If Kosuke really has figured something out...

[Blue W]

I never thought I would dread the 3-hole coming to bat. But, at least right now, I feel like he will kill any rally we have started. I'm pleased when he only records a single out per at bat. That is now my definition of D-Lee keeping a rally going: not hitting into a DP with a weak grouder to the left side. I hope he can bounce back, but he looks lost right now. To be fair, he was alwsays a slow starter before joining the Cubs. Maybe he can pull it together as the season progresses. But you have to wonder if Lou is eyeing a drop in the lineup soon.

[Shilzzz]

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.

 

i was talking about the phrase in general, but yeah, sure.

[Jehrico]

I never thought I would dread the 3-hole coming to bat. But, at least right now, I feel like he will kill any rally we have started. I'm pleased when he only records a single out per at bat. That is now my definition of D-Lee keeping a rally going: not hitting into a DP with a weak grouder to the left side. I hope he can bounce back, but he looks lost right now. To be fair, he was alwsays a slow starter before joining the Cubs. Maybe he can pull it together as the season progresses. But you have to wonder if Lou is eyeing a drop in the lineup soon.

I'd rather see Theriot hit third than DLee right now.

[erik316wttn]

I never thought I would dread the 3-hole coming to bat. But, at least right now, I feel like he will kill any rally we have started. I'm pleased when he only records a single out per at bat. That is now my definition of D-Lee keeping a rally going: not hitting into a DP with a weak grouder to the left side. I hope he can bounce back, but he looks lost right now. To be fair, he was alwsays a slow starter before joining the Cubs. Maybe he can pull it together as the season progresses. But you have to wonder if Lou is eyeing a drop in the lineup soon.

I'd rather see Theriot hit third than DLee right now.

 

How loyal is Lou to his vets? Does he have the sickness like Dusty did?

[Fred Hornkohl]

Kosuke is off to such a great start !!

 

04/06 - 04/13      AB    R    H   2b   3b   HR  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS  BABIP  P/PA   IsoD   RBI%
Fukudome           24    5   10    3    0    2    5    6    4  0.417  0.533  0.792  1.325  0.444  3.97  0.117  0.375

[Bull]

Kosuke is off to such a great start !!

 

04/06 - 04/13      AB    R    H   2b   3b   HR  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS  BABIP  P/PA   IsoD   RBI%
Fukudome           24    5   10    3    0    2    5    6    4  0.417  0.533  0.792  1.325  0.444  3.97  0.117  0.375

He'll never keep it up.

 

 

 

:D

[Jehrico]

Kosuke is off to such a great start !!

 

04/06 - 04/13      AB    R    H   2b   3b   HR  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS  BABIP  P/PA   IsoD   RBI%
Fukudome           24    5   10    3    0    2    5    6    4  0.417  0.533  0.792  1.325  0.444  3.97  0.117  0.375

He'll never keep it up.

 

 

 

:D

I won't complain if he only drops 3 or 4 hundred points off of his OPS by the end of the year.

[dlee4prez]

The experience of playing a 165 game season is what I think helped KFuk the most, he just got worn out last year b/c the major league grind. I expect be will have a much better season based off learning what a full season was like.

[NewUserName]

I never thought I would dread the 3-hole coming to bat. But, at least right now, I feel like he will kill any rally we have started. I'm pleased when he only records a single out per at bat. That is now my definition of D-Lee keeping a rally going: not hitting into a DP with a weak grouder to the left side. I hope he can bounce back, but he looks lost right now. To be fair, he was alwsays a slow starter before joining the Cubs. Maybe he can pull it together as the season progresses. But you have to wonder if Lou is eyeing a drop in the lineup soon.

I'd rather see Theriot hit third than DLee right now.

 

How loyal is Lou to his vets? Does he have the sickness like Dusty did?

 

I think the difference between Lou and Dusty is the quality of veteran. I think Lou will give DLee a long leash because he has shown in his career he deserves it. I dont think Lou would do that for Neifi and Lenny Harris...Dusty on the other hand

[jersey cubs fan]

The experience of playing a 165 game season is what I think helped KFuk the most, he just got worn out last year b/c the major league grind. I expect be will have a much better season based off learning what a full season was like.

 

But he showed signs of wearing down long before he approached the 100 game mark, let alone the full season.

[Guest]

The experience of playing a 165 game season is what I think helped KFuk the most, he just got worn out last year b/c the major league grind. I expect be will have a much better season based off learning what a full season was like.

 

But he showed signs of wearing down long before he approached the 100 game mark, let alone the full season.

 

Not that it's related or anything, but what was the injury Fukudome was recovering from prior to coming to the states last year? I have forgotten.

[jersey cubs fan]

The experience of playing a 165 game season is what I think helped KFuk the most, he just got worn out last year b/c the major league grind. I expect be will have a much better season based off learning what a full season was like.

 

But he showed signs of wearing down long before he approached the 100 game mark, let alone the full season.

 

Not that it's related or anything, but what was the injury Fukudome was recovering from prior to coming to the states last year? I have forgotten.

