Fukudome signs with Cubs

by Sisquatch Kids on Dec 11, 2007 11:39 PM EST Comment 27 comments

According to mlbtr, Dave Kaplan of WGN Radio reports that the Cubs have signed Kosuke Fukudome to a four-year deal.

In addition to this, it looks like Kuroda is headed to the Dodgers. So appearently we miss out on both Japanese imports that we were rumored to be interested in.

So who do you think ends up being the other power bat we're looking for in the outfield? I don't see another move getting made and expect to see an OF of:

DeJesus in Center
Teahen in Right
Guillen in Left
Brown as the 4th Outfielder

I do think we might see a move made to sign a starting pitcher before the end of the winter.

Thoughts?

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Gathright is the 4th OFer

...unless he gets traded. He's a lefty, so he'll spell Guillen more often than Brown will. Gload may get some PT in the OF too.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 12, 2007 12:01 AM EST reply actions

time to get excited for 2009

unless butler, gordon, and teahen mash in 2008, we're just not going to have enough offense to compete

by marbotty on Dec 12, 2007 12:06 AM EST reply actions

i can see two of them mashing

not all three though

don't worry, we have a healthy shealy coming back

by Will McDonald on Dec 12, 2007 12:23 AM EST up reply actions

I will not worry as long as his bat

speed returns. I think what ever was wrong with him last year sapped his bat speed and then he was having trouble compensated for the slow bat and things went from bad to worse. Still if he can return to the form he had when he was first acquired then he has good potential.

by TXroyal on Dec 12, 2007 3:07 AM EST up reply actions

This team looks strikingly similar to last year...

...Especially considering Yabuta (hopefully) will replace what we expected of Riske, and Guillen replaces what some of us expected from Brown. We're not much better than last season.

Moves are happening faster than most offseason. Kuroda is evidently close to the Dodgers. So much for "the Hillman effect". No, one Japanese relief pitcher doesn't constitute significant managerial influence in the open market.

Dayton needed to make another move, and he lets these players slip. Make no doubt that there is still time, but most of the big-name Free Agent talent is gone.

We need to strike another move, and at this point we'll probably have to get lucky.

Play MLB Managers Survivor at Royals Nation! http://royalsnation.proboards62.com/

by Royals Nation on Dec 12, 2007 12:09 AM EST reply actions

Not entirely.

I think Guillen will represent a substantial improvement over Brown. As far as I know, the Royals still have their eyes on adding someone like Carlos Silva. I also wouldn't discount the Royals potentially picking up someone who gets non-tendered by their old team but who represents a chance at improving us. I'm still banking on GMDM to make one more big move this offseason.

by DarthYoshi on Dec 12, 2007 12:43 AM EST up reply actions

Why Do We

Need to make another move? Are we going to the playoffs in '08? We should make moves when they make sense, not because we can.

We have numerous young pitchers we need to evaluate on the MLB level. We could trade them for aging position players no one else wants or keep them and see who turns out to be the next Santana. Our core position players are still 28 and under, and Guillen will be 33 when the team should mature in '09.

Moore can afford to lay back and look to pick off good deals over the next year. We might hope for respect in '08, but the two years after that are the years for us to look for post season games at the "K".

Being a fan is irrational, but what is the alternative?

by philofthenorth on Dec 12, 2007 12:35 AM EST reply actions

I agree with you.

No need to make moves just b/c you feel you have to. Remember GMDM is building through the minors and those guys don't come up after one year. It takes three or four year, which will be 09, and hopefully by then we will have what the A's had a few years ago a minor league system that will replace the talent that we are bound to lose the the more deep pocket teams out there. A good GM will be able to keep it in a 3-4 year cycle of drafting and getting into the majors, hopefully they become stars.

by TXroyal on Dec 12, 2007 3:12 AM EST up reply actions

I agree, too

In theory, anyway.

The problem is that we've been told to wait two years from now for ten years. At some point, you have to think the Royals should go into "win now" mode.

I don't see enough talent in our system to come to the conclusion that "help is on its way." Unless Moore decides to start Buckner and Hochevar off in Omaha, help is here now. The only other players in the system that generates any positive vibes is Moustakas, and the crapshoot that is Duffy and Runion (since TINSTAAPP,) but they're all at least 2-3 years away.

