"When Carlos Zambrano saw Kosuke Fukudome on Tuesday at HoHoKam Park, he told his teammate how he would pitch to him Thursday in the Cubs' exhibition against Team Japan.

Straight fastballs. No movement.

That was Zambrano's way of saying hello to his friend, who will be playing in front of his teammates, coaches and manager Lou Piniella for the first time since the Cubs bowed out of the playoffs last October.

Fukudome will never be the biggest star on Japan's World Baseball Classic team as long as Ichiro Suzuki is on the roster. But he will be in the spotlight Thursday as Japan warms up for the WBC's second round.

After working out all off-season to get in better shape for the long major-league season, Fukudome wants to prove his four-year, $48 million deal is deserved.

"I think he is more acclimated this year," Piniella said. "I know he has worked hard. The Japanese national team works hard and has good coaches, so he has some good foundation. I think you will see this young man play for us the way he did the first half last year."

Fukudome hit .327 in April and .293 in May, showing patience at the plate while flashing some leather in right field. His approach seemed to rub off on his teammates, who showed uncharacteristic patience as the offense clicked from Opening Day.

"If definitely helped us out," shortstop Ryan Theriot said. "We had guys capable of doing those things.

"I've always had more walks than strikeouts and always prided myself on seeing more pitches and working the count. To have another guy in the lineup doing it, I think everyone fed off that early. It made us better offensively.""