Photo courtsey of www.dailyillini.com I think what needs to be done with Fukudome this off-season is exactly what he says needs to be done, IMPROVE!
“I think the point is that I need to perform better next year, period. It doesn't matter if Lou or [general manager] Jim Hendry have confidence in me or high expectations of me. It's irrelevant. I need to perform better."
But listen, Fukudome hasn’t lost the ability to play the game, he just needs to make adjustments to the American game. Yes, he is not the normal rookie fans see in the Majors, but at the same time I think some people looked at the salary figure instead of the years of MLB experience.
Rookies are destined to go through growing pains in their first year in the Majors and that is what we saw with Fukudome. What will make or break Fukudome is what he learns from the 2008 season and how he makes himself better for 2009.
I have no doubt that the Cubs will go after another left-handed outfield this off-season in the event that Fukudome can’t get things straightened out, but I think you stay the course with him.
He is the best glove the Cubs have had in right field since at least I can remember. He is exactly the type of guy I want on the Cubs as well. He works hard, he plays his role and always thinks about the team. For those that don’t think so read this article by Paul Sullivan where it reads:
Kosuke Fukudome was briefing the media at Wrigley Field on Tuesday afternoon before leaving to spend his off-season in Japan, when he was asked how he’d feel if he went into spring training next year without knowing he’d have 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 was then asked to clarify what he meant by the comment “I could not care less.”
Fukudome was then asked to clarify what he meant by the comment “I could not care less.”
“If it means that there will be competition in right field, all I have to do is win that competition,” he replied.
The man is not pulling a Phillip Bates at Iowa State and quitting, sorry I had to add a little dig in there to Iowa State. Fukudome is seeing this as a challenge and is prepared to take it head on.
He is going to be around the Cubs for at least another 3 years and I think some people are getting a little bit ahead of themselves in saying the Fukudome experiment was a failure.
Everything that made Fukudome a feared hitter the first half of the season made him go into a funk in the second half. He was off balance way too often, uncharacteristically impatient and seemed to have lost his eye at the plate.
The Cubs have had thoughts about possibly bringing in a Japanese hitting coach to work with Fukudome. I think if that works, go for it. But I also think Gerald Perry will work too.
Fukudome just needs to make the corrections that every MLB player does and get better. Fukudome will be the first to tell you he has to improve too.
The Cubs, and Cub fans alike need to take a deep breath and relax. Fukudome just completed his first years in the Majors. Give him a chance and see what he can do this off-season and where that leads us come next April when as always it will be the Cubs year!
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