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Fukudome: The New J.D. Drew?
Hot-off-the-presses PECOTA projection for Kosuke Fukudome in Chicago. PA R 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS BA OBP SLG EqA VORP WARP 465 80 30 4 15 58 70 94 9 3 .289 .401 .504 .303 29.2 4.4 PECOTA holds Fukudome’s playing time projection down because he missed about half of last season due to elbow surgery. If he’s healthy in spring training, that ...
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FUK-YEAH!
The Cub Reporter (TCR) | A Chicago Cubs Blog — ... puts him at 283/375/465 which would be an 840 OPS and about 6th amongst NL right fielders last year with at least 400 PA’s. PECOTA is even more optimistic with a line of 289/401/504 (that would put him 2nd behind Hawpe last year) and compares him favorably to JD Drew. I think something in the low 800 OPS is certainly a reasonable expectation and I’ll be pleasantly surprised with anything over 850 myself. The dirty little secret is that Cubs RF’ers last year hit for an aggregate line of 293/375/419 last year (794 OPS if you’re scoring at ...

Wednesday’s Basically Top Five Links
Mr. Irrelevant — ... a big fan of yours, but he often calls your name out during sex,” squealed a pile of mascara and cleavage from the third row. “Do you think he might be gay?” Tebow’s girl? I have no idea. No one does, but he still wears jorts. Drunk Isles fan! Just because there’s a guy like this at every sporting event doesn’t make it less funny. Mock Roddy White. My favorite is “More Land Mines.” Fukudome is good. The Cubs get a .900 OPS guy for their $48 million. Baron and Melo ...

Projecting Kosuke Fukudome As A Chicago Cub
FanIQ Blog — While we await the likely to disappoint Mitchell Report, let's ponder the other big news in the MLB today. Kosuke Fukudome is coming to America, and has agreed to a 4-year, $48-million deal with the Chicago Cubs. First of all, we'll have to clear up the appropriate pronunciation which will likely go unresearched by the drunken bleacher creatures at Wrigley Field (of which I may or may not be a part). Home Run Derby clears it up for us: Foo-Koo-Doh-May not Fuk-U-Do-Me (giggle). How will the 30 year-old, coming off elbow surgery project into the ...

Gently Down the Stream
El Lefty Malo — Aaron Rowand’s agent said all along he wanted five years, and dang if someone didn’t give it to him. The Giants. Five years, $60 million, which surprises me. Perhaps he took less average per year for the stability of a longer-term deal. I mused yesterday about what it takes for a team on the downward slide to sign free agents: here you go. The extra year or two. Here’s what Bruce Bochy says: "I said I wanted to change the culture of the clubhouse and get back to the warrior mentality and play the game hard for nine innings," Bochy said. "Aaron's the type of player who can do that. He's the type of ...

George Mitchell: Prosecutor, Judge, Jury, Poor Public Speaker
A Hundred Next Years — ... Baseball Prospectus fed Kosuke Fukudome into their PECOTA player performance projection machine and threw the switch. PECOTA's guess at Fukudome's 2008 numbers: .289 AVG/.410 OBP/.504 SLG 15 HR, 58 RBI 94 SO, 70 BB BP's Chief PECOTA-Keeper, Nate Silver, says those numbers make Fukudome look an awful lot like Boston's J.D. Drew. More from Silver: PECOTA holds Fukudome’s playing time projection down because he missed about half of last season due to elbow surgery. If he’s healthy in spring training, that should no ...

2007 VORP
Another Cubs Blog — ... It’s one of those that could range from anywhere between replacement level (that is a real possibility!) to 25 to 30, maybe even 35 VORP if you believe in miracles. PECOTA projects a VORP of 29.2, which is only marginally better than the Cubs had in RF in 2007. And it should be noted that PECOTA’s projection for Kosuke are laughable. Nate Silver failed to apply even the least bit of logic to this projection. ...

2008 NL Central Preview: Chicago Cubs
Bucs Dugout — ... That's a lot of players out and not many players coming in, but the Cubs are counting on Fukodome and a couple of interesting youngsters from their farm system. One never knows what to expect from players coming from Japan, but PECOTA thinks Fukudome is a little like a prime J.D. Drew, which would make his $48 million contract a bargain for Chicago. Even if that turns out to be a bit optimistic, Fukudome should be a good player. ...