 

Some sort of elbow surgery I think. Bone chips maybe.

[Tracer Bullet]

The experience of playing a 165 game season is what I think helped KFuk the most, he just got worn out last year b/c the major league grind. I expect be will have a much better season based off learning what a full season was like.

 

But he showed signs of wearing down long before he approached the 100 game mark, let alone the full season.

 

He did, but there's a lot to adjust to and I think a full season of experience helps. Language and cultural differences obviously, but also travel. I imagine the effects of traveling across the US for 6 months v just Japan can be pretty significant.

 

He still may tail off or fall off completely, but I think there are a number of reasons why he could improve significantly with a year of experience.

[YearofDaCubs]

The experience of playing a 165 game season is what I think helped KFuk the most, he just got worn out last year b/c the major league grind. I expect be will have a much better season based off learning what a full season was like.

 

But he showed signs of wearing down long before he approached the 100 game mark, let alone the full season.

 

He did, but there's a lot to adjust to and I think a full season of experience helps. Language and cultural differences obviously, but also travel. I imagine the effects of traveling across the US for 6 months v just Japan can be pretty significant.

 

He still may tail off or fall off completely, but I think there are a number of reasons why he could improve significantly with a year of experience.

I wonder if he worked on hitting the 2seamer during the offseason. Apparently, he pretty much trained almost the entire offseason. Getting a good year out of him would be huge for this offense, same goes with Fontenot.

[Roast]

The experience of playing a 165 game season is what I think helped KFuk the most, he just got worn out last year b/c the major league grind. I expect be will have a much better season based off learning what a full season was like.

 

But he showed signs of wearing down long before he approached the 100 game mark, let alone the full season.

 

He did, but there's a lot to adjust to and I think a full season of experience helps. Language and cultural differences obviously, but also travel. I imagine the effects of traveling across the US for 6 months v just Japan can be pretty significant.

 

He still may tail off or fall off completely, but I think there are a number of reasons why he could improve significantly with a year of experience.

Yeah, and plus - not to sound like a broken record - but he never trained his body correctly in the past. Or at least in th way that most major leaguers today train. He worked only on hitting, throwing, and catching. Baseball skills. This offseason, apparently, they did a lot of core work with him. I don't doubt that he'll fall off a bit come the end of the season - but not nearly as quick. And I think the longer he plays here the better he'll do with the MLB season/travel requirements.

[chuckywang]

Kosuke is off to such a great start !!

 

04/06 - 04/13      AB    R    H   2b   3b   HR  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS  BABIP  P/PA   IsoD   RBI%
Fukudome           24    5   10    3    0    2    5    6    4  0.417  0.533  0.792  1.325  0.444  3.97  0.117  0.375

 

What's amazing is that Bonds OPS'ed almost 100 points higher than this for an entire season.

[imb]

I kind of feel like maybe we should all just shut up about Kosuke and not mention this hot start and not think about it and maybe it will never end

[abuck1220]

also, the notion of "core" training is kind of silly.

[NCCubFan]

The experience of playing a 165 game season is what I think helped KFuk the most, he just got worn out last year b/c the major league grind. I expect be will have a much better season based off learning what a full season was like.

 

But he showed signs of wearing down long before he approached the 100 game mark, let alone the full season.

 

Not that it's related or anything, but what was the injury Fukudome was recovering from prior to coming to the states last year? I have forgotten.

 

Some sort of elbow surgery I think. Bone chips maybe.

I don't remember the specifics, but it was his elbow and it was not TJS.

[Lbacker]

First post :wave:

 

Anyone know if Kosuke's family have relocated to Chicago with him? I know last year his wife and child were still overseas.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

First post :wave:

 

Anyone know if Kosuke's family have relocated to Chicago with him? I know last year his wife and child were still overseas.

 

Welcome to the forum. That's a good question. I haven't heard anything about it one way or the other.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I thought his wife and kid made it over pretty early last year.

[Machina]

I think pride has a lot to do with it. From what I have heard here in Zona, is that he worked very hard this offseason. He hit over .300 in Japan during his career, he expected a lot out of him and he probably thought he could be like Ishiro. At the begining of the season we all thought he could last season, but then he struggled to hit just above the Mendoza Line. I am sure he was embarrased for himself, his family, and he felt like he let the team and the city down. I not not saying he is going to hit .320 with 43 HRS and 130RBIs and a Gold Glove, but I think we will see a much improved player and someone who is worthy of a starting spot in the outfield for the rest of the 2009 season.

[Cubswin11]

First post :wave:

 

Anyone know if Kosuke's family have relocated to Chicago with him? I know last year his wife and child were still overseas.

 

Welcome to the forum. That's a good question. I haven't heard anything about it one way or the other.

I am pretty sure they are over here, I think they moved over in sometime in May/June last year. His wife was pregnant and due to give birth sometime in the first month of the season so she stayed in Japan until the baby was born. I think I remember Kosuke missing a game or two (maybe the series) last year in San Diego to go back to Japan for the birth.