Kosuke Fukudome News: Pro Sports Daily

Comment

June 9

Chicago Sun-Times

"By the middle of last season, Kosuke Fukudome was the only Cubs hitter in a steady, lengthy slump. By the time the season ended, the Cubs were the top offensive team in the National League, and Fukudome was their biggest disappointment -- a $48 million Japanese All-Star relegated to September bench player. He finished so poorly the Cubs felt they couldn't rely on him anymore and signed Milton Bradley to play Fukudome's position and take his lefty role in the lineup. But look at those guys now. Bradley, who was arguably the best hitter in the American League last year, was the Cubs' worst- hitting regular until the last week of May, and then he got hurt again the first game in June. ..."

Tip of cap for helping hand

Comment

April 19

Chicago Sun-Times

"Center fielder Kosuke Fukudome spent most of the spring with the Japanese national team, which won the World Baseball Classic. His missed time with the Cubs might have been a concern after he struggled in the second half of last season, but he has opened 2009 with a vengeance. Fukudome is batting .375 with six doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI. He also has drawn nine walks and is among the National League leaders in on-base percentage (.480) and slugging percentage (.750). Manager Lou Piniella credited third-base coach Mike Quade for working overtime with Fukudome when he finally did join the team in Arizona after the WBC. ''Fukudome only had a portion of spring training with us, and ..."

ESPN's Steve Phillips apologizes to Lou Piniella

Comment

April 13

Chicago Tribune

"ESPN analyst Steve Phillips sought out Lou Piniella in the clubhouse before Sunday's game to clarify his criticism of the manager's handling of outfielder Kosuke Fukudome. Phillips told Piniella not to believe what had been written or said, although the tapes suggest otherwise. In an interview on WMVP-AM 1000 this spring, Phillips told Chet Coppock: "My view is Lou doesn't have a great deal of patience for assimilation into culture, assimilation into the team. He is just not the most patient guy around, and he also tends to verbalize his frustrations in an angry way. I think that may have affected Fukudome a little bit." The comment upset Piniella, who later told the Tribune: "I don't ..."

Fukudome in the swing

Comment

April 12

Chicago Sun-Times

"Manager Lou Piniella talked about pitching karma after the Cubs' 6-5 victory Saturday in Milwaukee. But something even more mystical seems to have taken over No. 2 hitter Kosuke Fukudome. Fukudome, a free-falling rookie last season, seems to have settled down his hitting mechanics and has become more aggressive earlier in the count. So far, that has resulted in an 8-for-19 start that includes five extra-base hits. Two of those extra-base hits -- a home run in the fourth inning and a run-scoring double in the sixth -- came Saturday. In a four-hit game against the Houston Astros, his first three hits, including a homer, were on first pitches. ''He looks like the hitter he was early in the ..."

Kosuke Fukudome learns from last year's struggles

Comment

March 27

Chicago Tribune

"He looked a lot like Kosuke Fukudome and wore the same uniform number. But the Kosuke Fukudome who showed up at HoHoKam Park on Thursday didn't sound at all like the Japanese star who fizzled in the second half of his debut season in Chicago. Appearing relaxed and confident after missing the first six weeks of camp while playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, Fukudome was at times self-deprecating, boastful and a bit introspective. What caused him to have so much trouble adjusting in the second half? "My stupidity," he said, through his new interpreter. Fukudome then laughed, something he rarely did in public last summer. He said he had learned from last year's struggles and ..."

Can Kosuke Fukodome still fit Chicago Cubs to a T?

Comment

March 25

Chicago Tribune

columnist Rick Morrissey

"As the weather improves, the Fukudome T-shirts are starting to reappear, ghostlike, around town. If they had been given proper burials at the bottom of drawers after last season, this wouldn't be a problem. You wouldn't have scary reminders that the guy who hit .188 in the final two months is returning soon to a batter's box near you. But no. People plunked down good money for the shirts; they might as well wear them. So now you see fans, heads down, floating around in No. 1 shirts and jerseys. They would prefer you pay attention to the Cubs logo on the front, although, let's face it, some of them are self-conscious about that, too, given the haste with which the team left the postseason. ..."

