Is Kosuke Fukudome coming to America?

[Williamsburg2599]

The Hot Stove has barely heated up, but I havn't heard anything about Kosuke Fukudome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosuke_Fukudome) yet. Predicting what team Fukudome would end up at this point would be pointless, so do you think he'll end up playing in the MLB next year?

[placount]

if torii hunter can get a deal like he just got, a major league team will try this guy, and they should.

[AutographCollector]

I think that he will play. I can't and won't guess for which team though.
I wish that I knew Japanese though: http://www.fukudome1.com/index.html

[Chi]

Is he coming to America? Probably.

If I had to take a gander, I'd say the Cubs will probably land him. Also, I can translate it if you like, Autograph. Will take some time, though.

[BosoxOrioles69]

He said he wants at least a 3year-30million contract if he signs, but Yomiuri Giants have offered a lot more than what he requested so I guess he might stay in Japan.

[NYMets523]

I've read he might stay in Japan.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7447434?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=49

[AutographCollector]

Is he coming to America? Probably.

If I had to take a gander, I'd say the Cubs will probably land him. Also, I can translate it if you like, Autograph. Will take some time, though.

Yeah, that would be great!
I'm interested in the diary section to see if the Japanese baseball life is different than a typical MLB players.

[Mattingly]

He said he wants at least a 3year-30million contract if he signs, but Yomiuri Giants have offered a lot more than what he requested so I guess he might stay in Japan.
Is he currently the highest-rated Japanese player? Hideki Matsui got a 3-year deal worth $21m when he'd signed with the Yanks as a free agent. Perhaps that may not be outrageous.

Does he play CF or RF? At the moment, those are the openings the Yanks have, since Melky Cabrera can play LF/CF and we still have Johnny Damon in LF/DH.

Where would other teams place him? Also, how much money would they expect he'd command once signed?

[BosoxOrioles69]

Is he currently the highest-rated Japanese player? Hideki Matsui got a 3-year deal worth $21m when he'd signed with the Yanks as a free agent. Perhaps that may not be outrageous.

Does he play CF or RF? At the moment, those are the openings the Yanks have, since Melky Cabrera can play LF/CF and we still have Johnny Damon in LF/DH.

Where would other teams place him? Also, how much money would they expect he'd command once signed?

yes he plays CF, RF and some 3B. Right now in Japanese FA he is the highest rated hitter yes, his OBP is somewhere around .450 and his batting average is on .300. Scouts are estimating that he would hit around 20 to30 homeruns in the majors, and hitting in the 2nd slot or the 5th slot of the lineups.

Which team will go for him beats me, but the team who are willing to pay more than what Yomiuri offered him - 12M per year - will get him. Possibly the Mariners, but their outfield is stacked already.

My guess is that MLB teams won't express their interest on him until after Andruw Jones and Aaron Roward are signed. So it's really hard to say if he'll come or not.

[Mattingly]

yes he plays CF, RF and some 3B. Right now in Japanese FA he is the highest rated hitter yes, his OBP is somewhere around .450 and his batting average is on .300. Scouts are estimating that he would hit around 20 to30 homeruns in the majors, and hitting in the 2nd slot or the 5th slot of the lineups.

Which team will go for him beats me, but the team who are willing to pay more than what Yomiuri offered him - 12M per year - will get him. Possibly the Mariners, but their outfield is stacked already.

My guess is that MLB teams won't express their interest on him until after Andruw Jones and Aaron Roward are signed. So it's really hard to say if he'll come or not.
Just how good is Fukudome defensively? Is he quick and gets good reads on the ball? How's his arm, his speed in returning the ball?

If I'm Brian Cashman, I get together with Hank Steinbrenner and have my brillian Master Plan:

Trade Melky Cabrera in a 4-player package to get Johan Santana;
Get Aaron Rowand to play CF;
Move Bobby Abreu to LF;
Get Fukudome to play RF for me (who plays LF or RF is up for debates).

With the possibility of upgrading the pitching, I'd say that Melky's good, he took over CF where DiMaggio, Mantle, Murcer and Bernie once roamed, he's got a strong and accurate arm, but he'll have to go.

I don't consider the Andruw Jones signing to be significant other than whether someone gives him a 1-year deal or not. Bora$ may actually be humbled at the offers given, and how little he'll have to accept. His .222 BA is the killer.

Aaron Rowand (http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/rowanaa01.shtml) I think is still pretty usable. Other than his very low BB:K ratio, his .890 OPS is great, he has 45 doubles and 27 jacks, plus his defense looked good.

I could see either Melky in LF, Rowand in CF & Abreu in RF, or if Melky is traded, then Abreu in LF, Rowand in CF & Fukudome in RF. However, once the Yanks start negotiating with Fukudome, many other offers would quickly arise.

[Chi]

Just how good is Fukudome defensively? Is he quick and gets good reads on the ball? How's his arm, his speed in returning the ball?
Better hitter than fielder, and he doesn't do well with ground balls (which is why he was converted to outfield, he actually started his career at infield). He is a solid defensive outfielder and has a respectable throwing arm; he's very quick and ranges well.

[Mattingly]

Better hitter than fielder, and he doesn't do well with ground balls (which is why he was converted to outfield, he actually started his career at infield). He is a solid defensive outfielder and has a respectable throwing arm; he's very quick and ranges well.
Since he's an FA, I wouldn't mind having him. I don't know how well he'd do on the field, especially with the extra 22 games (the Japanese Leagues play 140 games, right?).

