murt's an everyday big-leaguer. He knows we all like him. Life would be a lot easier if Murton were left-handed."

 

 

Talk about left handed obsession.

 

 

Ugh, good lord that is irritating. It is astounding to me that after so many comments from him last year about the team's inability to hit left handers, he is so focused on getting a lefty for right field. WTF??

 

I don't mean to take this thread on a tangent, but I have to mention this here. A few months ago, someone on this board posted a link to Steven Levitt's blog - the post where he endorsed one of his grad students for a position with any MLB team (after they worked on the "does lineup protection exist" study). I went to grad school with that particular student, and I asked him if he considered a position with the Cubs. His response was that the Cubs front office was one of the few MLB front offices with no interest in hiring someone with his background. Very telling, and extraordinarily infuriating. I had this conversation with him over the summer, but didn't bother to post about it until I read that mind-numbing quote by Hendry. WTF?!?!

[CubinNY]

From today's Tribune:

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/cs-071202citybits,1,2498734.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

 

Gotta love these 2 beauties:

 

Would Hendry accept a right-handed hitter in a trade?

"Depends on the guy," he said. "In a perfect world, I think we're going to try to center on a left-handed bat in the outfield."

Does that player have to be a power hitter?

"Nah, not at all," Hendry said. "We [want] the best player. If he hits left-handed and hits for a higher average, I'm fine with that."

 

 

the question is what happens to Matt Murton.

 

"We still like Murton," Hendry said. "We think Murt's an everyday big-leaguer. He knows we all like him. Life would be a lot easier if Murton were left-handed."

 

 

Talk about left handed obsession.

 

 

Ugh, good lord that is irritating. It is astounding to me that after so many comments from him last year about the team's inability to hit left handers, he is so focused on getting a lefty for right field. WTF??

 

I don't mean to take this thread on a tangent, but I have to mention this here. A few months ago, someone on this board posted a link to Steven Levitt's blog - the post where he endorsed one of his grad students for a position with any MLB team (after they worked on the "does lineup protection exist" study). I went to grad school with that particular student, and I asked him if he considered a position with the Cubs. His response was that the Cubs front office was one of the few MLB front offices with no interest in hiring someone with his background. Very telling, and extraordinarily infuriating. I had this conversation with him over the summer, but didn't bother to post about it until I read that mind-numbing quote by Hendry. WTF?!?!

It just gets better every day. The only good thing is that Hendry is in a division largely populated with GMs just like him.

[Post Count Padder]

Hiroki Kuroda-S-Player Dec. 3 - 10:36 am et

 

According to the Tacoma News Tribune, the Mariners have offered Hiroki Kuroda $44 million over four seasons.

 

The newspaper describes the offer as "on the table." If true, it trumps the reported three-year, $27 million offer previously made by the Diamondbacks and would seemingly make the Mariners the heavy favorites to land Kuroda.

Source: Tacoma News Tribune

[Post Count Padder]

Kosuke Fukudome-OF-Player Dec. 3 - 10:28 am et

 

San Diego "has intensified its pursuit of Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome," according to the San Diego Union Tribune.

 

Team CEO Sandy Alderson said only that Fukudome "might be an option" for the Padres, but the newspaper quotes an NL executive as saying that the Padres and Cubs are "in the hunt" for him.

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

[C.C.]

San Diego will not out-spend the Cubs for Fukudome.

[CuseCubFan69]

San Diego will not out-spend the Cubs for Fukudome.

 

I'd have a limit though, just as the Cubs did when they bid for Furcal.

[BigbadB]

San Diego will not out-spend the Cubs for Fukudome.

 

Agreed. Their offer probably isn't even half what the Cubs are offering.

 

Meanwhile, Michael Barrett is about to go down the same exact road that Todd Walker went down with San Diego last year. The Padres offered Barrett arbitration. Only an idiot would decline that deal, as Barrett stands to make 5m to be Josh Bard's back up. But, apparently a team can offer arbitration, lose the arbitration case, and then cut the player when you don't like what you will be required to pay. That just doesn't seem right to me, but that's what happened to Walker last year and I'm predicting will happen to Barrett.

[RammyFanny]

Joe Urbon, agent for free-agent outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, was scheduled to talk with the Chicago Cubs on Monday afternoon and was expected to talk with the San Francisco Giants.

 

Those two teams, along with the White Sox, Padres and Rangers, are interested in Fukudome, who also has an offer from the Tokyo Giants.

 

Fukudome, 30, batted .294 for the Chunichi Dragons in 2007, and has a career on-base percentage of nearly .400 and a career slugging percentage of better than .500. The left-handed hitter was named the Central League's Most Valuable Player in 2006, when he hit .351 with 31 homers and 104 RBIs. He was limited to 81 games in 2007 before undergoing season-ending surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.

http://wintermeetings.mlblogs.com/nashvilleconfidential/2007/12/monday_whispers.html

[Burtonbell]

Things really heating up. I like what I am hearing so far. Glad to see the Yanks & Red Sox are out a player for a change, even if they don't need him. They seem to be in the hunt for everyone who is available.

 

My excitement will probably be short lived as Hendry probably didn't offer him enough doughnuts because he ate them all.

[YearofDaCubs]

Joe Urbon, agent for free-agent outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, was scheduled to talk with the Chicago Cubs on Monday afternoon and was expected to talk with the San Francisco Giants.

 

Those two teams, along with the White Sox, Padres and Rangers, are interested in Fukudome, who also has an offer from the Tokyo Giants.

 

Fukudome, 30, batted .294 for the Chunichi Dragons in 2007, and has a career on-base percentage of nearly .400 and a career slugging percentage of better than .500. The left-handed hitter was named the Central League's Most Valuable Player in 2006, when he hit .351 with 31 homers and 104 RBIs. He was limited to 81 games in 2007 before undergoing season-ending surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.

http://wintermeetings.mlblogs.com/nashvilleconfidential/2007/12/monday_whispers.html

 

Ha ha, did you guys see this from that link?

 

Finley, "Bus" making the rounds

 

Among the handful of free agents in Nashville looking for jobs was Steve Finley, who was spotted roaming the lobby at the Opryland Hotel. Finley, 42, played in 43 games for the Rockies in '07.

 

"I wouldn't play if I thought I was going to embarrass myself," Finley said.