The Future of Fukudome
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 9:52 AM CDT
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PrintFor the purposes of full disclosure, last year at this time I was super excited that the Cubs signed Fukudome. I was impressed with his OBP and defensive skills. This looked like the signing of a fine all around player. As we all know, April and May did nothing but confirm those initial thoughts. Then came the rest of the season – Ugh. Pitchers made adjustments to him (a steady stream of outside breaking balls) and he had no adjustments for that.
With my typical Cub fan optimism, I thought that with an off-season trying to figure out and correct what went wrong coupled with the tendency for Japanese players to improve in year 2, Fukudome could rebound into a decent everyday outfielder. Then came the WBC and two things stood out to me: 1) The benching of Fukudome in 2 of he last 3 games (though one of those games was meaningless), and 2) The reasons for Fukudome’s benching: 20 AB’s, 4 hits (all singles), 7 walks and 7 strikeouts. And for those that have seen his AB’s, it doesn’t look like he’s made any adjustments from last season.
With that behind us, my optimism for Fukudome’s future with the Cubs has diminished. He won’t become the cross between Ichiro and H. Matsui. Heck, at this point, I doubt that he’ll even have the career of So Taguchi. Though I hate to write this, I don’t think that Fukudome will be with the big club for much of the 2009 season. I fully expect him to be reassigned to AAA before the All-Star break. $12M per year still has a lot of pull and I do think that he will get yet another shot, but that may not be until the 2010 season.
For what it’s worth, I think that Piniella is playing this thing out correctly. He is giving Fukudome one last good effort to prove that he belongs on a major league roster. I like that he is giving him the #2 hole, where he is expected to get a lot of fastballs hitting in front of the heart of the Cub lineup. I think good pitchers won’t give into that temptation though. They will still make him beat them with breaking balls on the outside corners.
As of now, this looks like a $48M mistake. I hope I’m wrong, but I just don’t see any evidence that he’s improved or adjusted from the player he was at the end of the 2008 season.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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fwiw
whether good or bad I dont blame Hendry. I think alot of people would have done that deal, I know I would have.
I didn't get the players I wanted in the offseason!! Hopefully I get what I want in the Regular Season---The World Series Trophy!! Go Cubbies!!
There were several other teams after Fukudome...
… including the Padres and White Sox, both of whom, I think, offered him more money. He chose the Cubs in part because they promised him right field.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
I was just about to post a reply saying pretty much the same thing.
I don’t think you can blame Henry in the least, since other clubs obviously thought highly of him as well. I do expect him to improve this year, although I’m not optimistic that he’ll ever have a season that makes him worth his annual salary. Hope I’m wrong, though.
Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.
by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Mar 24, 2009 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions
So Hendry gets a "pass" just because other teams were faulty in their scouting assessment too?!?
Please. Jim Hendry and his front office staff screwed up. There is no validation in the fact that other teams were pursuing Kosuke too.
Fact is Hendry has several very bad contracts on the books that are his own doing….Soriano, Kosuke and the rapidly fading D-Lee. Hendry gave away big contracts like candy there for awhile.
Wrong...
Simply just wrong. Other teams did pursue him. Just because you say they didn’t, doesn’t mean it is true. Stop with the revisionist history.
Jimmyeatworld
by Jimmyeatworld on Mar 24, 2009 10:59 AM CDT up reply actions
Read again
BLou is not saying that other teams didn’t pursue Fukudome.
BLou is saying that the fact that other teams DID pursue Fukudome doesn’t have any bearing on whether Hendry was right or wrong.
by John Q Freejazz on Mar 24, 2009 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions
I disagree.
Fukudome was a hot commodity, and Hendry and the Cubs’ staff were aggressive and went out and got him. If we hadn’t landed him, people on here would have been crucifying Hendry.
This isn’t science. These are people in the business evaluating players and making their best estimations on how players will perform. In the professional opinion of many, Fukudome was thought to become a very good major leaguer. He still may be one day. But to use 20/20 hindsight now and say that Hendry screwed up is short-sighted and a simplistic view of the situation. Unless you can show me a post of yours from prior to last season in which you said you thought it was a bad signing, in which case I’ll give you credit for knowing what you’re talking about.
Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.
by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Mar 24, 2009 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed and rec'd
People make bad decisions. It happens.
Hendry does do that a lot with FA’s, but to single this one out isn’t really fair. Hell, I thought Lilly and DeRosa were bad signings at the time. I was wrong, and happy about it.
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Mar 24, 2009 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions
IIRC
The Sox offered more, and Fuludome said he would not supplant an All Star RF (Dye) and also was intrigued by the Cubs history.
"I like coconuts, you can break them open and they smell like ladies lying in the sun" Widespread Panic
If IIRC
I remember him saying at his first press conference he didn’t know about the “curse” or 100 years thing.
I think Fukudome came here for a few reasons, the most predominant being that he was the first Japanese player for the Cubs. That meant a lot to him. I really don’t have a lot of evidence to support that but I just remember reading somethings about that. The right field thing was obviously big for him too. And a big city with a huge following was important to him.
"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher
by Musicdude10 on Mar 25, 2009 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions
Kosuke isn't hitting a lick in the WBC
Sad to say, but Kosuke is looking like a $48 million bust. I dont’ think Lou Piniella will stay patient with him for very long, nor should he. Reed Johnson and Joey Gathright loom big for the Cubs. If it were up to me I’d also have Jim Edmonds warming up at his offseason home in California. I’d like him back. Soon.
I'm glad
nothing is up to you but angering people on a Cubs Blog. I just wish it wasn’t this one.
I didn't get the players I wanted in the offseason!! Hopefully I get what I want in the Regular Season---The World Series Trophy!! Go Cubbies!!
by cubsluver22 on Mar 24, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions
+ another 1000
"I like coconuts, you can break them open and they smell like ladies lying in the sun" Widespread Panic
What's so angering about what he's saying?
Can you possibly disagree?
(well, except for the Jedmonds thing.)
"Thank god I threw out my belt & shoelaces."-Bernies Mustache Wax on Evil BCB, 7/31/08
There are, of course, some people on here
who can’t deal with ANY criticism of the Cubs.
BLou’s points are all dead on.
Somebody has to explain to me why any criticism here is immediately equated with trying to start trouble.
Keep up the observations BLou-I don’t always agree with you but I’ll take what you say ANY DAY over mindless cheerleading.
by bluekoolaide on Mar 24, 2009 7:30 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm guessing you directed...
this comment to me. He isn’t spot on. he’s a… well don’t wanna get in trouble! It’s not hard to come on here everyday and piss and moan about every move mgmnt made that didn’t work out our way and that’s all he does. Besides that I’m sick of wasting my time responding to this…(fill in the blanks). Most all of us here don’t give one rat’s… what he says, as all he does is come on here to agitate people.
I didn't get the players I wanted in the offseason!! Hopefully I get what I want in the Regular Season---The World Series Trophy!! Go Cubbies!!
What's so agitating about the truth?
He isn’t saying anything different than anyone else who thinks Kosuke isn’t going to pan out. I think people see that screen name and freak out a little.
At this point, Kosuke IS looking like a $48 million dollar bust. Good thing there’s room for that to change.
"Thank god I threw out my belt & shoelaces."-Bernies Mustache Wax on Evil BCB, 7/31/08
Point is....
We know. We see the exact same thing everyone else does. Kinda like telling an ugly person their ugly over and over and over and over again when everyone knows their ugly. Get my drift? He’s kinda like a kid brother you have to take on a date with you and your sweetheart—but worse.
I didn't get the players I wanted in the offseason!! Hopefully I get what I want in the Regular Season---The World Series Trophy!! Go Cubbies!!
I don't get your analogy.
And I’m not sure why you’re on heavily commented baseball blogs on March 25 if you don’t want the same opinions over and over.
"Thank god I threw out my belt & shoelaces."-Bernies Mustache Wax on Evil BCB, 7/31/08
Wittenmyer covered this today too
There are some interest tidbits, and while I think Fukudome will struggle to justify his contract, I think he’ll rebound this year.
I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg
I sure hope you're right
I remain a fan of his. It’s disappointing to learn that he hasn’t adjusted his swing and that he performed less than well at the WBC. Still, hope springs eternal.