New Year's wish

Comment

March 24

Chicago Sun-Times

"Any day now, Kosuke Fukudome starts over with the Cubs, looking for a rising sun in the land of his fallen star. Cubs manager Lou Piniella has said he is confident Fukudome will rebound from his four-month nosedive after a strong start last season. General manager Jim Hendry has said several times he believes Fukudome's 2009 season will resemble the first part of his rookie year more than the last part. The Cubs are betting what's left of a $48 million contract on it. But in the small sampling of World Baseball Classic games with Team Japan, Fukudome has shown little to inspire confidence that his offseason core-conditioning program and extra hitting have given him the power to turn around ..."

Hard to predict what Fukudome will bring in 2009

Comment

March 14

Chicago Sun-Times

"Lou Piniella admitted he never has seen a player's performance free fall the way Kosuke Fukudome's did last season. In the next breath, the Cubs manager expressed confidence in a player who personified the boom and bust Cubs of 2008. "He probably learned a lot last year," Piniella said. "He's obviously a talented young man. He'll figure it out." It's a cheery prediction, and with a month left before Opening Day, why not be cheery? It's the manager's job to inspire confidence, even when the organization hedged its $48 million bet on Fukudome by acquiring Milton Bradley during the offseason. Fukudome went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in Team Japan's 3-2 win over the Cubs on Thursday. The ..."

Last season's fade not easy for Fukudome to forget

Comment

March 13

Chicago Sun-Times

"Outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, who earned an All-Star start based on his sizzling first two months in the majors before spiraling the rest of the season, made his first stop in the Cubs' clubhouse Thursday before Japan's World Baseball Classic team played an exhibition game at HoHoKam Park. Fukudome said that for the first time in his professional career, he began the offseason immediately with a hitting program. He also said he plans to speak up more about his situation during Year 2 in America. As for being benched down the stretch and in the playoffs, the former Japanese star still is smarting. ''It didn't feel good at all,'' he said. ''But I understand what my condition was at the end of ..."

Chicago Cubs hoping Kosuke Fukudome comes back strong

Comment

March 12

Chicago Tribune

"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 ..."

Cubs manager Lou Piniella promises spot to Kosuke Fukudome

Comment

March 11

Chicago Tribune

"Kosuke Fukudome stopped by the Cubs' clubhouse Tuesday before working out with Team Japan in Scottsdale. Though ESPN analyst Steve Phillips recently said manager Lou Piniella mishandled the Japanese outfielder in his rookie season in the majors, Fukudome and Piniella embraced like old friends. They say they've never had any problems, which is why Piniella was so upset with the characterization. "He looks wonderful, in really good shape," Piniella said. "I told him we're holding a spot for him. I'm going to put him out in center field, and I'm going to try him in the No. 2 hole in the lineup. "It was nice seeing him. He said he has been working hard. He's excited about this World Baseball ..."

Cubs hope Kosuke Fukudome gets good start—in Japan

Comment

February 19

Chicago Tribune

columnist Phil Rogers

"You didn't have to be Bob Woodward to catch this clue. Right there in full view, before the Cubs' first workout Wednesday morning, a pair of athletic shoes sat in front of Kosuke Fukudome's locker. A pair of blue jeans hung neatly inside the cubicle. For a few minutes it looked as if a big story might have broken out—perhaps Fukudome had rethought the commitment he had made to his country's baseball team. Perhaps he had decided to report to Arizona rather than to Miyazaki, Japan, where his national team is training for the World Baseball Classic. Media bloodhounds—one, anyway—sniffed around. The clothes belonged to Derrek Lee. He was just borrowing space from Fukudome, who isn't expected ..."

