Fukudome to Cubs: Latest- Almost a Done Deal, per AM 1000

[southpaw121505]

You may be right about image/prestige to the fans. That does not relate to a guy not signing with a team because of the pronounciation of the city he plays in, I just don't buy that at all. Agree to disagree

[Brewtacular]

agree to disagree.

 

I never said he wouldnt sign because its hard to pronounce. I think that is factor that makes Milw. less prestigous to fans. For the money Im sure he would sign in a city devoid of vowels.

[homer]

Brewtacular,

Have you spent time in Japan? You seem familiar with the culture there.

[tigerbrew]

According to this AP report, Fukudome nixes move to Japan's Giants in favor of majors.

Japanese free-agent Kosuke Fukudome has decided not to move to the Yomiuri Giants and will sign with a major league team instead, the Nikkansports newspaper reported Sunday.

Hope the Cubs don't get him.

 

Edit: add link.

[flosses like fossas]

with respect to foreign fans, in my experience they don't really care what team a player plays with - if they're a fan, they're a fan. i'm currently teaching english in taiwan, where chien ming wang is a god (only - first? - taiwanese player in the bigs). his face is on the front of every news paper, even in the offseason, and wang paraphernalia is available on every block. people refer to "mlb" and chien ming wang in the same sentence. as a primer, i have asked these same people about their basketball fandom and their familiarity with yao and yi. people who love the nba ask me a million questions when they find out that i am from milwaukee. i think it ought to be easy enough to point to yao's success in houston - is that on the radar as far as asian fans are concerned? - as an example of foreign athletes' abilities to be successful and followed wherever they play.

[homer]

"wang paraphernalia is available on every block."

 

 

 

You live in a red light district or something?

[TheCouga23]

"wang paraphernalia is available on every block."

 

 

You live in a red light district or something?

Swoosh!

[elbobbo82]

Just something I heard on WGN a few days ago, but the radio guy (sorry, no name) was asserting that if money was all it came down to, the Cubs were going to beat any offer, he claimed to have inside info, but who knows. Basically he was of the mind that only location could derail the Cubs getting Fukudome (i.e. San Diego)

[JohnBriggs12]

If the Cubs sign Fukodome and trade Rich Hill to Orioles for Brian Roberts, wouldn't it make sense for Melvin to see what it would take to get Mark DeRosa?

 

Tough to deal with arch rivals but they could match up pretty well.

[ShinyaSS]

I'm a Japanese in Wisconsin.

In Japan, only games of American league broadcast in TV, because there's no star Japanese, like Matsuzaka, Hideki Matsui or Suzuki, in National league.

So teams in National league are less popular.

On Brewers, only some serious baseball funs remember Nomo and Ohka once played here.

But the most famous player is Prince Fielder, since his father Cesil played in Japanese Hanshin Tigers before his breakout in Detroit Tigers. Prince himself once participated workout of Hanshin Tigers and everybody surprised for his batting, when he was 5 years old.

 

For Fukudome, he is famous as a greedy player for money and I've heard Cubs offers biggest salary. Ummm.

[Invader3K]

Shinya, thank you for your insight. That is interesting to hear that Prince Fielder is a known quantity over there.

[fondybrewfan]

the mlbtraderumors dude says he has a source that says Fukodome is going to sign with the Dodgers

 

EDIT: Oops my bad, it is Kuroda not Fukodome. Probably got everyones hopes up that the Cubs didnt get Fukudome

[trwi7]

the mlbtraderumors dude says he has a source that says Fukodome is going to sign with the Dodgers

I hope that's true. Then they basically have to have one of Kemp or Ethier on the block.

 

Edit: Just went to the site he said it's Hiroki Kuroda signing with the Dodgers, not Fukudome.

[iluvlamp]

Bruce Levine from ESPN 1000 in Chicago says Fukudome will sign a 4 year deal with the Cubs. He is usually a reliable guy.

[Oldcity]

Well that stinks.

[PeaveyFury]

Sounds like it's something like 4/48 or 4/56 million, per ESPN's speculation.

[PeaveyFury]

Since it's made ESPN now, locking this thread in favor of the official one:

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/viewtopic.php?t=9842