Steal a little and they throw you in jail, Steal a lot and they make you king -- Bob Dylan
I won't put too much stock into WBC stats
No one seems too concerned that Kevin Youkilis hit under .200 in the WBC. Granted, Youkilis is more proven at the Major League-level than Fukudome, but I’ll give him a couple months to see where he is at.
Like Al said below, if he’s not hitting by Memorial Day, then it will probably be time for the Cubs to explore their options.
I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg
by Bill Potter on Mar 24, 2009 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions
Hope springs eternal
…in the human pest.
=)
That’s how we say that in my family.
"Manny Trillo is coming in to pinch run. You know, for a lot of teams, you would pinch run for Manny Trillo." - Harry Caray
Reading that article
made me worried that he has the right to refuse a minor league assignment. That could limit the Cubs’ options, but perhaps they could convince him to go if it doesn’t work out.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 11:02 AM CDT up reply actions
He will either figure it out or not, but I am not worried about WBC stats
Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."
Was there a specific reason...
…Fukudome didn’t start against Korea last night? I watched the first few innings and was disappointed not to see him in the game.
As far as his future with the Cubs, my expectations are also greatly diminished. I, too, was absolutely thrilled with Dome’s signing and, obviously, his initial performance. At this point, I’d just like to see him maintain his strong OBP and defensive skills. I have little to no hope of him ever showing much power, but that doesn’t bother me much because I don’t think he was necessarily signed for his power. (Or at least he shouldn’t have been.)
He was signed for his “total” approach to the game. If he can accentuate his positives and minimize his negatives, he’ll still be a valuable player – just not the superstar we’d all hoped for.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
Korea started a LHP.
That might be one of the reasons.
I’m still willing to give Fukudome some rope — for a couple of months. If by Memorial Day he’s still struggling like he was last year, I think the Cubs will have to explore further options.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
I saw that, but was still concerned.
I’m on record stating I believe Dome will rebound. However, if he’s now only a platoon player for Japan in the WBC, what has he become and can he rebound? I dunno
if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand
I was surprised...
I was surprised to see several LH pinch-hitters used but not Fukudome. Makes one scratch one’s proverbial chin.
by John Q Freejazz on Mar 24, 2009 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions
Fukudome...
Is going to be fine. It was a LHP starting for Korea last night… Sure, Dome only had a smattering of hits in the WBC, but he was still drawing walks & getting on base. Listen, no matter how much money a player gets in a contract, he will never be able to live up to what people think he should be doing for the money he is making. Dome will see a lot of fastballs in the #2 hole, and he should be able to make adjustments quite well. It absolutely befuddles me that some of you can love a player one day, then be like sharks smelling blood in the water the next…
Prediction: Dome will rebound, he will make adjustments, he
Jimmyeatworld
He hasn't shown that he can make adjustments tho
He didn’t make them last year and it doesn’t appear that he’s made them now. That is my concern. He should have made them by now. As I wrote, I don’t think the good pitchers will show him fastballs even though he’ll bat in the 2 hole.
I’m willing to suspend disbelief and give him some time. But, as Al wrote above, if he doesn’t improve, other options will have to be explored.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions
Do you think he never made adjustments in Japan?
You don’t have a career in Japan like he did without making adjustments.
Can he make adjustments in the MLB? Well, we’ll see. The big question is how long will we get to see? It takes a while for most players to make adjustments. How many weeks, or days, will Dome get this season?
2009 Cubs' MVP: Derrek Lee
Hitting is the key, sure....
….but does anyone else think that he’s not that great of centerfielder?
The few times he played the position last year, he seemed to take wrong angles at the ball and from what little I saw of his play in the WBC, it doesn’t seem to have gotten any better.
I’m just glad we have Reed Johnson in case Kosuke flops. I don’t think him in CF for extended amounts of time hurts us too much overall.
Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team
by carmen_fanzone on Mar 24, 2009 11:14 AM CDT reply actions
He's got speed and is a decent fielder to start.
I’m guessing he will handle it fine and get better the more he is out there. The question is whether his woes with the bat will follow him into the field.
if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand
and what were you saying last year at this time...
When Hendry went out and picked up Jimmy? I think I already know. As far as likening Dome to a So Taguchi clone? You really post for effect, don’t you?