Fukudome is Cubs' mystery man

Comment

November 7

Chicago Tribune

"Call it the Fukudome Funk. Whatever caused Kosuke Fukudome to go from phenom to failure, all in his first major-league season, has put the Cubs in a quandary. With manager Lou Piniella insisting on more pop from the left side of the plate and with Fukudome still unproven, the Cubs made no secret about their desire for another right fielder at the just-concluded general managers' meetings. Fukudome's crash has cooled the Cubs' confidence that he will be an everyday player. Right now he is probably a platoon center fielder, meaning the Cubs have to spend more money to protect themselves. That will make GM Jim Hendry's job even more difficult. While Hendry tries to put a positive spin on ..."

Fukudome on a short leash

Comment

October 8

Chicago Sun-Times

"In barely six months, he went from hero to goat -- from T-shirts, headbands, a Sports Illustrated cover and the All-Star Game to a .217 hitter in the second half, a bench player in September and the target of boos in October. But even as he prepared to head home to Japan, with his starting job in doubt and his major-league status being questioned, outfielder Kosuke Fukudome said Tuesday he has no regrets about signing with the Cubs last winter. ''Not at all,'' said Fukudome, whose four-year, $48 million contract still has three years and $38million to come. If he can't reverse his stunning four-month slide that became a tailspin in the final two months of the season, he might not feel so ..."

Fukudome will have competition in right field

Comment

October 8

Chicago Tribune

"The answer was so stunning and out of character that the first thought on everyone's mind was there must have been some problem with the translation. Before leaving for Japan, Kosuke Fukudome spoke with reporters Tuesday at Wrigley Field and was asked how he would feel if he went into spring training next year without assurances of a starting job. "I could not care less," he said through a translator. The man who signed for $48 million over four years would not care if he wasn't starting? Fukudome then was asked to clarify. "If it means that there will be competition in right field, all I have to do is win that competition," he replied. Fukudome's confidence in himself has obviously never ..."

Piniella OK with Kosuke's day off

Comment

October 5

Chicago Sun-Times

"Cubs manager Lou Piniella had no problem with slumping Kosuke Fukudome -- or any other absentees -- missing Friday's optional workout before Saturday night's Game 3. And he said he wasn't surprised by his absence. ''I don't really care if some people didn't show up,'' Piniella said. ''You don't need workouts in October. If we had wanted it to be mandatory, we would have made it mandatory.'' Piniella also said he hadn't talked to Fukudome since deciding to bench him for the rest of the series after Thursday night's game and didn't feel the need to. ''No, look, you just let him sit for a while and see what happens,'' said Piniella of the right fielder who hit .217 after starting in the ..."

Little interest in Kosuke Fukudome in Japan

Comment

October 5

Chicago Tribune

"Even before they knew if the Cubs were going to survive their first-round playoff series with the Dodgers, some members of the Japanese media contingent were thinking of abandoning the team. Nothing personal, they said. "They have to leave because there's no demand anymore," Hiroshige Ichioka explained. Ichioka is a reporter with the Jiji Press Japanese News Agency. He covers Major League Baseball on the West Coast, concentrating on the Dodgers and their two Japanese pitchers, Takashi Saito and Game 3 starter Hiroki Kuroda. And he knows that since Lou Piniella's proclamation that Kosuke Fukudome is out as a regular this postseason, so too is Japan's interest in the Cubs. Naoko Sato knows ..."

No need for Cubs to rush decision on Kosuke Fukudome

Comment

October 5

Chicago Tribune

"This isn't the time for Kosuke Fukudome to make any decisions. Here's hoping the Cubs don't rush to one either. Fukudome boarded the Cubs' charter flight and flew four hours to Los Angeles on Friday, then was bussed to the team hotel and then to Dodger Stadium with his teammates. He trotted out to the first-base line to be introduced before Saturday night's first-round playoff game. He left the dugout immediately after special coach Ivan DeJesus and before Ronny Cedeno, two minutes before the guys in the Game 3 lineup. But if it were up to Fukudome, would he have preferred to change planes in Los Angeles and continue westward for Tokyo? Does the Cubs' first high-profile Japanese import ..."

