"Almost six months ago, on opening day here at Wrigley Field, Kosuke Fukudome became an instant Cubs legend. Fukudome, a rookie outfielder from Japan, went 3 for 3 and took a curtain call after his ninth-inning, game-tying home run. Sheffield Avenue bleacherites chanted "Fu-ku-do-me!" in inebriated reverence, and the Cubs had found their new right fielder, perhaps even a talisman, in their 100th season since last winning the World Series.

The fairy tale has long ended. After riding an excellent first month into a starting spot in the All-Star Game, Fukudome has so disintegrated offensively that he has become a defensive specialist now booed occasionally. After providing all that sunshine early, Fukudome has become the little gray cloud on the Cubs' otherwise bright season.

Fukudome remained on the bench throughout the Cubs' 6-2 loss Wednesday night to the Milwaukee Brewers, who remained a half-game behind the Mets in the National League wild-card race. The Brewers' night was dulled because their All-Star right-hander, Ben Sheets, left after two innings with tightness in his right forearm.

The Cubs remain only a few more wins away from clinching the N.L. Central, but Fukudome is barely a factor. He has become far more Kazuo Matsui than Hideki Matsui. Since May, he has been even more like Tsuyoshi Shinjo, whom Mets fans may be better off not remembering.

"Truly, compared to the beginning of the season, I feel just as good and just the same," Fukudome, 31, said through an interpreter before the game. Asked whether he felt the fatigue that some Japanese players experienced in their first major league season, he said, "I don't feel tired at all."

Cubs Manager Lou Piniella did get tired of watching Fukudome struggle. On May 1, Fukudome was hitting .353 with gap power and long, pitcher-draining at-bats. But word soon traveled that Fukudome could not handle inside fastballs, and pitchers have been solving him ever since.

Over the next five-plus months, entering Wednesday night, Fukudome has hit .234 with eight home runs in 372 at-bats. No matter how good his ability to work counts, run the bases or play defense, no contending lineup can withstand that from its right fielder. Piniella rested Fukudome as the second half began and finally benched him this month, often using the primary second baseman Mark DeRosa in right field."