Jimmyeatworld
by Jimmyeatworld on Mar 24, 2009 11:29 AM CDT up reply actions
Post for effect is very well put.
Steal a little and they throw you in jail, Steal a lot and they make you king -- Bob Dylan
What about Taguchi
as Fukudome’s replacement? Normally, I expect older guys that sign minor league contracts to amicably part ways if they don’t make the big club out of spring training, but I thought I heard that Taguchi might accept going to the minors. If Fukudome doens’t work out, could Taguchi be the first option?
I think Edmonds is done and the Cubs squeezed every last drop out of him. I’m not sure that he is a reasonable option at this point.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions
Taguchi
is not much of a hitter nor does he have much of an arm. Dome at his worst is still probably better than Taguchi at his best.
"When two Whales Fight, many Shrimp Die" - Korean Proverb
by TheRiot Police on Mar 24, 2009 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm not sure about that
Taguchi has been an effective player the last few seasons, though I can see him being done now. If it wasn’t for the contract and the promise of him as a player, I wouldn’t think Fukudome is worth a roster spot.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions
Well...if I look
at So’s hitting stats from his best year (2005) they only beat Dome’s in three categories (Batting Average, Slugging and OPS+) from last year. The gaps between them in those categories are not real signficant. Taking all of that into account and the fact that Dome is a better all around defender, I will take Dome over So if those are my only options.
Now, if Dome continues to perform more on par with his 4 month slide in 08 then maybe this argument could be revisited.
"When two Whales Fight, many Shrimp Die" - Korean Proverb
by TheRiot Police on Mar 24, 2009 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions
I think Hendry has Edmonds on speed dial
The second somebody goes down or people aren’t playing well Edmonds will be the first one to get the call.
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
You are correct sir...
Jimmy is nowhere near done… He was just getting warmed up when the season ended last year.
Jimmyeatworld
by Jimmyeatworld on Mar 24, 2009 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions
I'd put my faith in Edmonds to hit with decent power and average
10 times before I play Fukudome. Thats just me.
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
The Edmonds/Johnson platoon
worked, but JEd is another year older and winding down.
If Dome doesn’t work, I’d prefer an everyday player.
if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand
Why?
Reed Johnson becomes Reed Mantle against lefty pitching, and Edmonds was really good against righty pitching. If not Edmonds, I would prefer finding a lefty hitter who has really good stats against righties to platoon with RJ.
Why play an average player in CF everyday when you could have an above average bat even if its a different guy depending on who is pitching.
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
Money
If Edmonds would have taken a $1M deal, he would be a Cub and Hendry wouldn’t have signed Gathright.
I read, possibly here so don’t quote me, that Edmonds wanted $5M+. For that money, an everyday player is warranted.
if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand
Is Kenny Lofton still available?
/sarcasm
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Mar 24, 2009 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions
Kenny has moved on, but Ricky Henderson
will come out of retirement for a check.
if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand
to hang next to his other one
"I knew we were in for a long season when we lined up for the national anthem on opening day and one of my players said, 'Every time I hear that song I have a bad game.'" - Jim Leyland
...and his chicken spicy.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
Kung pao! Kung pao! I wasn't sweating, it was the chicken!
"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris
by willie mays hayes' gloves on Mar 24, 2009 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions
Piniella should cut to the chase and install Ryan Theriot as the # 2 hitter
Kosuke should be given 150 at bats to see what he can do. And those at bats should come out of the # 8 hole. At this point I am quite pesimistic he works out. $48 million for a clone of So Taguchi. Wow.
I prefer Fontenot at #2.
A little pop to drive Soriano around the bases. Fonz has speed, but will never score from first with Theriot hitting a dying quail to short right field.
if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand
I agree
Fontenot would be my number 2 hitter. It keeps Lou’s RLRL dream going, and does it with a major league quality left handed bat.
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
Sorry, LBR has not shown that he is an everyday player...
Nor has he shown that he has a major league quality left handed bat. Be wary of putting too much on LBR too quickly…
Jimmyeatworld
by Jimmyeatworld on Mar 24, 2009 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions
Compared to the alternatives
I’ll take my chances with Fontenot
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
If he hits in the #8 hole
all he will see is a steady diet of breaking balls, which we’d all agree he struggled with during the year. At least having him hit #2 will give him more fastballs to hit.