Is Fukudome a dirty word?

Comment

October 3

Chicago Sun-Times

"What's in a name? Ask Chicago Cubs fan Jill Howe, 15. The Elgin High School sophomore had to remove her Kosuke Fukudome jersey and wear a gym T-shirt to class Wednesday because of a misunderstanding about how to pronounce the All-Star right-fielder's last name. "Someone stopped me in the hall and asked me what the back of my jersey said," Jill said. She replied that it was the name of Cubs player, pronounced foo-koo-DOUGH-may. The school staffer wasn't so sure and consulted others. Then a dean, Susan Matei, told Howe the jersey was inappropriate. Matei made Jill take it off and wear a gym shirt instead. Jill called her mother after school to tell her what happened. "She's a big Cubs fan, ..."

Piniella: Fukudome likely to sit out Game 3

Comment

October 3

Chicago Tribune

"Mike Fontenot hit .360 in the second half of the season, or more than 140 points higher than right fielder Kosuke Fukudome did after the All-Star break. But manager Lou Piniella played Fukudome in right Thursday night and Mark DeRosa at second base again in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, leaving Fontenot to pinch-hit for the second straight night. "Look, we need offense," Piniella said before the game. "He's swinging the bat well, I recognize that. We get to L.A., the weather is a little warmer, it'll be a few more days [of rest] for DeRosa, and [playing Fontenot] is certainly a viable option. Right now Fontenot is our best bat coming off the bench." Fukudome, whom ..."

2nd shot likely for Fukudome

Comment

October 2

Chicago Tribune

"Kosuke Fukudome may get a second chance to prove himself in the postseason because Cubs manager Lou Piniella said before Game 1 he would like to start Fukudome in every game of the National League Division Series. "I'd like to stay just the way we are," Piniella said. "Fukudome is very capable of having a nice postseason, so let's see. With the wind blowing and everything else, we went with good defense in the outfield." Fukudome started in right field and batted second Wednesday night but went 0-for-4 in the 7-2 loss to the Dodgers, which may cause Piniella to change his mind Thursday. "I'm not sure," he said afterward. "Let's wait until [Thursday] and see." Fukudome started in right the ..."

Hendry stands by Fukudome

Comment

September 30

Chicago Tribune

"The Cubs have no regrets about signing Kosuke Fukudome to a four-year, $48 million deal, despite the lackluster numbers put up by the Japanese star in his rookie year in the majors. Fukudome wound up hitting .257 with 10 home runs and 58 RBIs, including a .207 average after July 1, losing his starting job in right field down the stretch. At times he has looked overmatched at the plate after a good start in April and May. "Obviously, he's got the ability," general manager Jim Hendry said. "Unfortunately, he's in a real tough snag and I'm of the belief that he will figure it out and get better again. I don't have a doubt that he'll be back next year playing well. He's not an out-of-shape ..."

Lou giving Fukudome chance to find swing

Comment

September 22

Chicago Sun-Times

"Kosuke Fukudome was at the top of the Cubs' batting order Sunday, and not just because Alfonso Soriano was among the regulars getting a day off. Manager Lou Piniella has talked for weeks about the need for Fukudome to hit again as he did in the first part of the season. ''I'm just trying to get him some at-bats and see if he can get more hits,'' Piniella said. The move brought instant results, with Fukudome doubling in his first at-bat and finishing 2-for-4. Fukudome led off 12 other games this season while Soriano was on the disabled list. He's assured of a spot on the playoff roster, though he might remain in a reserve role if he continues to struggle at the plate. He hit .193 ..."

Fukudome's Hitting Is Downside on the North Side

Comment

September 18

New York Times

columnist Alan Schwarz

"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 ..."

