Fukudome to move to centerfield next year

[rocket]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

I don't think he has leverage anymore.

[coreyMVP]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

I don't think he has leverage anymore.

 

I think that is an understatement.

 

As things currently stand, if the Cubs asked Fuku to dress like a clown and dance on top of the dugout between innings, he'd have to do it.

[SouthSideRyan]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

Why don't you want Johnson back?

[XZero771679666304]

Dunn in RF would be a horror show, and I certainly don't read Dunn's name in between the lines of Lou's "younger and more athletic" statement. Can you imagine how bad a Soriano/Fuku/Dunn OF would be?

 

 

Here's an idea: get Dunn to play 1B, trade Lee, trade for Hermida.

[nilodnayr]

Please go get Hermida for RF if he's remotely available.

Care to explain this? I was a big fan of Hermida, but he took a step backward last year. Do you just happen to think it was a fluke because he's still so young, or is there something I'm missing?

 

Falling off a little was probably to be expected with as high as his BABIP was in '07, but his '08 is masked by terrible numbers in a terrible hitters park. His .288/.364/.487/.851 line away from home as a 24 year old is pretty stellar, and with his age and minor league pedigree you can expect him to improve. He'd also combine with Soto to give a great cost effective pair of hitters to ease the pain of Lee/Ramirez/Soriano declining or leaving the team.

 

As you know, throwing out half of someone's stats isn't the best thing to do.

[XZero771679666304]

Please go get Hermida for RF if he's remotely available.

Care to explain this? I was a big fan of Hermida, but he took a step backward last year. Do you just happen to think it was a fluke because he's still so young, or is there something I'm missing?

 

Falling off a little was probably to be expected with as high as his BABIP was in '07, but his '08 is masked by terrible numbers in a terrible hitters park. His .288/.364/.487/.851 line away from home as a 24 year old is pretty stellar, and with his age and minor league pedigree you can expect him to improve. He'd also combine with Soto to give a great cost effective pair of hitters to ease the pain of Lee/Ramirez/Soriano declining or leaving the team.

 

As you know, throwing out half of someone's stats isn't the best thing to do.

 

Not generally, but when you have a guy who plays in an extreme pitchers/hitter's park, it gives you a decent idea of what you might expect out of him in a more neutral setting.

 

Not looking more at road stats when judging guys who play in places like Florida and San Diego or Colorado is really not an better an idea.

[CubinNY]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

Why don't you want Johnson back?

He'll be 32 and because he's roughly 1/3 of a useful player. Pie plays better defense so if you want a defensive replacement use Pie.

 

A team like the Cubs should only platoon if they have to. They should not plan on a platoon before the season starts. It's is a waste of both roster space and money.

 

I don't understand many people on NSBB who talk about platoons like they are a good thing. But that's just me. I have no problem if they are signing him up for a 4th OF position.

[dew1679666265]

We need to get more athletic and younger and we're probably going to have to fill our needs through trades.

 

I'm almost certainly reading too much into this or just flat out dreaming, but could this sound like Hermida?

 

You need better dreams.

 

I'd be very happy with that dream becoming reality.

 

Hermida would give us good to very good, cheap production in right field and also give us the ability to still go after a Furcal/good SS or a very good starting pitcher.

 

Plus, if the Marlins are as sour on him as it sounds, he wouldn't cost much from our depleted farm system.

[dew1679666265]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

Why don't you want Johnson back?

He'll be 32 and because he's roughly 1/3 of a useful player. Pie plays better defense so if you want a defensive replacement use Pie.

 

A team like the Cubs should only platoon if they have to. They should not plan on a platoon before the season starts. It's is a waste of both roster space and money.

 

I don't understand many people on NSBB who talk about platoons like they are a good thing. But that's just me. I have no problem if they are signing him up for a 4th OF position.

 

But if we know Fukudome can't hit lefties (which he couldn't last year) then it makes sense to bring in Reed as a platoon guy. You don't want to build for platoons, but if you currently have a player who needs to be in one, then it makes sense to have one.

[SouthSideRyan]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

Why don't you want Johnson back?

He'll be 32 and because he's roughly 1/3 of a useful player. Pie plays better defense so if you want a defensive replacement use Pie.

 

A team like the Cubs should only platoon if they have to. They should not plan on a platoon before the season starts. It's is a waste of both roster space and money.

 

I don't understand many people on NSBB who talk about platoons like they are a good thing. But that's just me. I have no problem if they are signing him up for a 4th OF position.

 

Wouldn't the weak end of an OF platoon be a 4th OF?

[CubinNY]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

Why don't you want Johnson back?