I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg
by Bill Potter on Mar 24, 2009 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions
He won't do that with Soriano batting leadoff.
Lou wants to alternate righties and lefties, remember? Fontenot would be a fine alternative, however.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
Where is Dome Playing in the WBC
I see him as a right fielder in the stats. The other right fielder is Ichiro so that may be one of the reasons he isn’t getting more ABs. His OBP is .407 so that’s a positive.
Is it possible that there was another outfielder on Japan last night
Who we can swap out for Fukudome?
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
That Aoki guy, man..... DEFINITELY.
"It's hard to win 97 games, it's hard to win the division. Our attitude is if you get in every year, you get in most of the time, sooner or later you are going to knock that door down." -- Jim Hendry
I don't know who that is
But how about we get that done. Just tell Fukudome to go back and that Aoki will be used for the remainder of the contract.
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
He's about to surpass ichiro
in hits in the japanese league
by cubsonWGN4ever on Mar 24, 2009 1:53 PM CDT up reply actions
and he looked good in the WBC
"I like coconuts, you can break them open and they smell like ladies lying in the sun" Widespread Panic
why are people acting like
the WBC is that much different than spring training? let’s wait and see if he has made any adjustments the first couple months of the real baseball season before deciding one way or the other.
I think that's what everyone (including me) is saying
All I’m adding is that it doesn’t look too promising.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 11:28 AM CDT up reply actions
I think sometimes you can just tell if somebody is capable of hitting in the big leagues
Fukudome doesn’t look like he has a clue when he bats.
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
Fukudome's park-adjusted wOBA last year was .328.
The league average last year? .328.
He’s not a great hitter, but this notion that he’s some sort of liability with the bat is utter nonsense.
by cwyers on Mar 24, 2009 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
If you take the year as a whole
then yes, I agree. If the season were reversed, (i.e., his 1st half production occured in the second half) I don’t think we’d be having this discussion.
Fukudome was a bad hitter (and a liability) after June and didn’t make adjustments.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 1:40 PM CDT up reply actions
And he continues to be one
I’m pretty sure it bothers him that he wasn’t in the lineup last night, or even called on to pinch hit. Japan used multiple LH bats to pinch hit. Why wasn’t he used? He didn’t opt to play for Japan to sit on the bench in the championship game against their arch rivals.
I’m sure most Cub fans have noticed Louis a hitting freak. You hit consistently and you’ll get a chance with the big club. The only player who hasn’t felt Lou’s wrath is Lee. Kosuke looks like a woman’s softball player when he lunges at the ball and corkscrews himself into the ground. Maybe Lou should look at his “park-adjusted wOBA” that would surely calm his fuku-nerves.
by TheRamZamDLEE on Mar 24, 2009 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions
if his second half production was his first half production
Lou would never have played him in the second half.
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
Yes, but there's absolutely no evidence...
…that second-half production is significantly more predictive than first-half production.
Say again:
THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT SPLIT-HALVES MEAN ANYTHING.
You can say, “But the league made adjustments!” Shout it until you’re blue in the face. But that doesn’t make it so. Chase Utley lost .100 points of OPS in the second half last year. Does it mean anything? Nope!
And here it goes – “Chase Utley isn’t a rookie.” But if it’s possible for a major league player to have a steep decline in the second half through chance alone – in fact, we expect quite a few to, based on simple probability! – then what’s your evidence that this isn’t what happened to Fukudome?
by cwyers on Mar 24, 2009 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
But
Using the Utley example, his OPS drops off and then it picks back up. Maybe not to the ridiculous level it was at in April, but it came back up. Fukudome just keeps dropping, never making a comeback.
I understand that guys can have a bad half of hitting, but looking further at the splits by month and your Utley example proves that he was able to rebound from bad hitting instead of just getting worse.
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
So
Fukudome was a good hitter in the second half of 2008? I wrote that in the second half of the 2008 season, Fukudome was a liability. Is that not correct? All I wrote was that it was a worrying trend and the habits that got him into that still persist. His season split, however, was not the only basis for the argument. If it was, I wouldn’t have written this post.