Fukudome gets reduced workload

Comment

September 3

Chicago Sun-Times

"Looking for a way to find production for two left-handed spots in the order and focusing on right and center field, Cubs manager Lou Piniella settled for now on giving struggling right fielder Kosuke Fukudome three days out of the starting lineup. Fukudome, who's getting his longest break of the season, hit .193 in August and is 4 for his last 21. About a week ago, Piniella and hitting coach Gerald Perry had him shorten his stride, which he has done with short-lived results. Beyond that, it's hard to tinker much more with the hitting mechanics of a 31-year-old, nine-year veteran of the Japanese major leagues -- especially in the final four weeks of the season. ''We feel by giving him a ..."

Fukudome gets more time off

Comment

September 3

Chicago Tribune

"Manager Lou Piniella is trying something more drastic to get Kosuke Fukudome out of his prolonged hitting slump after giving him sporadic days off and working to cut down on his stride. Fukudome sat Tuesday night against Houston right-hander Brandon Backe and will sit again Wednesday against lefty Randy Wolf. With Thursday's off day, Fukudome will have rested for three straight games, assuming he starts Friday in Cincinnati. "By giving him a little time off, he might start hitting the way he wants to hit and the way we expect him to hit. That's all," Piniella said. Fukudome batted .296 through the end of June and started in the All-Star Game. Starting July 1, he has hit .210, which ..."

Fukudome still making progress

Comment

August 26

Chicago Sun-Times

"Just like that, Kosuke Fukudome might be on his way back to becoming an every-day fixture in the Cubs' lineup. And if manager Lou Piniella has his way, back to the No. 5 spot in the order. Just one day after Piniella and hitting coach Gerald Perry had the Cubs' right fielder shorten his stride at the plate -- not to mention one day after a pinch homer into the wind -- Fukudome delivered a three-hit game that included a season-high four RBI for the rookie. ''He looked pretty impressive to me,'' Piniella said. ''He drove the ball. Hit hit hard. Hit it to all fields, too. ... He looks very 'hitterish' right now. ''When you're a good hitter, you can make adjustments quick. And we didn't really ..."

Fukudome fans fill dugout

Comment

August 25

Chicago Tribune

"Teammates mobbed Kosuke Fukudome in the dugout Sunday after his two-run, pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning. They knew what he'd been going through during his slump and seemed more excited than Fukudome himself to see him come up with a big hit. "They should [be happy]," manager Lou Piniella said. "He's been struggling, and he's a good hitter and got himself into some bad habits." Piniella and hitting coach Gerald Perry watched video with Fukudome on Sunday morning in an effort to get him to shorten his stride to stay on the ball when he has being pitched inside. "Lou just gave me his point of view of what he thought I should change," Fukudome said through his interpreter. "I was ..."

Kosuke struggles to sound of jeers

Comment

August 24

Chicago Sun-Times

"Kosuke Fukudome's dog days of August are starting to draw the boo birds from fans at Wrigley Field after weeks of leeway. And after another hitless game Saturday that included two strikeouts, Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he plans to talk to the slumping right fielder today about his hitting mechanics. ''It's not about anything else,'' Piniella said. ''He's struggling. He's in between. He's slightly behind the fastball and ahead of the breaking ball. You have to hit one of the two with some consistency. There's things you can do to set your hands a little quicker.'' Fukudome's forgettable August went from bad to worse Saturday, including a pair of errors on one play for the usually ..."

Fukudome struggles again, so Piniella plans a talk

Comment

August 24

Chicago Tribune

"Lou Piniella plans on having a conversation about hitting mechanics Sunday with struggling right fielder Kosuke Fukudome, who went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Saturday's 9-2 victory over Washington. "See how we can help the young man," Piniella said. "He's struggling." Fukudome is 1-for-13 on the homestand. He's hitting .145 in August and .211 since the All-Star break. "He's in-between," Piniella said. "He's slightly behind on the fastball and slightly ahead on the breaking ball. And that's an in-between area. Whether it's [Fukudome] or anyone else, you have to hit one of the two with consistency." Hitting coach Gerald Perry was unavailable after the game, but Piniella said the problem ..."