If the Yanks got him, we could put him in LF. Neither Damon nor Matsui are very reliable in LF for an everyday basis. $10m/yr isn't that bad, but still in addition to all the other crazy salaries.

If he's willing to change his number, since Billy Martin's #1 is already retired, I wouldn't mind him one bit. Hopefully, he can adapt well and his fielding isn't a liability.

[tigers527]

I have been pimping the Tigers getting this guy for about a month. It seems with the addition of Jacques Jones, my beloved Tigers are set up in the OF though.

From the stuff I've read and looked at he seems like he will be a plus defender in MLB. While the poster above is right his play on ground balls moved hime into the OF, he looks like he has a cannon for an arm.

Here's the best recap site I found while "researching" the guy.

http://www.armchairgm.com/Kosuke_Fukudome

Take a look at the youtube on the bottem, top middle for a rather impressive 9-1PO.

[Mattingly]

How is his first name spelled? From his official website, it's spelled "Kohsuke", but when I typed in his website, I only get "Kosuke".

Did his webmaster forget to spell check?

[tigers527]

How is his first name spelled? From his official website, it's spelled "Kohsuke", but when I typed in his website, I only get "Kosuke".

Did his webmaster forget to spell check?

I have also seen his first name spelled with a "H" as the first letter. Not to often though.

[Mike27]

If I'm Brian Cashman, I get together with Hank Steinbrenner and have my brillian Master Plan:

Trade Melky Cabrera in a 4-player package to get Johan Santana;
Get Aaron Rowand to play CF;
Move Bobby Abreu to LF;
Get Fukudome to play RF for me (who plays LF or RF is up for debates).



Not a bad idea but, I'd rather Cash:

Trade Melky Cabrera in a 4-player package to get Johan Santana
Look into a 1 year deal for Anduw Jones to play CF, if not, then Rowand is the new CFer
Trade Damon and a prospect for the Jenks deal we've been hearing about
Sign Fukudome to play RF, while moving Abreu to LF


Maybe mine is a little more unrealistic, but I like dreaming sometimes :P

[Mattingly]

Not a bad idea but, I'd rather Cash:

Trade Melky Cabrera in a 4-player package to get Johan Santana
Look into a 1 year deal for Anduw Jones to play CF, if not, then Rowand is the new CFer
Trade Damon and a prospect for the Jenks deal we've been hearing about
Sign Fukudome to play RF, while moving Abreu to LF


Maybe mine is a little more unrealistic, but I like dreaming sometimes :P
Well, I've always said it's nice to dream. The fact that we're all talking about a deal that's so hard to imagine shows we've all got some kinds of imagination.

I don't quite understand why people are very much sold on Andruw Jones. Are you looking for a 1-year deal? A 4-year deal? How much per?

I think at this point, Andruw Jones & $cott Bora$ would take any deal paying him at least $15m/yr, presuming it's at least 3 years. Bora$ could also give the "we'll get back to you (click)" thing, but if nobody else offers more by mid-December, he'd likely call you back.

Rowand has good fielding and good hitting. I think that Jones deserves a deal to rehabilitate his 2007 season, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to be the guinea pig. A few years back, he'd have been welcome with open arms. When we got Damon, I'd have welcomed Jones by trade.

I wouldn't mind trading Damon. There's only so many games he can play on that bad right foot of his, and his being a DH bothers me. We've already got Giambi for that, despite his lack of foot speed. Matsui is pretty much here, since he brings in so much press and money from the Japanese market, it's as if he's got a home here as long as he plays.

For Melky, I'm thinking we'd have to add Jose Sabata (http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Jose%20Tabata&pos=OF&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=467798) to the package. I doubt the Yanks would trade Austin Jackson (http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Austin%20Jackson&pos=OF&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=457706).

Sometimes I wonder how much the Yanks (or any other team) would have up, given the fact that Santana could demand a deal in the $22-25m range for 5-6 years. I get the impression that if the salary price were lower, then the players dealt would be higher, but if the salary demands are higher, then the players dealt could be of lower value.

I'm not saying that the Yanks send Minnesota peanuts, but if having to pay Santana a crazy amount of money, the team still has to win the 4 other games he doesn't start.

[Mike27]

I don't quite understand why people are very much sold on Andruw Jones. Are you looking for a 1-year deal? A 4-year deal? How much per?

Honestly, I don't really like Andruw Jones. He reminds me of the way Manny plays (with better defense and less with his bat). I'd only want Jones for 1 year, and I'd give him about 17-18 Mil for just that 1 season.


Rowand has good fielding and good hitting.

I love the way Rowand plays, and I like his defense alot. I'm just not sold on his hitting. He hit almost 2/3 of his HR at home last season, and I'm almost positive the Phillies play in a hitter park. There's no way Rowand accepts a 1 year deal, as with Jones, there's atleast a small chance. Rowand is going to want something close to that ridiculous Hunter contract, for 4-6 years. We have Tabata, Jackson, Gardner, and a few other lesser prospects that are almost ready for the Majors. I just don't see the point of creating another log jam in the OF, of over-paid players.


For Melky, I'm thinking we'd have to add Jose Sabata (http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Jose%20Tabata&pos=OF&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=467798) to the package. I doubt the Yanks would trade Austin Jackson (http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Austin%20Jackson&pos=OF&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=457706).


Yea, Jackson had a great year and looked like he finally put all his talent together. He's basically the reason I don't want Rowand, and want Jones for 1 year. I wouldn't mind trading Tabata, but I'd love to see him in the new stadium's OF for '09 or '10.