Fukudome on the Block

[Elwood]

FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reports that the Cubs have made outfielder Kosuke Fukudome available for trade.

A move, though, seems highly unlikely. Fukudome is owed $13 million this year, $13.5 million in 2011, and has hit just .261/.367/.408 in his two-plus seasons with the Cubs. He also has a no-trade clause and is able to block a deal to 15 of baseball's 30 major league teams.

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=MLB&id=157&line=293570&spln=1

[Tryptamine]

Well I guess this means more play time for Colvin. With that said, I would love to see the Cubs get Spilborghs as a platoon partner.

[Schwarber Fan]

Too bad Xavier Nady is already Colvin's platoon partner...

[Tryptamine]

Too bad Xavier Nady is already Colvin's platoon partner...

 

True enough, but the Angels have expressed interest in Nady and if you can land anything in excess of what you'd have to pay for Spilborghs then why not? I've always liked Spilborghs and so far this year he's been pretty good even against righties.

[Derwood]

"on the block" means very little

[Prizefight]

"on the block" means very little

 

 

Exactly. Who on the current roster are you not listening to offers for? Maybe Castro? There is no one absolutely untouchable in my eyes

[Sammy Sofa]

Too bad Xavier Nady is already Colvin's platoon partner...

 

True enough, but the Angels have expressed interest in Nady and if you can land anything in excess of what you'd have to pay for Spilborghs then why not? I've always liked Spilborghs and so far this year he's been pretty good even against righties.

 

Though Colvin desperately needs a platoon partner.

[questionmarkgrace]

only hendry puts a guy on the block after his weakness is most apparent: he starts off hot and the wheels fall off come june. he should have been on the block in april when he was hitting 400. Also this guy has a no trade clause? thats just plain crazy

[fromthestretch]

Too bad Xavier Nady is already Colvin's platoon partner...

 

True enough, but the Angels have expressed interest in Nady and if you can land anything in excess of what you'd have to pay for Spilborghs then why not? I've always liked Spilborghs and so far this year he's been pretty good even against righties.

 

Obviously a lot can change between now and the trade deadline, but why would a team that's two games over .500 and only 4.5 back in their division want to deal someone that can play all three OF positions (although he would be better off sticking to the corners), can hit for decent average and power, and isn't making an absurd amount of money?

[Sammy Sofa]

only hendry puts a guy on the block after his weakness is most apparent: he starts off hot and the wheels fall off come june. he should have been on the block in april when he was hitting 400. Also this guy has a no trade clause? thats just plain crazy

 

OK, again, 2008 wasn't his only year. He showed last year he can be very good in the second half.

[Keener98]

only hendry puts a guy on the block after his weakness is most apparent: he starts off hot and the wheels fall off come june. he should have been on the block in april when he was hitting 400. Also this guy has a no trade clause? thats just plain crazy

 

OK, again, 2008 wasn't his only year. He showed last year he can be very good in the second half.

 

Seriously, how many times does it have to be pointed out that Fuku had 2 months of OPS over 900 after the All Star break last year before people stop saying "he only hits in April".

[italianocubsfan7]

Too bad Xavier Nady is already Colvin's platoon partner...

 

True enough, but the Angels have expressed interest in Nady and if you can land anything in excess of what you'd have to pay for Spilborghs then why not? I've always liked Spilborghs and so far this year he's been pretty good even against righties.

 

Though Colvin desperately needs a platoon partner.

 

Why does Colvin need a platoon partner? Isn't the idea to get him consistent at-bats and start several times a week now?

[jersey cubs fan]

Too bad Xavier Nady is already Colvin's platoon partner...

 

True enough, but the Angels have expressed interest in Nady and if you can land anything in excess of what you'd have to pay for Spilborghs then why not? I've always liked Spilborghs and so far this year he's been pretty good even against righties.

 

Though Colvin desperately needs a platoon partner.

 

Why does Colvin need a platoon partner? Isn't the idea to get him consistent at-bats and start several times a week now?

 

He can't hit lefties.

[Sammy Sofa]

Too bad Xavier Nady is already Colvin's platoon partner...

 

True enough, but the Angels have expressed interest in Nady and if you can land anything in excess of what you'd have to pay for Spilborghs then why not? I've always liked Spilborghs and so far this year he's been pretty good even against righties.

 

Though Colvin desperately needs a platoon partner.

 

Why does Colvin need a platoon partner? Isn't the idea to get him consistent at-bats and start several times a week now?

 

Like Jersey just said, he is absolutely horrible against LH pitchers.

[TruffleShuffle]

He can't hit lefties.

 

minor league career vs lhp: 0.277/0.308/0.460/0.768

minor league career vs rhp: 0.276/0.324/0.461/0.785

[Sammy Sofa]

Everything about that is so...