Fading Fukudome disappears from lineup

Comment

August 23

Chicago Sun-Times

"You couldn't blame Friday's loss to the Nationals on Kosuke Fukudome. Except for a five-pitch at-bat off the bench in the seventh, he didn't play. And whether the struggling lefty hitter plays again today, against another Washington left-hander, is uncertain. Manager Lou Piniella said two weeks ago he might seek ''other options'' for right field if Fukudome didn't start hitting again, then backed off two days later. But Friday morning, he left open the possibility that Fukudome could be left out of the Cubs' lineup in back-to-back games for the first time over an issue not related to health (calf soreness kept him out of two straight in June). ''We'll see [today],'' said Piniella, who ..."

Piniella hasn't used Fukudome 'option'

Comment

August 20

Chicago Tribune

"Kosuke Fukudome received a warning Aug. 10 that he'd better start hitting, or else manager Lou Piniella would look at "other options" in right field. Piniella backtracked a couple of days later in Atlanta, saying he didn't mean to create such "a big stir" with his announcement. Fukudome still has not come out his slump, and Piniella may have no other choice if this keeps up. Before Tuesday night's game, he was hitting .163 in August and .229 since the All-Star break. He was 1-for-3 with a walk Tuesday, leaving him 6-for-28 (.214) since Piniella's warning, suggesting an end to the slump is not in sight. Piniella doesn't pinch-hit for Fukudome because of his defense and Fukudome came ..."

From All-Star to all-stir

Comment

August 13

Chicago Sun-Times

"It turns out Kosuke Fukudome sat out Tuesday after all. But not because Cubs manager Lou Piniella benched the slumping right fielder, as he had warned. Before the scheduled series opener against the Braves was rained out, Piniella said he was surprised by the commotion caused by his comments over the weekend about seeking ''other options'' in right if Fukudome continued to struggle. ''I never said I was disappointed; all I said was basically that we'd like to see him start hitting,'' Piniella said of the All-Star, whose season at the plate has gone generally downhill since completing his first 30 games with a .348 average and .443 on-base percentage. ''And it created a stir. I mean, I've ..."

Lou Piniella backs off talk of benching Kosuke Fukudome

Comment

August 13

Chicago Tribune

"Cubs manager Lou Piniella was amazed to wake up Monday and discover that his comments on Kosuke Fukudome's struggles at the plate received as much attention as they did. Piniella started off his pregame media session Sunday saying that Fukudome needed to start hitting, or else he would have to consider other options, mentioning Reed Johnson in right or Mike Fontenot at second and Mark DeRosa in right. But before Tuesday night's game against Atlanta was rained out and rescheduled for a day-night doubleheader Wednesday, Piniella tried to downplay the notion he was about to cut Fukudome's playing time. In the game that was rained out, he had Fukudome in right field and hitting second in the ..."

Soriano believes he can help Fukudome rebound

Comment

August 12

Chicago Tribune

"Alfonso Soriano, the only Cubs player who is semi-fluent in Japanese, said he plans to talk to Kosuke Fukudome to help him get through his current slump. "He knows his own swing," Soriano said. "He can't lose his confidence. That's the most important thing. We all have to go through a little struggle through the season. I'll talk to him about it. The day off is going to be good for him." Soriano knows what Fukudome is going through, having started his pro career in Japan, far away from his family and friends. "It's tough, because mentally you get tired," Soriano said. "You don't see your family. You don't see your friends, and you're in a different country with a new language. It's tough, ..."

Piniella: Fukudome needs to start hitting

Comment

August 11

Chicago Sun-Times

"Kosuke Fukudome batted second Sunday, with Ryan Theriot getting a game off. But the right fielder's continuing hitting slump is becoming a concern to manager Lou Piniella. ''We have him in the 2-hole, but we need him to start hitting or we'll have to look for more options,'' Piniella said. ''[Mike] Fontenot needs to get some at-bats, [Mark] DeRosa has been hitting. We need Fukudome to start hitting.'' After going 0-for-4 Sunday, Fukudome is hitting only .217 (30-for-138) in his last 39 games. He still has reached base safely in 42 of his last 53 games dating to June 2 and is hitting over .300 at home overall (.229 on the road). ''He's not taking as many pitches,'' Piniella said. ''They ..."

