Fukudome on the Block

[SweetZombieJesus]

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

 

Will he also play his entire career with a torn elbow ligament?

[Guest]

Colvin should be starting and playing everyday in Iowa. It was his ST numbers that got him put on the Cubs and that's just stupid. Lou takes an irrational like and dislike to players and that's a problem too. I say the Cubs kill three birds with one stone and fire Hendry and Lou and send Colvin to Iowa so he can play every day. If they trade Nady or Fukudome they can always bring him back up.

[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

 

Will he also play his entire career with a torn elbow ligament?

 

No, but he will play his entire career with mediocrity.

[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.

 

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.

 

whoa. I agree that Fukudome is an asset. My only point is that there is no need to platoon Colvin at this point. The whole debate about whether Colvin plays everyday or gets platooned sort of assumes Fukudome is traded (or, I suppose, Byrd or Soriano is traded) and the Cubs decide to use this year to see what they have for the future. If that decision is made and Fukudome is traded, I think Colvin should play against essentially everyone (and not platooned) to give you a better idea of how good he can be. But there's no need to dump Fukudome.

[ScrubMD]

I completely understand thinking Colvin won't make it as an everyday starter. But if the improvements from 08 to 09 and from 09 to this year really do show that he can be a legit major leaguer, isn't this the perfect year to find out? What's the worst that can happen? We end the season 20 games out instead of 15? And if he does manage to pan out, we have a cheap, solid RF with more money to spend elsewhere.

[jersey cubs fan]

I completely understand thinking Colvin won't make it as an everyday starter. But if the improvements from 08 to 09 and from 09 to this year really do show that he can be a legit major leaguer, isn't this the perfect year to find out? What's the worst that can happen? We end the season 20 games out instead of 15? And if he does manage to pan out, we have a cheap, solid RF with more money to spend elsewhere.

 

Part of the problem is, you can't just "find out" by playing him this year. He could have a one off rookie of the year type season and still be no better than a 4th OF in the long run. I don't see the need to play him everyday. If Fukudome was already gone, fine. But letting an asset sit the bench because you want to see what Colvin may or may not be able to prove to you does not make sense. Unless there's already a deal in the works, I don't see how you can make a quality trade with him sitting everyday. You already have 2 other OF guys who are not 162 game players, why can't you just increase his playing time and see if he maintains his numbers?

[CUBZ99]

I completely understand thinking Colvin won't make it as an everyday starter. But if the improvements from 08 to 09 and from 09 to this year really do show that he can be a legit major leaguer, isn't this the perfect year to find out? What's the worst that can happen? We end the season 20 games out instead of 15? And if he does manage to pan out, we have a cheap, solid RF with more money to spend elsewhere.

 

Part of the problem is, you can't just "find out" by playing him this year. He could have a one off rookie of the year type season and still be no better than a 4th OF in the long run. I don't see the need to play him everyday. If Fukudome was already gone, fine. But letting an asset sit the bench because you want to see what Colvin may or may not be able to prove to you does not make sense. Unless there's already a deal in the works, I don't see how you can make a quality trade with him sitting everyday. You already have 2 other OF guys who are not 162 game players, why can't you just increase his playing time and see if he maintains his numbers?

 

By benching Fukudome for Colvin you ensure that Fukudome's numbers don't continue to slide any further. In regard to Colvin, I don't think this is the year to treat him with kid gloves. The problem with playing him part time the rest of the year is that you have no idea what to expect next year or any indication of what the team's needs are in the off season. You may view Colvin as a 4th OF at best, but I'm almost certain the Cubs view him as a future starter. If that is the case, he should be out there everyday similar to Castro.

[jersey cubs fan]

I completely understand thinking Colvin won't make it as an everyday starter. But if the improvements from 08 to 09 and from 09 to this year really do show that he can be a legit major leaguer, isn't this the perfect year to find out? What's the worst that can happen? We end the season 20 games out instead of 15? And if he does manage to pan out, we have a cheap, solid RF with more money to spend elsewhere.

 

Part of the problem is, you can't just "find out" by playing him this year. He could have a one off rookie of the year type season and still be no better than a 4th OF in the long run. I don't see the need to play him everyday. If Fukudome was already gone, fine. But letting an asset sit the bench because you want to see what Colvin may or may not be able to prove to you does not make sense. Unless there's already a deal in the works, I don't see how you can make a quality trade with him sitting everyday. You already have 2 other OF guys who are not 162 game players, why can't you just increase his playing time and see if he maintains his numbers?

 

By benching Fukudome for Colvin you ensure that Fukudome's numbers don't continue to slide any further. In regard to Colvin, I don't think this is the year to treat him with kid gloves. The problem with playing him part time the rest of the year is that you have no idea what to expect next year or any indication of what the team's needs are in the off season. You may view Colvin as a 4th OF at best, but I'm almost certain the Cubs view him as a future starter. If that is the case, he should be out there everyday similar to Castro.

 

Fukudome's history suggests his numbers won't necessarily continued to decline. And playing the guy regularly, but not everyday, is hardly treating him with kid gloves. Additionally, as I just said, playing him everyday will not prove either way if he's your longterm solution or not.