Related: fukudome projection
Cubs Need Fukudome
zonersports.com 12/4/2007 — If you’re not careful how you pronounce his name, it could come out sounding like an arena where only speed metal bands are allowed to play. (I’ll leave that to your imagination). But the Cubs possible pursuit of Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome sounds great–better even than old school Anthrax.
Cubs Lead Race For Fukudome
hotfootblog.com 12/4/2007 — Gorden Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Cubs are currently the team to beat in the race to sign OF Kosuke Fukudome. The White Sox, Padres, Mariners, Rangers and Giants have reportedly had serious interest in signing him.
Signing Fukudome is the Wrong Move
cobrabrigade.com 12/5/2007 — Apparently the #1 name on GM Jim Hendry's wish list this off-season is indeed, Kosuke Fukudome ....it hurts me just to write that. They'll sign this guy, have a big press conference for him, probably throw him in at the Cubs Convention and somehow convince everyone that this is a great deal for the Cubs. But it's not.
Kosuke Fukudome Rumors: Wednesday
mlbtraderumors.com 12/6/2007 — Let's start a thread just for Kosuke Fukudome .  The prevailing sentiment is that the Cubs are the frontrunners for his services.  Newsday's Ken Davidoff adds today that Fukudome has narrowed his choices to the Cubs and Royals.
Cubs Willing To Pay $12-15MM Per Year For Fukudome?
mlbtraderumors.com 12/7/2007 — According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune , it "sounds like the Cubs might go as high as $12-15MM per year" for outfielder Kosuke Fukudome . He adds that Fukudome would have to be willing to take less money to play on the ...
Fukudome Officially Coming to America
out-of-rightfield.blogspot.com 12/9/2007 — Japanese free-agent Kosuke Fukudome has decided not to move to the Yomiuri Giants and will sign with a major league team instead, the Nikkansports newspaper reported Sunday. Fukudome had previously indicated the Giants would be the only Japanese ...
Fukudome RSVPs "Hai"
inaleagueofherown.com 12/9/2007 — This time, he says it's for reals. I hope he's serious, because I have NO idea what I'm going to do with all this sake and sushi if he DOESN'T come. I hate it when people RSVP and then don't show up. SFGate.com : Japanese free-agent Kosuke ...
Waiting on Fukudome
1060west.net 12/10/2007 — As the Cubs wait on a decision by Kosuke Fukudome , I wonder more and more what all of the hype is about with this guy. I stumbled upon a scouting report on Fukudome that's over a month old at Dugout Central , here's what was said: Fukudome is one of ...
Kosuke cleared for landing ... but where?
soxmachine.com 12/10/2007 — Kosuke Fukudome is making the leap from Japan to the big leagues, thus beginning a week that could make or break any hope the Sox have for contending in 2008. If Kenny Williams snags him, he'll at least provide a reason to tune in. At most ... well, ...
In a few more days Fukudome will need a few more days to decide
anothercubsblog.net 12/11/2007 — In a few more days, Fukudome will announce whether or not he’s leaving Japan to come to the United States. This was said the day before Thanksgiving (I’m way too lazy to find a link). More than 2 weeks later, Fukudome’s agent says ...
The Fukudome Vigil
bleedcubbieblue.com 12/11/2007 — We await developments, even as Kosuke Fukudome says he's going to play in the USA: "I won't be playing for a Japanese club next season, I'll play in the majors," Fukudome said. "I appreciate the fans who supported me for nine years. I hope that the ...
Fuku, Fukudome!
goatriders.org 12/11/2007 — The longer this situation with Fukudome goes on, the more convinced I am that he's just not mentally tough enough to come to America. I mean, here's a guy who was going to announce last week, no wait, before this weekend, no, on Monday night, no, ...
Fukudome is Coming to America
sports.aol.com 12/11/2007 — After weeks of speculation, it's finally official : Kosuke Fukudome is coming to America. Despite previous reports that he had already made up his mind, he didn't officially make the decision until late last night when he informed his former team in Japan, the Chunichi Dragons, that he was leaving for the US. Barring last-minute interest from a dark horse suitor, Fukudome is expected to ...
Giants Interested In Rowand, Fukudome
mlbtraderumors.com 12/11/2007 — Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News has a few new tidbits concerning the Giants. They're considering a late push for Kosuke Fukudome .  Baggarly notes that Fukudome is expected to get at least 4/44.  I think Fukudome makes a ...
Fukudome to Cubs at 4/$48: Here's what to expect.
breakingballs.riveraveblues.com 12/12/2007 — Can Kosuke Fukudome become the first big Japanese star of the central US states? Only time will tell, but his track record suggests that it is not out of the realm of possibility. What will it take for Fukudome to make a successful transition to the Big Leagues? The NL Central and its pitching will help, but it is all about those big league fastballs.