Fukudome tops Cubs' list of problem areas

Comment

August 11

Chicago Tribune

columnist Rick Morrissey

"Kosuke Fukudome doesn't need a translator to know that his batting average has dropped like an anvil. And Cubs manager Lou Piniella doesn't need an interpreter to tell Fukudome he had better start hitting again soon. But just in case, what's the Japanese equivalent of "or else"? I don't want to say that Piniella has been itching to send a message to his right fielder through the media, but the first question put to him before Sunday night's victory over the Cardinals could have been, "Lou, can you comment on your carbon footprint?" and he would have complained about Fukudome's hitting. "We need him to start hitting," Piniella said. "If not, I'm going to have to start looking for other ..."

Fukudome put on notice by Piniella: Hit more

Comment

August 11

Chicago Tribune

"Lou Piniella's warning to Kosuke Fukudome on Sunday could lead to more playing time in right field for Mark DeRosa and Reed Johnson and more time at second for Mike Fontenot. The Cubs manager said if Fukudome didn't start hitting soon, he'd have to look at "other options" in right. "I just look at trying to put out lineups that produce runs, and we've got a couple guys that are swinging the bats, including Reed Johnson, that are not playing," Piniella said. "Sooner or later, I've got to give them opportunities." Fontenot hit .365 with a .484 on-base percentage in July but has had only two starts and eight at-bats in the first nine games of August. Johnson came into Sunday night hitting ..."

Fukudome, Ichiro headed in different directions

Comment

July 15

Chicago Tribune

"Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki and the Cubs' Kosuke Fukudome are the only Japanese All-Stars this year. And though Suzuki saw Fukudome in spring training, he hasn't kept up with the Cubs outfielder's progress. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but it's been a really tough season for me as an individual and as a team, so I haven't had enough time in my heart to be able to watch other players during the season, especially because he's in another league," Suzuki said through an interpreter."

Kings of New York: Cubs rule All-Star roost

Comment

July 14

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Jay Mariotti

"One by one, they stood on the field clutching their National League All-Star jerseys, validating this brave new world of mighty Cubdom. Time was when the cause was represented by just one player, such as Sammy Sosa or Ernie Banks, because no one else belonged. Today, a mind-blowing eight players will join manager Lou Piniella for the festivities in New York, the most All-Stars from a NL team since the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates. It's like the Revenge of the Nerds, baseball version. Who knew the Cubbies would commandeer the Midsummer Classic? Who knew they would own the best record in the majors at 57-38, the highest run differential in the majors at plus-106 and the gathering passions of a ..."

All-Star pick doesn't fit Fukudome to a 'T'

Comment

July 7

Rocky Mountain News

columnist Bernie Lincicome

"Without surprise the two best Rockies are on the National League All-Star team, pitcher Aaron Cook and left fielder Matt Holliday. Why Holliday is not a starter is still unclear, never mind that the fan vote totals would suggest that two thirds of the Cubs outfield is better and that Milwaukee knows how to stuff a ballot box. Or is it an e-mail box? However it is done these days. Starting ahead of Holliday are the Brewers' Ryan Braun and the Cubs' Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome."

Kosuke Fukudome hits bump in road with Cubs

Comment

July 3

Chicago Tribune

"Kosuke Fukudome made a great first impression in Chicago in April and instantly became one of the more popular players on a team loaded with stars. He made the cover of Sports Illustrated, inspired dozens of novelty T-shirts and was third among National League outfielders going into the final week of voting for the All-Star team. But three months into his first season in the majors, Fukudome is going through an adjustment that has seen his average drop in the last month."

What if Fukudome had landed on South Side?