He'll be 32 and because he's roughly 1/3 of a useful player. Pie plays better defense so if you want a defensive replacement use Pie.

 

A team like the Cubs should only platoon if they have to. They should not plan on a platoon before the season starts. It's is a waste of both roster space and money.

 

I don't understand many people on NSBB who talk about platoons like they are a good thing. But that's just me. I have no problem if they are signing him up for a 4th OF position.

 

But if we know Fukudome can't hit lefties (which he couldn't last year) then it makes sense to bring in Reed as a platoon guy. You don't want to build for platoons, but if you currently have a player who needs to be in one, then it makes sense to have one.

I know. It's just one of my many irrational beliefs. I know it's not right, but if Fuku cannot hit lefties he shouldn't be starting, especially in the NL Central.

[treebird]

what's so bad about platoons? you can't do it all over the field, obviously, but i really think it's often a very cost-effective way to get solid production. it's certainly cheaper than telling fukudome to go to hell and signing a cf who can hit everyone, and it's likely to be much more productive than running fukudome out there for 150.

 

johnson hit .333/.399/.449 vs lhp last year, and .313/.376/.460 vs lhp for his career. that's a great half of a platoon if he can play any defense at all.

[CubinNY]

what's so bad about platoons? you can't do it all over the field, obviously, but i really think it's often a very cost-effective way to get solid production. it's certainly cheaper than telling fukudome to go to hell and signing a cf who can hit everyone, and it's likely to be much more productive than running fukudome out there for 150.

 

johnson hit .333/.399/.449 vs lhp last year, and .313/.376/.460 vs lhp for his career. that's a great half of a platoon if he can play any defense at all.

That's why I said if the Cubs are stuck with Fukudome they may have to do it. However, a Fukudome/Johnson platoon isn't cheap. A Pie/Johnson platoon would be cheap though.

 

I also know that the Cubs got pretty good production out of Edmonds/Johnson last year and know full well that I may be way off base here. If I had more time and interest I'd look at other platoons and see what kind of production/cost ratio they generate.

[YearofDaCubs]

My first choice would be Bradley.

[YearofDaCubs]

Dunn in RF would be a horror show, and I certainly don't read Dunn's name in between the lines of Lou's "younger and more athletic" statement. Can you imagine how bad a Soriano/Fuku/Dunn OF would be?

 

 

Here's an idea: get Dunn to play 1B, trade Lee, trade for Hermida.

If you are going to give so much money to Dunn to play 1B, I would front a little more cash and get Tex.

[treebird]

what's so bad about platoons? you can't do it all over the field, obviously, but i really think it's often a very cost-effective way to get solid production. it's certainly cheaper than telling fukudome to go to hell and signing a cf who can hit everyone, and it's likely to be much more productive than running fukudome out there for 150.

 

johnson hit .333/.399/.449 vs lhp last year, and .313/.376/.460 vs lhp for his career. that's a great half of a platoon if he can play any defense at all.

That's why I said if the Cubs are stuck with Fukudome they may have to do it. However, a Fukudome/Johnson platoon isn't cheap. A Pie/Johnson platoon would be cheap though.

 

I also know that the Cubs got pretty good production out of Edmonds/Johnson last year and know full well that I may be way off base here. If I had more time and interest I'd look at other platoons and see what kind of production/cost ratio they generate.

 

what are you going to do with fukudome that doesn't involve paying his contract?

[dew1679666265]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

Why don't you want Johnson back?

He'll be 32 and because he's roughly 1/3 of a useful player. Pie plays better defense so if you want a defensive replacement use Pie.

 

A team like the Cubs should only platoon if they have to. They should not plan on a platoon before the season starts. It's is a waste of both roster space and money.

 

I don't understand many people on NSBB who talk about platoons like they are a good thing. But that's just me. I have no problem if they are signing him up for a 4th OF position.

 

But if we know Fukudome can't hit lefties (which he couldn't last year) then it makes sense to bring in Reed as a platoon guy. You don't want to build for platoons, but if you currently have a player who needs to be in one, then it makes sense to have one.

I know. It's just one of my many irrational beliefs. I know it's not right, but if Fuku cannot hit lefties he shouldn't be starting, especially in the NL Central.

 

You do have a lot of irrational beliefs. :wink:

[dew1679666265]

My first choice would be Bradley.

 

Far too fragile. He's 100% strictly a DH now and played 20 games in the outfield last season. He hasn't played in 100 games in the outfield since 2004.

[chuckywang]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

I don't think he has leverage anymore.