[treebird]

colvin needs two platoon partners

[imb]

colvin needs two platoon partners

 

love it

[Derwood]

The Cubs have a bad history of playing the young guys when season is in the crapper; remember the insistence to play Fred McGriff over Hee Seop Choi so that he could pursue some inconsequential milestone?

[A-Cal]

Multiple sources tell Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com that the Cubs recently approached the Red Sox to "gauge their interest" in Kosuke Fukudome.

McAdam writes that the Red Sox have walked away from talks, at least for now, because the Cubs have refused to take on a significant part of Fukudome's remaining salary. Fukudome, 33, will earn $13 million this season and another $13.5 million in 2011. The Red Sox have a clear need for an outfielder right now, but that is a significant price to pay for a player who has batted just .261 with a 776 OPS in the major leagues. No-trade clause aside, the Cubs will have a very difficult time trading him to any team.

Source: CSNNE.com

[TruffleShuffle]

he's a corner outfielder without much power who's making $13M a year, and you've now gone ahead and benched him for some reason. yet you don't want to chip in much money toward his salary. wtf cubs?

[A-Cal]

Epstein, "He's overpaid."

 

Hendry, "OBP."

 

Epstein, "Right, but I need the price to come down a bit Jim."

 

Hendry, "OBP."

 

Epstein - *click*

[daske17]

Epstein, "He's overpaid."

 

Hendry, "OBP."

 

Epstein, "Right, but I need the price to come down a bit Jim."

 

Hendry, "OBP."

 

Epstein - *click*

 

*ring* *ring*

 

Epstein: "hello?"

 

Hendry: "Ellsbury and Pedroia for Fukudome's OBP"

 

Epstein: *click*

[Guest]

"Theo, you know your outfield is in trouble, I know I have 4 good outfielders, how do you like a 3 win RF you control through next year?"

 

"He's a little pricey, can you pick up some of his contract?"

 

Commence haggling. Fukudome is valuable, and of all people Epstein would realize that.

[TruffleShuffle]

"Theo, you know your outfield is in trouble, I know I have 4 good outfielders, how do you like a 3 win RF you control through next year?"

 

"He's a little pricey, can you pick up some of his contract?"

 

Commence haggling. Fukudome is valuable, and of all people Epstein would realize that.

 

who's on the phone with theo? there's no way in hell hendry is referring to fukudome as a "3 win RF" because there's no way in hell he knows what that means.

Edited June 17, 2010 by TruffleShuffle

[Guest]

"Theo, you know your outfield is in trouble, I know I have 4 good outfielders, how do you like a 3 win RF you control through next year?"

 

"He's a little pricey, can you pick up some of his contract?"

 

Commence haggling. Fukudome is valuable, and of all people Epstein would realize that.

 

who's on the phone with theo? there's no way in hell hendry is referring to fukudome as a "3 win RF" because there's no way in hell he knows what that means.

 

Yes, and he's also not repeating the phrase "OBP" into the phone over and over again. It's a hypothetical exercise. Boston needs an OF. We have 4. Fukudome is good and worth trading for.

[utkcub]

From Sully this morning:

 

Comcast SportsNet New England's Sean McAdam is reporting that the Cubs contacted Boston about a possible Kosuke Fukudome trade. We've been putting that scenario together for a while here but McAdam adds a twist that is surprising -- that the Cubs aren't willing to pay much of the $21 million left on Fukudome's contract. This is in keeping with how reluctant they were to pay a lot of Milton Bradley's 2010 and '11 salaries but, if true, it makes it unlikely that they will be able to open an outfield spot for Tyler Colvin. Team president Crane Kenney apparently favors gridlock over writing checks.

[Tracer Bullet]

So the Cubs have an 4 good OFs, one of which could easily get sent to AAA if necessary, and Boston needs an OF. Yet the Cubs are in the position of needing to eat part of a contract to make a trade happen? I must be missing something.

[jersey cubs fan]

So the Cubs have an 4 good OFs, one of which could easily get sent to AAA if necessary, and Boston needs an OF. Yet the Cubs are in the position of needing to eat part of a contract to make a trade happen? I must be missing something.

 

If you can't complain about executives or owners being cheap, what's the point of writing about sports?

[dew1679666265]

Team president Crane Kenney apparently favors gridlock over writing checks.

 

In this case, that's a good thing.

[javy knows my name]

So the Cubs have an 4 good OFs, one of which could easily get sent to AAA if necessary, and Boston needs an OF. Yet the Cubs are in the position of needing to eat part of a contract to make a trade happen? I must be missing something.

I do not understand the Kosuke hate. He's a nice trade piece and we need to treat him like one.

[Tracer Bullet]

So the Cubs have an 4 good OFs, one of which could easily get sent to AAA if necessary, and Boston needs an OF. Yet the Cubs are in the position of needing to eat part of a contract to make a trade happen? I must be missing something.

I do not understand the Kosuke hate. He's a nice trade piece and we need to treat him like one.

this seems like a great situation, really. Boston needs a good OF and can handle Kosuke's contract with no problem. I imagine they have something decent we could get in return. And they may not want to wait to see if the price comes down, since there are 2 teams ahead of them in their conference, instead of just one. Given how unlikely it is that Kosuke completely tanks for the next month, this seems like a great time for Hendry to sit and hold his cards.

[jersey cubs fan]

I do not understand the Kosuke hate.

 

Low batting average and he spins around when he strikes out sometimes.