Questions outnumbering Kosuke's hits
Fukodome's extended slump has become a real problem for Piniella
<!-- Article Publish Date -->August 12, 2008
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<!-- Article By Line -->BY CAROL SLEZAK Sun-Times Columnist
<!-- Article's First Paragraph --><!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->What should the Cubs do about Kosuke Fukudome? Manager Lou Piniella finally said what some have been thinking for a while: It's time to ''start looking for other options'' in right field. Translated, Fukudome is in danger of losing his starting job, at least temporarily. And after that, who knows?<!--dropend-->
You sense that Piniella feels he has hung on as long as he could. How do you demote a $48 million player? How do you demote a guy with a personal news-conference sponsor, someone whose every move is followed by a Japanese media contingent? How do you demote a player who was voted into the starting All-Star lineup by fans?
<!-- BlogBurst ContentEnd --><!-- start sidebar -->» Click to enlarge image
Cubs officlals have to begun to question if they need another option in right field besides Koske Fukudome.
(Sun-Times file)
<!-- Fact box starts here -->
<!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->Not only does Fukudome have a big following in Japan, he has been a fan favorite at Wrigley Field since Opening Day, when he blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. Name another player on this team who has spawned a fashion revolution, with Fukudome headbands and jerseys continuing to be the hottest trend in Wrigleyville on game days. And despite his offensive woes, I've yet to hear Fukudome booed. How do you bench this guy?
Yet there can be no denying that Fukudome has been struggling mightily at the plate. You know the numbers. His batting average has decreased each month, from .305 in April down to .107 in August. His on-base percentage also has been in steep decline, from .416 in April down to .095 over the last week. These are not good trends. Maybe some rest is exactly what Fukudome needs. And maybe that's all he needs.
Long season could be taking toll
''Japanese players train notoriously hard, but this is a longer season than he's used to,'' said ESPN analyst Orestes Destrade, a former major-league first baseman who played five seasons for Japan's Seibu Lions. ''There is more travel in the major leagues, and farther travel. It's more grueling than in Japan, where the cities are closer together and you take [high-speed trains] between cities. Your body wears down.
''Throw in the fact that there's been a lot of attention and hype surrounding him all season long, and you can see how he might break down. As stoic as Japanese players are, it still affects you. He's going through a funk, and a couple days off might help.''
You would think a lineup built around Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano could manage to prop up Fukudome. In fact, it has. Despite Piniella's concerns, his Cubs lead the league in runs scored and RBI. How greedy can one team get? There are 29 other major-league organizations who would love to have a problem like Fukudome. He might be slumping, but he still is hitting over .300 at home for the season, and he has continued to play excellent defense. If Piniella benches him or platoons him or converts him to a late-inning defensive replacement, does he risk permanently damaging Fukudome's psyche?
Maybe Cubs were wrong
''First of all, Lou and his staff know him better than anyone,'' Destrade explained. ''They see him on a day-to-day basis, and they are in a position to make the best assessment. But the Japanese player is very determined. He doesn't get too high or too low. It's a common practice in Japan to sit someone down when they're struggling. He understands that. And because he respects the game so much, winning and team unity mean more to him than [his individual needs].''
Obviously Piniella thought long and hard before making his comments after Sunday's win. He knows how popular Fukudome is, here and abroad. He understands the implications of Fukudome's huge contract. The Cubs did not sign Fukudome with the intention of benching him during the home stretch. For Piniella to say that Fukudome's lineup spot is not guaranteed was a big deal. Is it possible that the Cubs were wrong about Fukudome? Not that they thought he would be the next Ichiro Suzuki -- those comparisons are unfair. But they clearly weren't expecting the next Tadahito Iguchi, either. The Fukudome we saw in April and May is about what the Cubs expected. But since then he has appeared increasingly lost at the plate. Can he find his way back?
''That's the Japanese swing,'' Destrade said. ''Sometimes it will make you look bad, especially when you guess wrong. They stay back well but throw their hip at the ball, and when you guess wrong, you'll see that weird, flailing swing. He's always had the same swing, you just didn't notice it when he was making more contact.
''The league didn't know him or how to assess him, and that was to his advantage [earlier in the season]. But [teams] have found a little better approach to him. He just looks a little tired and beaten up. He needs to adjust and regroup and get a breath, and hopefully he'll bounce back.''
You might think I've tied my Fukudome headband too tight, but something tells me he'll bounce back strong.