Comment

June 28

Chicago Tribune

columnist Phil Rogers

"Kosuke Fukudome finally played a game at U.S. Cellular Field on Friday. Judging by some of the monstrous swings he took, it was a big day for him. Cubs manager Lou Piniella talked about Fukudome's balance and "textbook" swing the first time he saw him take batting practice in Mesa. But against Jose Contreras and relievers Boone Logan and Nick Masset, Fukudome took some hacks that were so vicious they left him reeling around the dirt beside home plate. He still reached base three times out of five—one of the two outs coming on Jermaine Dye's wall-banging catch to end the game—making one wonder how anyone could look so silly and productive at the same time. No wonder both Chicago teams ..."

Fukudome leads off, likely until Soriano returns

Comment

June 19

Chicago Tribune

"Kosuke Fukudome led off Wednesday night against the Rays, becoming the Cubs' fourth leadoff man since Alfonso Soriano broke his hand. But Fukudome figures to hold on to the spot a little longer than Eric Patterson, Ryan Theriot or Reed Johnson did. "Until we get Soriano back in the lineup, we'll keep him right in the 1 hole," manager Lou Piniella said. "He has patience, good on-base percentage, a good arm. I don't really want to play around with the leadoff spot too much."

Fukudome Worth The Wait

Comment

June 16

Toronto Sun

columnist Bob Elliott

"Fukudome's arrival with the Cubs, in scouting terms, is like a love story of the Grade 9 student with a crush on a classmate he'd never met, until finally they marry the final year at university. Gary Hughes, Hendry's assistant, saw Fukudome at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. "I liked everything I saw. He had plus tools," Hughes said from AT"

Japanese media never far from Cubs' Fukudome

Comment

June 8

Chicago Tribune

"The Cubs had just completed a tidy 3-1 victory, and reporters prepared to scribble quotes from the game's stars: Ryan Dempster, who went seven strong; Derrek Lee, who blasted one into the seats; maybe Bob Howry, who Houdini'd his way out of an eighth-inning jam. Kosuke Fukudome had done nothing of note at the plate, other than grounding into a 1-2-3 bases-loaded double play. But after the interview room cleared and the Cubs beat writers returned to the press box, Fukudome entered to a faint smell of cigarettes and a mass of 14 Japanese reporters."

Japanese media never far from Cubs' Fukudome

Comment

June 7

Chicago Tribune

"The Cubs had just completed a tidy 3-1 victory, and reporters prepared to scribble quotes from the game's stars: Ryan Dempster, who went seven strong; Derrek Lee, who blasted one into the seats; maybe Bob Howry, who Houdini'd his way out of an eighth-inning jam. Kosuke Fukudome had done nothing of note at the plate, other than grounding into a 1-2-3 bases-loaded double play. But after the interview room cleared and the Cubs beat writers returned to the press box, Fukudome entered to a faint smell of cigarettes and a mass of 14 Japanese reporters."

Piniella rethinking plan to put Fukudome in CF

May 30

Chicago Sun-Times

"Cubs manager Lou Piniella says he's rethinking his idea of using right fielder Kosuke Fukudome in center as a way to get Micah Hoffpauir in the lineup -- making it harder to get a decent look at whether the rookie can provide the left-handed power Piniella seeks. ''Fukudome's playing so well in right field that I'm thinking let's just not even mess with that unless you have to,'' Piniella said. ''He's the best defensive right fielder in this league. And right field's a tough field to play here. It's not a picnic here.''"

Fukudome gets day off in Piniella's lineup

May 26

Daily Herald

"Cubs manager Lou Piniella continued his game of roster rotation Friday night. Back in was left fielder Alfonso Soriano. Out was right fielder Kosuke Fukudome. In was center fielder Reed Johnson for Jim Edmonds. Also in was Ronny Cedeno at second base. Piniella talked in Houston about giving Fukudome a day off, just as he did for Soriano. "It'll be like Wednesday to Saturday," Piniella said of Fukudome. "It'll be like three days off. It's a good time to do it. We rested Soriano the last game at Houston. Same thing with him. Three days. "We'll try to do it as much as we can here with our team over the next two weeks or so." That also goes for first baseman Derrek Lee, who never wants ..."