If Kosuke really has figured something out...

[David]

...and these last few games aren't a fluke (in the sense that he can hit well, obviously, not in the sense that he can hit .500 and slug .900), our offense is going to be absurdly good.

[David]

Just thought I'd pass on that tidbit, considering how many of us were pretty much writing off CF production for the most part.

 

Same goes for Harden in some senses. Both of them have done a little to calm our pre-season concerns about them (to some extent, since with Harden, there's obviously always the health concerns). But there's hope that we'll be as good (better??) as last year.

 

Discuss.

[laurens]

I don't think it's a fluke. I expected him to bounce back this year, and so far he's exceeded my expectations.

 

You're right, our offense is going to be insanely good.

[Roast]

I really, really think that it has a lot to do with the fact that he isn't going to get worn out so quick this year. He started out the year tearing the cover off the ball last year, too. Then he wore down because of his ridiculous workout schedule (2 hrs extra batting practice before most games) and the huge increase in travel and such. They worked on his core a lot, apparently, this offseason. I'm very confident in him.

 

Like you said, not to hit .500 but I'm confident he can post .290/.380 avg/obp with a decent slg.

[muntjack]

Too bad DLee is done.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Last year I called it and was mercilously attacked for it. Kosukes strategy was when he was down to strike 2, hed try to foul off every pitch until he got something he could hit or coax a walk. It didnt take the league long to figure it out that once he was in his foul everything off grove, just throw something out of his rach and hed go after it with a massive Fukucopter. He doesnt seem to be doing it this time around. Hes being more agressive earlier in the count when he sees something he likes he jumops on it. Obviously, Kosuke looked this good early last season, so we'll se where he takes it this time around.

[David]

Too bad DLee is done.

 

 

He should still be good for at least an .800ish OPS, which, when almost everyone in your lineup is likely to do (minus SS) or exceed, makes for a pretty damn good offense.

[laurens]

Last year I called it and was mercilously attacked for it. Kosukes strategy was when he was down to strike 2, hed try to foul off every pitch until he got something he could hit or coax a walk. It didnt take the league long to figure it out that once he was in his foul everything off grove, just throw something out of his rach and hed go after it with a massive Fukucopter. He doesnt seem to be doing it this time around. Hes being more agressive earlier in the count when he sees something he likes he jumops on it. Obviously, Kosuke looked this good early last season, so we'll se where he takes it this time around.

 

Hence his 1 BB so far. Whatever he did in the offseason and ST, it seems to be working. Last year pitchers didn't know what to throw him and he took advantage of that early in the season, but this time they know him and still he beats the crap out of the ball. I think he'll go .290/.380 like Roast said.

[AlwaysaCub]

His bat speed has impressed me, particularly on the RBI double that was misplayed into a triple in the game Sat. night. He looks really good in the 2-hole right now. I could see .285/.385/.475

[Jehrico]

Too bad DLee is done.

 

 

He should still be good for at least an .800ish OPS, which, when almost everyone in your lineup is likely to do (minus SS) or exceed, makes for a pretty damn good offense.

I'm predicting DLee finishes with an OPS of around .720. I'll be happy if he doesn't hit into 20+ dps this year.

[SouthSideRyan]

Too bad DLee is done.

 

 

He should still be good for at least an .800ish OPS, which, when almost everyone in your lineup is likely to do (minus SS) or exceed, makes for a pretty damn good offense.

I'm predicting DLee finishes with an OPS of around .720. I'll be happy if he doesn't hit into 20+ dps this year.

 

That's just silly.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Too bad DLee is done.

 

 

He should still be good for at least an .800ish OPS, which, when almost everyone in your lineup is likely to do (minus SS) or exceed, makes for a pretty damn good offense.

I'm predicting DLee finishes with an OPS of around .720. I'll be happy if he doesn't hit into 20+ dps this year.

 

That's just silly.

 

It's not like falling of a cliff in your age 33 season is unheard of.

[Jehrico]

Too bad DLee is done.

 

 

He should still be good for at least an .800ish OPS, which, when almost everyone in your lineup is likely to do (minus SS) or exceed, makes for a pretty damn good offense.

I'm predicting DLee finishes with an OPS of around .720. I'll be happy if he doesn't hit into 20+ dps this year.

 

That's just silly.

 

It's not like falling of a cliff in your age 33 season is unheard of.

Nor is it not like DLee hasn't been showing a lot of signs of decline in the last year or so.

[Shilzzz]

is falling off a cliff the new euphemism for being off steroids?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

is falling off a cliff the new euphemism for being off steroids?

 

 

No.

[Gingerballs Lives]

I have to be honest, I expected kfuk to suck this year but he has looked great in the early going.

 

He's staying on the ball much better and is more aggressive going after his pitch.

 

If he turns into the player we were all hoping we were getting last year, it could be very exciting.

[Jehrico]

is falling off a cliff the new euphemism for being off steroids?

I don't see any parallels between DLee and known roid users. I wouldn't be any more shocked to find out Theriot was a roider than I would Lee.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

I actually expect a pretty decent season from Kosuke...in fact I expect him to be one of the better CFers in baseball. He's not going to be Beltran or Sizemore, but I say that the same way that I would say Soto isn't Mauer.

[erik316wttn]

It seems like he's figured out how to hit that low and away pitch. His hit late in the game tonight would have been flailed at hopelessly last year.

[BigSlick]

Too bad DLee is done.

And that Milton Bradley is practically injured every other game

 

If Kosuke turns into what we'd hope for, it'll pretty much just balance out these two knuckle-heads and the loss of DeRosa

[BCVM22]

Fukudome is much more at ease in his second season in the U.S.

 

"It is easy to think about everything, it's simplifying everything," he said.

 

Which means knowing his way around Chicago a little better, although Fukudome will have a new home. He's switching apartments, and Derrek Lee will be a neighbor. Last year, Fukudome lived near Alfonso Soriano. Lee is very quiet. Maybe it'll be a quieter neighborhood?

 

"Yes," Fukudome said, smiling.

 

This explains everything. Soriano was probably on him to go out and party every night; Lee's content with a good book and a beer in the evening. :-))

[chuckywang]

If Lee can revert back to 2005 form, we'd have a scary good offense with no easy outs anywhere but in the 9th spot.

[Andy]

If Lee can revert back to 2005 form, we'd have a scary good offense with no easy outs anywhere but in the 9th spot.

The thing is, he's not going to. Lee has been horrible for the better part of 11 straight months. There's really no reason to expect he'll suddenly snap out of it now. I'd frankly be overjoyed if we could just get back the 2007 Lee that got on base but never homered. He'd be a huge improvement on the current model.

[Guest]

I hate to say it, but DLee has become as predictable with grounding out to the left side of the infield as Juan Pierre was to grounding out to 2nd when he was with the Cubs.

 

He needs to make some adjustments. And soon.

[erik316wttn]

I hate to say it, but DLee has become as predictable with grounding out to the left side of the infield as Juan Pierre was to grounding out to 2nd when he was with the Cubs.

 

He needs to make some adjustments. And soon.

 

Or just retire.