Piniella: Fukudome Needs to Start Hitting

[Cubbies2238]

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080810&content_id=3288645&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

"We need him to start hitting," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said before Sunday night's game against the Cardinals. "If not, I'm going to have to start looking for other options."

[AubCubFan]

I couldn't agree more. There are other players that are producing right now and they should have a chance to play. Fukodome needs to know that this is supposed to be a performance based gig. For exceptions, see Marquis, Jason.

[CoolHandLuke]

NOW THAT HE KNOWS THAT LOU ACTUALLY WANTS HIM TO HIT, I'M SURE HE IS GOING TO

[treebird]

hopefully we're leaning towards fontenot at 2b and derosa at rf, and not edmonds and johnson playing at the same time.

[UK1679666180]

hopefully we're leaning towards fontenot at 2b and derosa at rf, and not edmonds and johnson playing at the same time.

 

Agreed, that is definitely the best route against RH'ers. Although, part of me wants Hoffpauir up here despite the lack of defense in RF. I just can't sell myself on Fontenot starting 4-5 days a week, despite his numbers.

[UMFan83]

He is definitely trying to send a message, but I highly doubt they bench a $12m player with a .370 OBP and plus defense. No way at all.

[UMFan83]

And for all you platooners out there

 

.268 BA .360 OBP vs. Lefties

.272 BA .376 OBP vs. Righties

 

His SLG takes a huge dip though....420 vs. 351, but I don't think thats enough justification to bench him vs. lefties...especially since he gets on base at a good clip, and again plays a much better defense than anyone who can replace him in right.

Edited August 11, 2008 by UMFan83

[UK1679666180]

It wouldn't surprise me with Lou, he doesn't care about player salaries.

[erik316wttn]

It wouldn't surprise me with Lou, he doesn't care about player salaries.

 

Nor should he.

 

Best players should play, period.

[shnsajax]

Would a 3 day rest be a bad thing for him? Or give him a scheduled day off on Tuesday.

[Choonch]

Nice to see. Fuku's 3 month "slump" is beyond frustrating.

[UMFan83]

It wouldn't surprise me with Lou, he doesn't care about player salaries.

 

Nor should he.

 

Best players should play, period.

 

The only move that would make the club better would probably be Fontenot at 2B, DeRosa at RF. But then again, Fontenot can only hit righties, so it would make little sense. There is really no point in benching Fukudome. Like someone said in the game thread we are at the top of the league in most offensive categories, we can afford to let Fukudome hit out of his slump.

[David]

If Lou doesn't care about player salaries, what the hell is Marquis doing in the rotation over Marshall?

[Andy]

If Lou doesn't care about player salaries, what the hell is Marquis doing in the rotation over Marshall?

And the like seven other options we have.

[RedFlash]

He is definitely trying to send a message, but I highly doubt they bench a $12m player with a .370 OBP and plus defense. No way at all.

 

Lou doesn't want to sit Fukudome, hence the reason why he went public with his frustration over Fuku's slump. Fuku is not a baby, nor should he be babied because he is in a new enviornment, etc, etc. Baseball is baseball, rather's it is play in Japan or US, pro or college. Fuku has to produce to balance out the lineup. I love his defense and his arm, but the Cubs signed him simply because he would bring a lefty presence to the middle of the order.

[Cynosure]

Fukudome is gonna be fine... he has a new country, league to learn, and child... don't worry he's going to come around.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

hopefully we're leaning towards fontenot at 2b and derosa at rf, and not edmonds and johnson playing at the same time.

 

I agree. I'd like to see Fontenot get more time with DeRosa in right when facing righthanders.

[ChiCubsfan0502]

Piniella really put Fukudome on notice in that article. There were a lot of warnings in his comments that I haven't heard from Piniella about other players not performing.

 

I 100% agree with Piniella when it comes to Fukodome but where are the comments warning Howry and Lee? Granted, Lee is more likely to turn it around but there are plenty of options that have been better then Howry.

 

I have been on Fukudome for months now, so this is no surprise that Piniella has finally called him out.

[badnews]

Fukudome is gonna be fine... he has a new country, league to learn, and child... don't worry he's going to come around.

 

For the love of... I have never seen this board put on blinders the way it has with Fukudome. He's not "just in a slump." HE'S JUST NOT THAT GOOD.

 

This is insane, it's like last year when the casual fan message boards wouldn't accept anything bad about Theriot.

 

I'm sick of the excuses. Will someone please just give a date when you guys will FINALLY stop using the "Blah blah blah new country blah blah slump blah blah blah he'll figure it out" stuff, because I've heard it long enough and I'm sick of that crutch.

 

Look, it's simple. He's like Akinori Iwamura. Neither are good producers. That's the end of it. The Cubs made a bad decision but I don't blame them, it seems like Japanese players have been overhyped ever since Ichiro. I feel sorry for the team that pays a $100 million posting fee for Darvish.

