Dawson or Fukudome - better defensive RF?

[Radar3454]

I will admit I was pretty young when the Hawk patrolled RF for the Cubs but when Brenley stated that Fuku is the best defensive right fielder we have had since the Hawk I was suprised b/c I remember him have a very good accurate arm but not much range. Fukudome to me is about perfect in RF(excellent range, above average arm) and watching him go get Pierre's ball in the gap the other night makes me think he would be above average in center also.

[Radar3454]

I will admit I was pretty young when the Hawk patrolled RF for the Cubs but when Brenley stated that Fuku is the best defensive right fielder we have had since the Hawk I was suprised b/c I remember him have a very good accurate arm but not much range. Fukudome to me is about perfect in RF(excellent range, above average arm) and watching him go get Pierre's ball in the gap the other night makes me think he would be above average in center also.

 

whoops - forgot I was in transactions - can someone move this for me?

[UMFan83]

At the end of his tenure with the Cubs when his knees got bad he had absolutely no range. One of my earlier Cubs memories was watching Dawson butcher a fly ball to right, and my dad saying "Geez, he needs to go to the AL and be a DH. He can't field anymore"

[RynoRules]

Hawk's arm was every bitr as strong and accurate as Kosuke's is, but I think Kosuke's range is better. I didn't see much of Hawk when he was w/ Les Expos, so its difficult for me to say how well he covered the OF before his knees betrayed him.

[CuseCubFan69]

Dawson could run really well until his knees went. It's an interesting comparison when you put them in their peak years defensively. I didn't see enough of Dawsons games with the Expos but for some reason I just can't picture him diving for a ball like Fukudome does.

[gerby23]

Well, his knees didn't really betray him, the astroturf in Montreal betrayed his knees. That old stuff they used to use was just brutal. I have one reconstructed knee to thank for it as well. He did have above average range in his early days, but Kosuke has better, but Hawk's arm was better, so its probably a wash.

[CuseCubFan69]

Well, his knees didn't really betray him, the astroturf in Montreal betrayed his knees. That old stuff they used to use was just brutal. I have one reconstructed knee to thank for it as well. He did have above average range in his early days, but Kosuke has better, but Hawk's arm was better, so its probably a wash.

 

Maybe the Expos owe him an astroknee then. You ain't kidding, that stuff was brutal.

[nolanwood]

Hawk definitely had the range with the Expos before the turf got to him. He still had it his first year with the Cubs in '87, then they started to slow him down. Hands down one of the nicest Cubs I've ever met!

[Abe Frohman]

I don't know about the arm comparison - Fukudome has a great arm, but Dawson had an absolute cannon. I can clearly remember some of his throws, and even though Fook's throws are strong and mostly accurate - I don't think they were at the level as Dawson's.

 

I didn't see Dawson in his defensive prime, but if he won Gold Gloves patrolling CF in Montreal he must have been pretty good at covering ground. It was hard to watch him play RF in Wrigley towards the end.

[Tracer Bullet]

Dawson could run really well until his knees went. It's an interesting comparison when you put them in their peak years defensively. I didn't see enough of Dawsons games with the Expos but for some reason I just can't picture him diving for a ball like Fukudome does.

 

Are we seeing Kosuke in his prime? He's 31 and had surgery on his elbow (shoulder?) last year, right? I'm guessing Kosuke was even better at age 26-29 than he is now.

[biittner77]

What was really amazing about Dawson was he played at a time when there were guys that were fast and guys that hit for power and very few that could do both.

 

I still don't understand how the Expos couldn't win with those great players they had in the mid 80s

[Ding Dong Johnson]

it's a coin toss. Dawson's arm was probably stronger while Fukudome's is probably more accurate. both had (have) terrific instincts with great range and routes.

[CuseCubFan69]

Dawson could run really well until his knees went. It's an interesting comparison when you put them in their peak years defensively. I didn't see enough of Dawsons games with the Expos but for some reason I just can't picture him diving for a ball like Fukudome does.

 

Are we seeing Kosuke in his prime? He's 31 and had surgery on his elbow (shoulder?) last year, right? I'm guessing Kosuke was even better at age 26-29 than he is now.

 

Jeeze GRCF, I keep forgetting he's that old, good point....plus the injury thing.

[Magnetic Curses]

hawk got the job done, but was kind of funny looking while doing it. he always looked a bit stiff out there and i don't remember him ever really diving for anything, kind of like ryno. but his arm was pretty fantastic.

[cheapseats]

Jeromy Burnitz.

[gerby23]

What was really amazing about Dawson was he played at a time when there were guys that were fast and guys that hit for power and very few that could do both.

 

I still don't understand how the Expos couldn't win with those great players they had in the mid 80s and 90's

Fixed. Strike year Expos roster was sick.

[erik316wttn]

Andre Dawson was my idol growing up as a kid. He could go 0-4 with 4 K's and make 2 errors in the field and I'd have still found something to praise about his performance. I worshiped the ground that man walked on. Even today he's probably still my all-time favorite player.

[biittner77]

What was really amazing about Dawson was he played at a time when there were guys that were fast and guys that hit for power and very few that could do both.

 

I still don't understand how the Expos couldn't win with those great players they had in the mid 80s and 90's

Fixed. Strike year Expos roster was sick.

 

But they didn't have Andre Dwason, Al Oliver, Gary Carter and Tim Raines.

[gerby23]

What was really amazing about Dawson was he played at a time when there were guys that were fast and guys that hit for power and very few that could do both.

 

I still don't understand how the Expos couldn't win with those great players they had in the mid 80s and 90's

Fixed. Strike year Expos roster was sick.

 

But they didn't have Andre Dwason, Al Oliver, Gary Carter and Tim Raines.

 

True, but they had Pedro, Ken Hill (in his career year), and Fassero (sub 3 ERA) in the rotation, Larry Walker (981 OPS), Alou (989 OPS), Wil Cordero (852 OPS), and Sean Berry (800 OPS), as well as Grissom and Floyd. 7 guys stole more than 10 bases and 6 had more than 10 HRs. And 10 guys with at least 10 dbls. Walker had 44. They were 74-40. Really freakin' good.

[rocket]

Andre Dawson was my idol growing up as a kid. He could go 0-4 with 4 K's and make 2 errors in the field and I'd have still found something to praise about his performance. I worshiped the ground that man walked on. Even today he's probably still my all-time favorite player.

 

but god forbid any current cub strikes out or makes an error, then you'll personally buy their ticket out of chicago.

[BRASKYS SCOTCH]

The Hawk throwing out a runner at first on a bloop single still amazes me. I loved watching him and Sandberg when I was growing up.

[rawaction]

If Dawson played his whole career on grass, he'd be Willie Mays, without the walks. Dawson for the Expos was one of the top 3 defensive OFs in the game. He was still pretty good as a Cub too.

[NCCubFan]

This topic was just begging to be converted into a poll.