 

In Kosuke's introduction press conference, he said he chose the Cubs because the Cubs want him to play his natural position of RF. It was an organizational promise by the Cubs that the Cubs have now broken.

[davearm2]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

I don't think he has leverage anymore.

 

In Kosuke's introduction press conference, he said he chose the Cubs because the Cubs want him to play his natural position of RF. It was an organizational promise by the Cubs that the Cubs have now broken.

I certainly understand that sentiment, but Fukudome has to be big enough to realize that the change in circumstances was precipitated by his own underperformance.

 

I'm sure the Cubs would greatly prefer to have Fukudome playing RF every day and producing at a $12M level.

[nilodnayr]

Please go get Hermida for RF if he's remotely available.

Care to explain this? I was a big fan of Hermida, but he took a step backward last year. Do you just happen to think it was a fluke because he's still so young, or is there something I'm missing?

 

Falling off a little was probably to be expected with as high as his BABIP was in '07, but his '08 is masked by terrible numbers in a terrible hitters park. His .288/.364/.487/.851 line away from home as a 24 year old is pretty stellar, and with his age and minor league pedigree you can expect him to improve. He'd also combine with Soto to give a great cost effective pair of hitters to ease the pain of Lee/Ramirez/Soriano declining or leaving the team.

 

As you know, throwing out half of someone's stats isn't the best thing to do.

 

Not generally, but when you have a guy who plays in an extreme pitchers/hitter's park, it gives you a decent idea of what you might expect out of him in a more neutral setting.

 

Not looking more at road stats when judging guys who play in places like Florida and San Diego or Colorado is really not an better an idea.

 

And thats why you take his home stats and park adjust them...even though park adjustments aren't great, thats infinitely (well not infinitely) better than cutting your sample size in half. Throwing them out is just plain wrong.

[shnsajax]

Isn't there some stories about Fukudome not wanting to play CF and choosing the Cubs b/c they had him slated in RF?

 

I don't want Johnson back and I'm not sure Fuku can handle CF but I guess they are stuck together (Fukudome and the Cubs) so they might as well make the best out of a bad situation.

 

I don't think he has leverage anymore.

 

In Kosuke's introduction press conference, he said he chose the Cubs because the Cubs want him to play his natural position of RF. It was an organizational promise by the Cubs that the Cubs have now broken.

I certainly understand that sentiment, but Fukudome has to be big enough to realize that the change in circumstances was precipitated by his own underperformance.

 

I'm sure the Cubs would greatly prefer to have Fukudome playing RF every day and producing at a $12M level.

 

Or go back to Japan and leave us the $36 Million.

[SweetZombieJesus]

soriano isn't nearly as bad in LF as people make him out to be. he'd probably be a little below average in RF, but his arm would be an asset out there. dunn, on the other hand, is God-awful in left, and would be a complete disaster in right. that's not even an option. dunn-fukudome-soriano would be a pretty lousy defensive outfield, but they'd give you a whole lot of offense.

 

He's not a completely terrible in left but he's still one of the weaker defensive OFs in the game even though he's probably the most gifted LF in baseball not named Carl Crawford. Playing him in right would be disaster. Playing him in right just because he's toolsy and has a throwing arm is a horrible idea. He doesn't read the ball of the bat very well and putting him in right would only make that problem worse.

[FergieJ31]

Just asking, because I haven't looked, how much of that( Abreu's OPS) came against crappy Cubs pitching. Lighting it up at Wrigley doesn't necessarily tell the whole story. He could have built up great stats against some really bad to average staff's in the late 90's and early 00's.

 

Using a players numbers at Wrigley is an absurd reason to justify going after him, especially if that player is 35 and has been playing in the AL for 2.5 years.

 

Good thing no one here is using his numbers at Wrigley to justify going after him.

 

I threw the stat out there not because I think ballpark splits are so compelling or predictive, but rather because Abreu's Wrigley OPS career split is so conspicuous: highest among all NL ballparks splits. Highest overall is the Cell, 1.233. The guy really must love coming to Chicago.

 

Do we expect a 1129 year out of him if the Cubs sign him? Of course not. Is an 850-900 year terribly unrealistic? I'd take that out of RF next year assuming acceptable defense (which is why I cringe whenever anyone here mentions Dunn or Soriano and RF in the same sentence).

 

ABout MSG_T's point, not that it matters much, but the during the bulk of Abreu's NL time, 1998-2005, the Cubs had a team ERA+ of almost exactly 100 (99.75). Right in the middle of the pack for that period, 3rd behind the Astros & Cards in the NLCentral.

[SouthSideRyan]

Soriano would probably be better in RF than Abreu.