 

Get Kosuke the hell out of the #2 spot. #7.

[CubbieBum]

Piniella really put Fukudome on notice in that article. There were a lot of warnings in his comments that I haven't heard from Piniella about other players not performing.

 

I 100% agree with Piniella when it comes to Fukodome but where are the comments warning Howry and Lee? Granted, Lee is more likely to turn it around but there are plenty of options that have been better then Howry.

 

I have been on Fukudome for months now, so this is no surprise that Piniella has finally called him out.

I agree a couple of pitchers have been given longer leashes. But one pitchers are more scarce so they tend to get longer reaches (although Howry's has been too long this year) and he has called out Howry before. He just hasn't followed it up by benching him or sending him down (he does pitch less and in non-big situations now though). Lee has been up and down this season but he has proven to hit out of slump's in the past and is a leader on the team.

[treebird]

Fukudome is gonna be fine... he has a new country, league to learn, and child... don't worry he's going to come around.

 

For the love of... I have never seen this board put on blinders the way it has with Fukudome. He's not "just in a slump." HE'S JUST NOT THAT GOOD.

 

This is insane, it's like last year when the casual fan message boards wouldn't accept anything bad about Theriot.

 

I'm sick of the excuses. Will someone please just give a date when you guys will FINALLY stop using the "Blah blah blah new country blah blah slump blah blah blah he'll figure it out" stuff, because I've heard it long enough and I'm sick of that crutch.

 

Look, it's simple. He's like Akinori Iwamura. Neither are good producers. That's the end of it. The Cubs made a bad decision but I don't blame them, it seems like Japanese players have been overhyped ever since Ichiro. I feel sorry for the team that pays a $100 million posting fee for Darvish.

 

Get Kosuke the hell out of the #2 spot. #7.

 

did you read this thread, or did you just come here looking for a post like that you could rip to shreds?

 

because if you had read the thread, you would have seen that cynosure was basically alone in proclaiming kosuke fine. why you feel the need to criticize "this board" over the posts of one guy, i have no idea.

[17 Seconds]

Fukudome is gonna be fine... he has a new country, league to learn, and child... don't worry he's going to come around.

 

For the love of... I have never seen this board put on blinders the way it has with Fukudome. He's not "just in a slump." HE'S JUST NOT THAT GOOD.

 

This is insane, it's like last year when the casual fan message boards wouldn't accept anything bad about Theriot.

 

I'm sick of the excuses. Will someone please just give a date when you guys will FINALLY stop using the "Blah blah blah new country blah blah slump blah blah blah he'll figure it out" stuff, because I've heard it long enough and I'm sick of that crutch.

 

Look, it's simple. He's like Akinori Iwamura. Neither are good producers. That's the end of it. The Cubs made a bad decision but I don't blame them, it seems like Japanese players have been overhyped ever since Ichiro. I feel sorry for the team that pays a $100 million posting fee for Darvish.

 

Get Kosuke the hell out of the #2 spot. #7.

 

did you read this thread, or did you just come here looking for a post like that you could rip to shreds?

 

because if you had read the thread, you would have seen that cynosure was basically alone in proclaiming kosuke fine. why you feel the need to criticize "this board" over the posts of one guy, i have no idea.

 

cynosure might be the only one saying it in this thread, but there def. is a large amount of people on this board that have been saying the same thing for the past couple months.

[badnews]

Did you just come in here to find my post to rip? Come on. I get frustrated with this board because it's like there's this secret junta devoted to propping Fukudome up. I have never seen anything like it on here. Usually objective and insightful analysis is the name of the game on this board. But when it comes to Fukudome a number of posters turn forget into analysis and just dish out stale platitudes.

 

So I apologize if I offended you or the other poster. But that's just me: when people make excuses for Fukudome not performing and pretend like it's going to change in any significant way (for example I'm trying to judge if he's more of a .740 OPS guy in the long haul or a .770 OPS guy but the difference isn't big enough regardless) then I am going to get frustrated.

 

Maybe you don't remember, anyone who questioned Fukudome's greatness earlier in the year got ganged up on here.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Look, it's simple. He's like Akinori Iwamura. Neither are good producers. That's the end of it. The Cubs made a bad decision but I don't blame them, it seems like Japanese players have been overhyped ever since Ichiro. I feel sorry for the team that pays a $100 million posting fee for Darvish.

 

Daisuke looks pretty good. So did Godzilla. Speaking of Matsui, you guaranteeing that Kosuke won't have a power jump like Hideki did? He only had one good month his first season too.

[imb]

I'm glad for the things Kosuke has done for us this year and I have high hopes for him in the rest of his contract, but he definitely needs some time off. New team, new city, new country, new league, more travel. I'm sure he's gassed. It might not make much of a difference production-wise going Dero/Fontenot over Dero/Kosuke against right handers, but anything to get him a breather is probably a good thing.