Cubs Fukudome Themselves
cobrabrigade.com 12/12/2007 — Yep, they did it. The Cubs signed Japanese OF Kosuke Fukudome tonight : Dave Kaplan of WGN Radio reports that the Cubs have signed Kosuke Fukudome to a four-year deal.  Kaplan says it's for about $50MM, maybe a hair more.  Fukudome ...
Kosuke Fukudome Picks the Cubs
sports.aol.com 12/12/2007 — Word yesterday was that Kosuke Fukudome was going to announce his intention to come to America last night and a decision on where he was going to play would be coming shortly after. Quickly doesn't even begin to cover it. Tonight, the Chicago ...
Levine On Fukudome
mlbtraderumors.com 12/12/2007 — Interesting stuff from ESPN 1000's Bruce Levine this morning regarding Kosuke Fukudome . The Rangers offered the most money. The White Sox were not outbid - they offered about the same as the Cubs.  However, Fukudome did not want to ...
Cubs - Signed Fukudome
baseballthinkfactory.org 12/13/2007 — Chicago Cubs - Signed OF Kosuke Fukudome to a 4-year, $50 million contract. I like this signing a lot. $12 million doesn't buy as much as it used to in the American free agent market and when the opportunity arises, I think a team like the Cubs ...
Projecting FukudomeVFTB
I found a couple of projections for Fukudome for this upcoming season. Obviously, any projection on a player who has never played in the Major Leagues has to be taken with a grain of salt, but it's still interesting to see how various people project him. It has be excited, at least. Nate Silver of Baseball Prospectus has him projected via his PECOTA system. PA R 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB ...
Fukudome DeclaresA Hundred Next Years
This is it . The announcement that Kosuke Fukudome will absolutely, positively, for sure-no-kidding be playing in the Major Leagues in 2008; one giant step closer to the BIG announcement, when Fukudome devastates all of Cubdom by signing with someone other than the Cubs.
Fukudome Watchbaseballmusings.com
The rumors over the weekend indicated Kosuke Fukudome planned to come to the Major Leagues, but his agent says the decision will be made later Monday night: The Nikkansports newspaper reported Saturday that Fukudome has turned down a lucrative multiyear...
Fukudome Coming to AmericaHot Foot
According to the AP , Kosuke Fukudome has announced he will play in the US next season rather than play in Japan. While there is plenty of interest from MLB teams towards him, there has been no new information towards who in the MLB he is interested in playing for. And let the next round of Fukudome speculation begin. Share This
Okay, Now it's Really Official ... Kosuke Fukudome is Coming To AmericaFanHouse
All along, I suspect that Kosuke Fukudome really wanted to play baseball in America all along . But the Yomiuri Giants were so intriguing that he made them the only team in Japan that he would consider playing for. Fukudome considered them, all right. But he's denied them. So now it's official . Really. Kosuke Fukudome will wear a major league uniform in 2008. The only question now is which ...
Friday Night Fukudome: MLB Fukudome vs. NPB FukudomeHire Jim Essian
Fukudome’s camp is saying the Japanese star has not yet decided whether he plans on playing in the MLB next year. Will he or won’t he? Two men enter! One man leaves! Which Fukudome will be playing in 2008? MLB Fukudome NPB Fukudome View Results Share This
Fukudome Warning!!!Gaslamp Ball
Gaslamp Ball Public Service Announcement : If you are searching for Fukudome videos on youtube.com DO NOT click on Yuko Fukudome (NSFW) videos.  They have nothing to do with Kosuke Fukudome, they have more to do with an Asian Sensation frolicking in a school girl outfit and a bikini while trying to hypnotize you. It's very distracting and you forget that you were looking for sexy ...
Mad Max Beyond FukudomeMy Pinstripes
Kosuke Fukudome is coming to America . The Japanese star is ready to announced he's leaving the Pacific Rim , in the hopes of joining fellow outfielders Hideki Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki as MLB stars. The Padres , Cubs , and a 3rd unnamed team are thought to be the favorites to land the 31-yr old. Unlike Dice-K , there is no fee to negotiate with Fukudome. Source photo courtesy of ...
Tuesday Morning Headlines: Day TwoA League of Her Own
Please ignore the actual date on this picture. Hendry's already touchy about mentions of Fukudome "I'm not dating Fukudome, you're dating Fukudome!" From the Trib: The Cubs are unlikely to walk away from the winter meetings with Kosuke Fukudome under contract, and general manager Jim Hendry gets a little touchy whenever the Japanese outfielder's name comes up in conversation. ...
Fukudome says he wants to play in majors (AP)Yahoo! Sports - MLB News
Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome told the Chunichi Dragons he will not return next season, saying he wants to make a move to the major leagues. Fukudome, who became a free agent last month, informed the Central League club of his decision Tuesday. ...