How do you think the NorthSiders are pronouncing Fukudome these days?

[joshfan]

My bet is different then in April
What a bust he turned out to be
Same swing as Ichiro only Ichiro has a habit of making solid contact
28 million more coming his way
oh well

[KCGHOST]

Change the second "u" to an "n".

[joshfan]

Change the second "u" to an "n".
By George I think you haveit
Love your tribute to Buck every time I think I have it rough I have thought of him and his magnificently positive attitude in the face of potential despair:thumbsup:

[SamtheBravesFan]

My bet is different then in April
What a bust he turned out to be
Same swing as Ichiro only Ichiro has a habit of making solid contact
28 million more coming his way
oh well

Well, what did they expect? Japanese sluggers lose a lot of their slugging prowess when they come to play in MLB. I thought he'd keep some of his slugging because he would be mostly playing at Wrigley Field, which is a hitter's park. That is obviously not the case for 2008. How about waiting to see how he does in 2009 before labelling him a "bust"? It's possible he could improve quite a bit (slugging into the .400-.450 range) after seeing pitching in MLB for a year.

[Berkman#17]

If you're an idiot, you call him a bust.

If you're rational, you'll give him another year before totally writing him off. The first year transition is always the hardest; and no do not bring up Ichiro's first year as he could get 200 hits anywhere.

Scouts like to say, "If you see it once, it's always there." Translate for Fuku, he proved he could play for the first two months, after that it was downhill. Is it totally impossible for him to go home, regroup, make some adjustments and come back more prepared mentally and mechanically and improve his numbers? I think it is not.

Seems all the Cubs fans that are now slamming him are the ones who wanted to elect him to the HOF after his first few weeks, bought his jersey shirts, and are now trying to save face and plead for him to be gone so they don't have to wipe all that egg off their face.

For the others that are voicing their distaste for Fuku, well, one year makes a career apparently. Probably looking for other reasons to pile on the Cubs right now, as kicking someone when their down is just sooooo uber cool nowadays.

[KCGHOST]

The Cubs don't have much choice but to give him another chance considering they contract they signed him to. Considering he has a swing that is very similar to Ichiro (who has never hit for power) it certainly fair to compare the two. To date he takes that slappy little swing and misses.

Only two Japanese position players have make a successful offensive switch to the majors: Ichiro and Hideki Matsui. Fukudome will not make it a third. Iwamura has a much better chance.

[bluezebra]

POST-SEASON STATS

Tyrus Raymond Cobb:1907; 20 AB, 1 R, 4 H, 0 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 3SO, .200 BA

Theodore Samuel Williams: 1946; 25 AB, 2 R, 5 H, ) 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 5 BB, 5 SO, .200 BA

If you're not familiar with these two players, they're both in the Hall of Fame.

Bob

[BiZmaRK]

Change the second "u" to an "n".
Fook-and-Dome?

[babaganoosh]

Fook-and-Dome?
http://www.forumammo.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10071/picard-no-facepalm.jpg

[joshfan]

POST-SEASON STATS

Tyrus Raymond Cobb:1907; 20 AB, 1 R, 4 H, 0 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 3SO, .200 BA

Theodore Samuel Williams: 1946; 25 AB, 2 R, 5 H, ) 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 5 BB, 5 SO, .200 BA

If you're not familiar with these two players, they're both in the Hall of Fame.

BobMight want to check that Teddy Ballgame year
Fukudome has had close to if not 10 years in high level ball
Idiot?
I think not
give a guy 11 mil or so a year and watch him get benched because he is stinking up the joint and perhaps the Cub hierarchy deserves that lovely title

[Berkman#17]

Yup, one year does define a career.

Same goes for Mario Williams.

Red Sox paid basically paid $59Mil for a Dice-K to go out and have a 5.19 2nd-half ERA last year, including 7.62 in 28.1 Sept. IP, and gave up 11ER in 19.2 IP in the postseason. Using your definition of "bust", Dice-K was an absolute failure in his first year.

Or were the people with intelligence chalking all that up to first year experience, needing time to adjust to an entirely new culture, ballparks, teams, length of schedule, and language barriers; and not making themselves look foolish by calling him a bust. Gave the guy a 2nd year before sending him back to Japan, and wouldn't ya know it, guy went 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA.

Good thing the Red Sox waited! Man look at what they would have missed out on if they dubbed him a bust after ONE year and sent him packing.

But yea, you're right. ONE year defines a career. Kosuke had to adjust to everything Dice-K did, plus the arguable point that it is harder to come over as a hitter than a pitcher. But yea, Kosuke is a bust and needs to be sent home. Magnificent point.

[Berkman#17]

Might want to check that Teddy Ballgame year

I did. What's your point? Ted's only postseason experience was in 1946. Am I missing something here? No? You did? Ok.

[joshfan]

I did. What's your point? Ted's only postseason experience was in 1946. Am I missing something here? No? You did? Ok.
you are right I missed the post season aspect
However Fukudome didn't just have a bad postseason he had a dismal 2 thirds of a season and even mentioning him with Cobb and teddy ballgame is heresy