Fukudome Signs with Cubs for 4 years (MLB.com: $48 M)

[minnesotacubsfan]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7553926?MSNHPHMA

 

But if Fukudome becomes, as scouts expect, another Raul Ibanez, the Cubs' lineup would feature four impact hitters: Fukudome, Soriano Lee and Ramirez, whose contracts will average — ahem — nearly $60 million per season.

 

Am I nitpicking, or is that just a poorly written, very confusing phrase? Their contracts will average $60 per season suggests to me that there are 4 guys whose individuals contracts will be $60m per year on average. Or that combined they will cost $240 million per year.

 

Perhaps he should have said, their contracts will combine to cost the Cubs $60 per year, on average over the course of the respective deals.

 

it is badly written

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

sorry if this has been posted already...

 

Levine On Fukudome

Interesting stuff from ESPN 1000's Bruce Levine this morning regarding Kosuke Fukudome.

 

The Rangers offered the most money.

The White Sox were not outbid - they offered about the same as the Cubs. However, Fukudome did not want to displace Jermaine Dye from right field.

Fukudome was just intrigued by the Cubs, and liked the idea of being their first Japanese player.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

 

I wonder if the Sox tried to sell him on playing CF? Maybe he doesn't want to be play full time CF?

[RynoRules]

Levine On Fukudome

 

Interesting stuff from ESPN 1000's Bruce Levine this morning regarding Kosuke Fukudome.

 

* The Rangers offered the most money.

* The White Sox were not outbid - they offered about the same as the Cubs. However, Fukudome did not want to displace Jermaine Dye from right field.

* Fukudome was just intrigued by the Cubs, and liked the idea of being their first Japanese player.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Interesting.

 

Levine isn't a terribly reliable guy, but that is very interesting if true, especially the part about the Rangers outbidding the Cubs. Wonder if Ichiro told him playing for Lou is a good thing.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Levine On Fukudome

 

Interesting stuff from ESPN 1000's Bruce Levine this morning regarding Kosuke Fukudome.

 

* The Rangers offered the most money.

* The White Sox were not outbid - they offered about the same as the Cubs. However, Fukudome did not want to displace Jermaine Dye from right field.

* Fukudome was just intrigued by the Cubs, and liked the idea of being their first Japanese player.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Interesting.

 

 

wow. so it wasnt the highest bidder. I wonder if all that talk of 5 years $70 mil was Texas??

[RynoRules]

I think this song is appropriate for those of us with Fukudome Fever:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpCcelpvkps

[jersey cubs fan]

Levine On Fukudome

 

Interesting stuff from ESPN 1000's Bruce Levine this morning regarding Kosuke Fukudome.

 

* The Rangers offered the most money.

* The White Sox were not outbid - they offered about the same as the Cubs. However, Fukudome did not want to displace Jermaine Dye from right field.

* Fukudome was just intrigued by the Cubs, and liked the idea of being their first Japanese player.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Interesting.

 

 

wow. so it wasnt the highest bidder. I wonder if all that talk of 5 years $70 mil was Texas??

 

I always take this "we were right there financially" talk with a big grain of salt. It's very convenient for teams to leak to their fans that they were willing to spend big on a guy they won't ever have to spend a dime on.

[ottawacubbie]

This clip showcases his swing really well. It reminds me of someone's but I am not sure who?

 

 

Also at 1:53 I love him gunning out runners at 1st from RF.

Edited December 12, 2007 by ottawacubbie

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

This clip showcases his swing really well. It reminds me of someone's but I am not sure who?

 

 

Also at 1:53 he reminds me of a specific Expos gunning our runners at 1st from RF.

 

すげーホームラン！

[C.C.]

This clip showcases his swing really well. It reminds me of someone's but I am not sure who?

 

 

Also at 1:53 he reminds me of a specific Expos gunning our runners at 1st from RF.

 

 

Okay I'm pumped!

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

すげーホームラン！ すげーホームラン！ すげーホームラン！

[CuseCubFan69]

Does he ever hit the ball to CF or left?

[PrimeTime]

The Sox had him penciled in as a left fielder, and have already had two Japanese players on their roster in Shingo Takatsu and Tadahito Iguchi. Another factor was that Fukudome is friends with pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who gave him an endorsement as far as Cubs manager Lou Piniella.