Fukodome's extended slump has become a real problem for Piniella
<!-- Article Publish Date -->August 12, 2008
<SCRIPT language=JavaScript> if (SITELIFE_ENABLED == true){ gSiteLife.Recommend("ExternalResource", "1102570,CST-SPT-carol12", "http://www.suntimes.com/sports/slezak/1102570,CST-SPT-carol12.article"); **//if true </SCRIPT>Recommend (3)
<!-- Article By Line -->BY CAROL SLEZAK Sun-Times Columnist
<!-- Article's First Paragraph --><!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->What should the Cubs do about Kosuke Fukudome? Manager Lou Piniella finally said what some have been thinking for a while: It's time to ''start looking for other options'' in right field. Translated, Fukudome is in danger of losing his starting job, at least temporarily. And after that, who knows?<!--dropend-->
You sense that Piniella feels he has hung on as long as he could. How do you demote a $48 million player? How do you demote a guy with a personal news-conference sponsor, someone whose every move is followed by a Japanese media contingent? How do you demote a player who was voted into the starting All-Star lineup by fans?
<!-- BlogBurst ContentEnd --><!-- start sidebar -->» Click to enlarge image
Cubs officlals have to begun to question if they need another option in right field besides Koske Fukudome. (Sun-Times file)
<!-- Fact box starts here -->
<!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->Not only does Fukudome have a big following in Japan, he has been a fan favorite at Wrigley Field since Opening Day, when he blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. Name another player on this team who has spawned a fashion revolution, with Fukudome headbands and jerseys continuing to be the hottest trend in Wrigleyville on game days. And despite his offensive woes, I've yet to hear Fukudome booed. How do you bench this guy?
Yet there can be no denying that Fukudome has been struggling mightily at the plate. You know the numbers. His batting average has decreased each month, from .305 in April down to .107 in August. His on-base percentage also has been in steep decline, from .416 in April down to .095 over the last week. These are not good trends. Maybe some rest is exactly what Fukudome needs. And maybe that's all he needs.
Long season could be taking toll
''Japanese players train notoriously hard, but this is a longer season than he's used to,'' said ESPN analyst Orestes Destrade, a former major-league first baseman who played five seasons for Japan's Seibu Lions. ''There is more travel in the major leagues, and farther travel. It's more grueling than in Japan, where the cities are closer together and you take [high-speed trains] between cities. Your body wears down.
''Throw in the fact that there's been a lot of attention and hype surrounding him all season long, and you can see how he might break down. As stoic as Japanese players are, it still affects you. He's going through a funk, and a couple days off might help.''
You would think a lineup built around Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano could manage to prop up Fukudome. In fact, it has. Despite Piniella's concerns, his Cubs lead the league in runs scored and RBI. How greedy can one team get? There are 29 other major-league organizations who would love to have a problem like Fukudome. He might be slumping, but he still is hitting over .300 at home for the season, and he has continued to play excellent defense. If Piniella benches him or platoons him or converts him to a late-inning defensive replacement, does he risk permanently damaging Fukudome's psyche?
Maybe Cubs were wrong
''First of all, Lou and his staff know him better than anyone,'' Destrade explained. ''They see him on a day-to-day basis, and they are in a position to make the best assessment. But the Japanese player is very determined. He doesn't get too high or too low. It's a common practice in Japan to sit someone down when they're struggling. He understands that. And because he respects the game so much, winning and team unity mean more to him than [his individual needs].''
Obviously Piniella thought long and hard before making his comments after Sunday's win. He knows how popular Fukudome is, here and abroad. He understands the implications of Fukudome's huge contract. The Cubs did not sign Fukudome with the intention of benching him during the home stretch. For Piniella to say that Fukudome's lineup spot is not guaranteed was a big deal. Is it possible that the Cubs were wrong about Fukudome? Not that they thought he would be the next Ichiro Suzuki -- those comparisons are unfair. But they clearly weren't expecting the next Tadahito Iguchi, either. The Fukudome we saw in April and May is about what the Cubs expected. But since then he has appeared increasingly lost at the plate. Can he find his way back?
''That's the Japanese swing,'' Destrade said. ''Sometimes it will make you look bad, especially when you guess wrong. They stay back well but throw their hip at the ball, and when you guess wrong, you'll see that weird, flailing swing. He's always had the same swing, you just didn't notice it when he was making more contact.
''The league didn't know him or how to assess him, and that was to his advantage [earlier in the season]. But [teams] have found a little better approach to him. He just looks a little tired and beaten up. He needs to adjust and regroup and get a breath, and hopefully he'll bounce back.''
You might think I've tied my Fukudome headband too tight, but something tells me he'll bounce back strong.