 

*BARF*

[TruffleShuffle]

yeah a .308 obp is pretty bad (as is a .324 obp) but his splits are just about even in the minors with about 500 ABs against LHP. i don't see enough evidence to say he can't hit LHP.

 

the cubs suck; might as well just let colvin play every day and see if he can cut it. we're alraedy doing that with castro (to a point where lou refuses to NOT play him, even though he hasn't hit for a month).

[SouthSideRyan]

He can't hit lefties.

 

minor league career vs lhp: 0.277/0.308/0.460/0.768

minor league career vs rhp: 0.276/0.324/0.461/0.785

 

Fine. He can't hit righties either

[Sammy Sofa]

He can't hit lefties.

 

minor league career vs lhp: 0.277/0.308/0.460/0.768

minor league career vs rhp: 0.276/0.324/0.461/0.785

 

Fine. He can't hit righties either

 

Exactly. Hence the *BARF*.

 

Colvin as a starter is almost a lock to be depressing.

[Tracer Bullet]

yeah, but if you want him to play every day there's no reason to assume he can hit RHP better than he can hit LHP. Either play him every day and find out something about his major league ability or send him to Iowa to play every day. Platooning him makes no sense.

[jersey cubs fan]

yeah, but if you want him to play every day there's no reason to assume he can hit RHP better than he can hit LHP. Either play him every day and find out something about his major league ability or send him to Iowa to play every day. Platooning him makes no sense.

 

In a vacuum, no. But what really makes no sense is benching Fukudome indefinitely, or making your priority Colvin above all others. I don't care about the platoon for matchups sake as much as I don't think he should play everyday.

[Tracer Bullet]

yeah, but if you want him to play every day there's no reason to assume he can hit RHP better than he can hit LHP. Either play him every day and find out something about his major league ability or send him to Iowa to play every day. Platooning him makes no sense.

 

In a vacuum, no. But what really makes no sense is benching Fukudome indefinitely, or making your priority Colvin above all others. I don't care about the platoon for matchups sake as much as I don't think he should play everyday.

 

i'm not sure what you're after here. What does a vacuum have to do with anything? And what does platooning Colving have to do with Fukudome? I'm not advocating playing Colvin as the everyday RF over Fukudome. But if the GM decides he wants to know whether Colvin can be an everyday RF, then he should play everyday (this requires a trade of Fukudome). There isn't enough evidence to establish that he needs a platoon.

 

Alternatively, send Colvin back to AAA and let him play everyday in hopes he gets better. Play Fukudome in RF and use Nady or whomever as his platoon partner.

[jersey cubs fan]

yeah, but if you want him to play every day there's no reason to assume he can hit RHP better than he can hit LHP. Either play him every day and find out something about his major league ability or send him to Iowa to play every day. Platooning him makes no sense.

 

In a vacuum, no. But what really makes no sense is benching Fukudome indefinitely, or making your priority Colvin above all others. I don't care about the platoon for matchups sake as much as I don't think he should play everyday.

 

i'm not sure what you're after here. What does a vacuum have to do with anything? And what does platooning Colving have to do with Fukudome? I'm not advocating playing Colvin as the everyday RF over Fukudome. But if the GM decides he wants to know whether Colvin can be an everyday RF, then he should play everyday (this requires a trade of Fukudome). There isn't enough evidence to establish that he needs a platoon.

 

Alternatively, send Colvin back to AAA and let him play everyday in hopes he gets better. Play Fukudome in RF and use Nady or whomever as his platoon partner.

 

I don't see the need of seeing him play everyday to determine if he can play everyday. All evidence suggests he can't be an everyday RF. So, play him regularly, and if by some miracle his numbers don't slip, as time goes on, play him more. But there's no need to castoff Fukudome for pennies on the dollar because you have to see how Colvin handles everyday duty. Fukudome is an asset.

[TruffleShuffle]

i don't know that colvin is an everyday player - evidence likely points to no - but his numbers were much better last year than the rest of his minor league career with a better walk rate, more hard-driven balls, more power and fewer pop ups. this year he's also been performing well.

 

let's face it, the cubs are going nowhere this year and they're not likely to be good next year either. among the position players they have a large number of known quantities, including fukudome, who will likely be a cub no longer than the end of next season. if the cubs aren't going anywhere, i'd rather have them give ABs to an unknown quantity like colvin than a guy like fukudome who is known and is unlikely to be a long-term part of the team. it's possible that colvin made a breakthrough and could be at least an average starting OF; it's also possible that he profiles better as a fourth outfielder (nady type) or that big league pitchers will figure him out and he won't even be an adequate backup OF in the bigs. but i'd rather find it out now.

[Sammy Sofa]

So get him more starts after Fukudome is traded.