 

http://blogs.suntimes.com/whitesox/2007/12/strike_three.html

[XZero771679666304]

Does he ever hit the ball to CF or left?

 

 

He did in that clip.

[C.C.]

Does he ever hit the ball to CF or left?

 

 

Nope. He so good he doesn't have to.

[C.C.]

The Sox had him penciled in as a left fielder, and have already had two Japanese players on their roster in Shingo Takatsu and Tadahito Iguchi. Another factor was that Fukudome is friends with pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who gave him an endorsement as far as Cubs manager Lou Piniella.

 

http://blogs.suntimes.com/whitesox/2007/12/strike_three.html

 

 

This is even more interesting:

 

According to a source with the Sox, they were told by Fukudome’s agent, Joe Urbon, that despite the higher bid by the Sox, the reasoning behind the decision was that Fukudome wanted to be an organization’s first Japanese player, as well as his desire to play his natural position of right field.

[PrimeTime]

That's awsome that he took less money to come here..Fukudome is the man..I want his jersey now

[Tyrant]

This clip showcases his swing really well. It reminds me of someone's but I am not sure who?

 

 

Also at 1:53 I love him gunning out runners at 1st from RF.

 

I know it's grainy YouTube video, and I'm not that great at this kind of stuff, but does his swing look a little long? In some clips it seems fine, but other times it looks like it drags a little bit.

 

If I'm wrong, someone just tell me and I'll go back to the break room and get another Krispy Kreme and assume Fukudome is going to put up that .900-plus OPS.

[Brendan]

The Sox had him penciled in as a left fielder, and have already had two Japanese players on their roster in Shingo Takatsu and Tadahito Iguchi. Another factor was that Fukudome is friends with pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who gave him an endorsement as far as Cubs manager Lou Piniella.

 

http://blogs.suntimes.com/whitesox/2007/12/strike_three.html

 

 

This is even more interesting:

 

According to a source with the Sox, they were told by Fukudome’s agent, Joe Urbon, that despite the higher bid by the Sox, the reasoning behind the decision was that Fukudome wanted to be an organization’s first Japanese player, as well as his desire to play his natural position of right field.

 

i love that the cubs totally stuck it to the sox

[Clem Fandango]

This clip showcases his swing really well. It reminds me of someone's but I am not sure who?

 

 

Also at 1:53 I love him gunning out runners at 1st from RF.

 

I love that bat flip, looks like he's gonna launch it into the stands sometimes.

 

Does anyone know park dimensions in Japan? Are they relative to MLB dimensions or are they smaller? Just curiuos

[CubinNY]

I really hope that if he struggles next year that the "New-style" Cubs Fans don't boo him too much. It would just be a shame. I can see if he is mailing it in and not trying, but if he is working hard and being diciplined and is just struggling to adjust right away I hope they don't take it out on him. It is embarassing to have fans boo their own team when it is unwarrented.

 

Old Style Cub fans (pun intended) are much worse about heckling players, that's one reason why they got the name "bleacher bums". If anything, new style Cub fans are criticized for being uninvolved.

[shnsajax]

The Sox had him penciled in as a left fielder, and have already had two Japanese players on their roster in Shingo Takatsu and Tadahito Iguchi. Another factor was that Fukudome is friends with pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who gave him an endorsement as far as Cubs manager Lou Piniella.

 

http://blogs.suntimes.com/whitesox/2007/12/strike_three.html

 

Did the fact that the white sox are going to suck it up behind Detroit and Cleveland for the next 5 years play a factor?

[jersey cubs fan]

His other jerseys said Fukudome. Is he really going to go with Kosuke?

 

I've never owned a Cubs jersey. I have a Ramirez T and a couple sweatshirts, but if it's Fukudome, I will have to get one.

 

And yes, that is because of the immature word play.

[wilk]

They've said Fukudome in Japan but yes, he supposedly plans for it to say "Kosuke" here in the majors. Nothings been confirmed though.

[PrimeTime]

http://www.ballparktime.com/note_img/1019_fukudome.jpg

[Guest]

His other jerseys said Fukudome. Is he really going to go with Kosuke?

 

Probably. Alex Ochoa amongst others had warned him not to go with Fukudome in the U.S.