I’m not sure why you mentioned Utley. He played through injury in the second half of 2008. That’s not the case with Fukudome. Fukudome’s problem is that he can’t hit breaking balls on the outside of the plate. Utley’s was a bum hip. The hip is better. Fukudome’s ability to hit breaking balls doesn’t appear to be.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think you may be misunderstanding the argument
I’m not saying that because of Fukudome’s 2nd half in 2008 he will have a bad year in 2009. I’m not saying that because he had a bad WBC he will have a bad year. I am sayng that there are issues that caused him to be an unproductive hitter as he was in the 2nd half of 2008. In addition, it appears that those issues still exist based on the small sample size of the WBC.
Certainly, there is something there. If there wasn’t and if the Cubs were comfortable with Fukudome, he wouldn’t have been demoted and the Cubs wouldn’t have brought in Bradley. Last year at this time, Fukudome was the presumed starting RFer. Now he is the presumed left handed portion of a CF platoon. The Phillies, as far as I know, didn’t even consider bringing in any player to replace Utley in any way. His spot in the lineup isn’t even in question.
So, to sum up, I do believe that a steep decline in production between halfs could in fact be chance alone. However, I don’t think that either Utley or Fukudome are examples of that. IN the case of Utley, it was injury. In the case of Fukudome, it’s his inability to MAKE ADJUSTMENTS (I’m blue in the face). In specific, it’s the adjustment to hit breaking balls on the outside part of the plate. Since it seems this has been the case for 9 months, my fear is that it is not something that Fukudome will be able to correct.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 7:39 PM CDT up reply actions
For 12 million a year
He is a liability. It cost DeRosa and the signing of Bradley. He regressed every single month of the season. I don’t see how thats possible for a real major league hitter.
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
Ding ding ding...
Term it the “Kosuke Ripple Effect.” Not only does the guy STOP hitting after June 1st but the money tied up in him costs the team a Mark DeRosa and results in Jim Hendry having to go out and get Milton Bradley.
How about the other ripple effect?
You know, the one where the team suddenly took walks?
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Mar 24, 2009 2:35 PM CDT up reply actions
That doesn't count. It doesn't support the argument.
"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris
by willie mays hayes' gloves on Mar 24, 2009 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions
Indeed
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Mar 24, 2009 3:06 PM CDT up reply actions
Lou and Gerald Perry don't get credit for that
Since it his their job
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
plus it clogs bases
"I like coconuts, you can break them open and they smell like ladies lying in the sun" Widespread Panic
As it was in 2007
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Mar 24, 2009 3:07 PM CDT up reply actions
Do you mean they DO get credit for that?
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
They deserve all the credit for that
Not one player who doesn’t even speak the same language as the rest of the team.
The team walk total rose each of the past two seasons that Pinella has been around. Fukudome is just another patient hitter that was brought in, his didn’t “rub off” on the other players on the team. If that were possible then why doesn’t Carlos Marmol’s ability to get out of jams rub off on the other bullpen guys?
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
Well, I wouldn't go as far as ALL the credit.
Lou and Gerald certainly deserve some – especially after Dusty and his infamous baseclogging attitude. But I think it’s entirely possible Dome also had some positive effect on the team.
And his language has nothing to do with it. I don’t think anyone is saying Kosuke sat down with the team and verbally explained how to draw walks. I think people are saying he simply went out and did it – often – and the guys followed his example. The Marmol comparison doesn’t really work because hitting and pitching are two very different things.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
Theriot went out and took a lot of walks
Why not give him credit? He didn’t play much in 2006 and his appearance in the lineup came at the same time that team walks went up.
Why not give Aramis credit for working on his approach at the plate instead of giving credit to a fellow player who makes no impact on how Aramis or any other teammate hits.
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
I'm only allowing for the possibility...
…that Fukudome may deserve some credit in inspiring those other two guys to work on their patience and pitch selection. I’m not saying Kosuke was the be all, end all reason that the Cubs drew more walks last season. Just as Lou and Gerald Perry weren’t the be all, end all reason the Cubs drew more walks last season.
I’d guess that, last year, many, if not all, Cubs players were watching Dome just as closely as we fans were because…well…he was something no one had ever seen before in a Cubs uniform.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
It was widely reported early last year............
……….that other players were feeding off Dome’s patience. We can toss accolades all around, but players were quoted as saying he made a difference in their approach.
"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns
Theriot took a league average amount of walks.
Theriot had either the worst or second-worst walk rate on the Cubs in 2007 (among qualified starters). His walk rate improved to average.
Ok, the last thing in the world I'm qualified to do is
argue stats with you, cwyers. But it looks like Theriot’s walk rate was 1:9.5 pa’s, and league average was 1:11 pa’s. That seems fairly substantial to me. If that’s wrong, it wouldn’t surprise me, but that’s what I’m seeing. In 2007, the Cubs only had 5 “qualified regulars”, and Theriot was third, ahead of Soriano and Ramirez, and behind Lee and DeRosa.
There’s enough to criticize Theriot for, but he should at least get credit for what he does reasonably well.
"Enough foreplay- let's get crackin'"- Fred Garvin
Or the other Ripple Effect
Win this team wins over 100 games!!
We have a strong team this year, and with the help of emerging players like Marshall, and Fontenot, we should get to the century mark.
Too much negativity here, but then again, we are Cubs fans.
Hey, everything happens for a reason.
If Milton Bradley ends up galvanizing this team into succeeding in ways it previously could not, then we’ll all end up thanking Kosuke for sucking in 2008.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
Why thank you.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
That is a bit harsh, don'tcha think?
I mean the guy was among the league leaders in pitches seen per plate appearance last season. If anything, he has too much of a clue when he bats – i.e., he’s perhaps overthinking. If he can figure out how to lay off the outside breaking pitches more often and maybe turn on a few more inside pitches, he should be just fine.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
The problem is
that those outside breaking pitches are still strikes – as opposed to the ones thrown to Soriano. If Fukudome can’t hit those, there is no reason to throw inside.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions
Why is no one talking about
Ichiro’s HORRIBLE WBC? .202 BA as of last night.
Seems to me, that this guy can hit in the regular season.
Maybe Dome will as well.
Ichiro won the game last night
If Dome can come through for us like Ichiro has proven he can then I think everyone’s pessimism will dissipate.
by HawaiiCubFan on Mar 24, 2009 3:19 PM CDT up reply actions
Well let's see
At the MLB level, Ichiro has a career .330 average in 5,460 plate appearances and has never hit below .300 for a full season.
Let’s just say that Fukudome’s career line isn’t quite up to that.
However, the argument is not only because of Fukudome’s WBC stats. A lot more than that has been discussed here.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions
A lot more has been discussed here..
And lets just wait until opening day until we crucify anyone.
Absolutely
I’m not crucifying anyone. I hope he succeeds and, as I wrote, I think that Piniella is doing the right thing handling the situation.
It’s just that when you take Fukudome’s sliding production all of last season, his poor performance in the WBC, and a visual inspection of Fukudome’s plate appearances late last seaon and now in the WBC, you don’t get much of a warm fuzzy that things will work out well.
by jerry morales rules on Mar 24, 2009 4:24 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, maybe.
Or maybe—and I might be stepping out on a limb here—they are two completely different players, despite the fact that they are of the same race.
I really fail to see what Ichiro has to do with Dome.
"I've got an idea...an idea so smart my head would explode if I even began to know what I was talking about." ~Peter Griffin
I am going to be patient
with Dome. By June 1 if is struggling to hit righthanders, then it is on the phone time for Jimbo. I personally think Dome will hit righties well enough that a call will not have to be made.
"Have You heard of the Boom on Mizar 5?"
Photos from Sunday
Here are three Fukudome shots from the Sunday game against the USA. I thought the one of him with DeRo at first was particularly interesting. They were talking, and I can only imagine what that conversation was about.
I watched DeRo
and Fuku conversing at first base on TV. Both were smiling, and seemed to be communicating just fine.
I wonder if the conversation was in English or Japanese.
Italian?
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Mar 24, 2009 9:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Probably Canadian.
They both learned it from Dempster and Harden last year.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
"Nice hit, eh."
“Thanks, eh.”
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Mar 25, 2009 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions
You know how Canada got it's official name, right?
It was supposed to have been CND. However, when it was being transcribed, the accent got in the way:
“OK. Spell it out for me.”
“C, eh. N, eh, D, eh.”
“That ought to do it.”
"Manny Trillo is coming in to pinch run. You know, for a lot of teams, you would pinch run for Manny Trillo." - Harry Caray
I heard it was two guys sitting at a table picking letters from a Scrabble game
“I got a ‘C’, eh.”
“I got an ‘N’, eh.”
“I got a ‘D’, eh.”
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Mar 25, 2009 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions
i am aboot to take off for second, eh
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
Little known fact: Both are huge Star Trek fans.
Yes, they were speaking Klingon.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
Here's a Rick Morrisey article on Dome...
…from today’s Trib. I’ve read worse from Morrisey – I suppose he could have gone far more negative than he did.
Still, I find it rather lame that he focuses so much on batting average. And he seems to think the Reed Johnson is some all-encompassing solution. I love RJ, but his splits are rather drastic and it’s still unclear whether his back would hold up if he played full-time – especially given his approach to the game.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
Well...
It’s up to Kosuke at this point. Lou Piniella will give him every chance to produce. But if he still looks woeful after 4 or 5 weeks then he will lose his job. No doubt about it. Cubs can go with Reed Johnson and Joey Gathright more in right field. or Milton Bradley could always slide over to center for some games, thereby enabling Lou to get Micah Hoffpauir some time in right field (gulp).
Yeah, I wonder if the uncertainty about Fukudome...
…is why the Cubs are keeping Gathright around. (Or why they signed him in the first place.) It seems like Gathright’s spot on the 25-man would be better filled by a utility infielder. But it’s almost like they’re willing to risk using Miles and Fontenot to back up 3B and SS to keep Gathright around in case Dome really flops. Maybe I’m reading too much into things, though.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
If Gathright starts more than about 20 games...
…. we are in big trouble.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
Yeah, I hope it's not necessary.
Then again, from what I can tell, Gathright plays a hell of a good defensive centerfield. So, if it does come to that, he’ll (presumably) at least be able to contribute defensively. Assuming the rest of the team is still able to generate a decent amount of runs, having Joey splitting time in center with RJ may not be as horrific as it sounds.
All that said, I’d still rather see Dome win back our collective confidence.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
We'll find out starting tomorrow...
… Dome expected to be in the lineup vs. the Giants.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
No, we're not.
Our offense is deep and if Gathright starts 20 games, then he’ll be getting on base. He won’t get to start 20 if he plays like he did last year.
2009 Cubs' MVP: Derrek Lee
You also need Gathright
as injury insurance for your RF.
This was Reed’s line v. RHP last year: .280/.323/.398.
2009 Cubs' MVP: Derrek Lee
"And the Cubs oufield left to right is Soriano, Bradley, and Hoffpauir..."
Yikes.
"Enough foreplay- let's get crackin'"- Fred Garvin
Double yikes!
"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris
by willie mays hayes' gloves on Mar 25, 2009 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, barring a bizarre gardening accident during batting practice...
…I don’t think Hoffpauir should ever be considered for the outfield. And Bradley should be kept out of centerfield for injury concerns alone – though, I’ll be damned, he’s played 3,939 innings at that position and put up some fine, fine UZR/UZR 150 numbers: 14.6/6.4.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
+1213212121105454074548654165076841351324864354651321684354135435
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
That's a day when you want Harden pitching.
"I've got an idea...an idea so smart my head would explode if I even began to know what I was talking about." ~Peter Griffin
Actually...probably not
Harden is a flyball pitcher so even if he is striking out around 10 guys a game, the outfielders will probably still get more chances than on a day when Zambrano is pitching and only striking out a handful.
"When two Whales Fight, many Shrimp Die" - Korean Proverb
by TheRiot Police on Mar 26, 2009 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions
Hey, you're right.
Kosuke’s last name is misspelled in the headline. Epic fail, Rick Morrissey/Trib editorial staff!
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
I think with all newspapers there are like 3 people rattling around an empty newsroom
The number of typos/mistakes has soared in recent years. RIP fish wrappers.
Steal a little and they throw you in jail, Steal a lot and they make you king -- Bob Dylan
The headline writer did that.
It’s spelled right in the article.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
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