I guess as long as we finally get that huge bat we've been lacking in next year's offseason (which should have a decent crop of free agents available,) or make some sort of blockbuster trade by season's end, then I'll be okay with what this offseason, even as seemingly lackluster it has been. But if Moore fails to do something by the conclusion of next offseason, I'm definitely off the bandwagon.

by marbotty on Dec 12, 2007 5:31 AM EST up reply actions

Things are progressing as they should

Improvements are being made every year. The team is getting better. One should expect the 2008 team to be significantly better than the 2009 team. The good young players will be a year older and should be a year better. Guillen 2008 will replace Brown's 2007. In that position alone, we should see an improvement of at least 150 points of OPS.

There were only so many improvements the Royals could make this year. The FA class was/is weak. Talent is scarce and money is plentiful. That's a bad combination. We got one good upgrade in Guillen and a nice replacement for Riske. I think we'll end up with one more starting pitcher either in Kuroda, Silva or a one-year filler like Jennings, Colon, Clement, Lieber or someone like that.

These improvements will make us better in 2008 and well positioned to make some big acquisitions next offseason when there is a better, deeper FA class. Going into a "win now" mode this offseason would have been idiotic. This team isn't ready to win now and breaking the bank to get wildly overpriced FA's who aren't great players would have crippled this team for years to come.

Rebuilding doesn't happen overnight. Baird did very little to rebuild this organization. Moore is making up for lost time. But it requires some patience on our part. What we need to see is:

Organizational depth improving from year to year
The overall talent level of the 25-man roster improving from year to year
More wins every year

So far, mission accomplished.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 12, 2007 8:45 AM EST up reply actions

good point about weak FA class

That's why I'm withholding judgement.

By the way, I know it was a typo, but your line about expectations in 2008 vs. 2009 made me chuckle.

by marbotty on Dec 12, 2007 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

I'm happy with Moore's restraint as well . . .

While it will be interesting to see if the possible trip to Japan can woo Kuroda for a reasonable price, I am glad GMDM backed out away from the Fukudome mad house. If he doesn't land Kuroda I'll feel the same, it's okay. Fukudome is billed as a power hitter, but there is no telling if those numbers will pan out. Betting on Japanese players has to be one of the most terrifying activities a baseball GM can undertake. Many Japanese players either never materialize in the bigs, or fade quickly.

(For further reading on the mixed bag that is the Japanese transplant read: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118549191926479608.html, from that bastion of sports news, the Wall Street Journal.)

We can't be investing the kind of money the Cubs are investing in Fukudome in Japanese transplants. If we can get them for a reasonable contract, great. If not, then we are better off exploring other avenues. Let the Cubs stay loveable losers and let the Royals stick to a solid developmental plan.

A Japanese player is a huge risk. I read somewhere that the Cubs are building their future around Fukudome. If it were the Royals, I would be mortified. He only hit 31 homers last year in JAPAN. Those numbers very easily could be substantially less this year against the harder throwing American pitchers. If you thought there was high risk to the Gil Meche signing, that risk pales in comparison to locking in an unproven Japanese export for 50 million plus over 4-5 years which is at least what it would have taken for the Royals to land him.

Look at the Red Sox's Matsuzaka. He was good last year but by no means lived up to the hype. I expect his numbers to continue to decline this year. I don't have evidence for it other than gut intuition and case studies of guys like Kaz Ishii and Hideo Nomo, but there's just something in me that thinks hes more likely to be a liability for the Sox rather than a savior.

The media loves Japanese players, but the actual success record of Japanese players in the bigs nowhere near lives up to the hype.

Not signing an unproven player to a giant contract does not mean that Moore is not trying to rebuild us. It just means hes smart enough to try an avoid replacing Sweeney's contract, with another weight around the teams neck/pocketbook.

by RoyalTex on Dec 12, 2007 9:07 AM EST reply actions

Kuroda still has not made his decision

...according to the Seattle Times. And it seems like he doesn't want a contract longer than three years. He wants to be able to go back to Japan and finish his career there. From all I've read, 3/33 won't get it done. My prediction is 3/42.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 12, 2007 9:44 AM EST reply actions

Or, Kuroda has picked the Dodgers

The Kyodo News reports that Kuroda has informed the Hiroshima Carp that he plans on signing with the Dodgers.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 12, 2007 9:47 AM EST reply actions

Encouraging words from Dayton

I like what he had to say about the direction we'd take if we fail to get the pitcher wer looking for this offseason.

"If we don't sign what we believe is an impact pitcher," general manager Dayton Moore said, "we might be better off just creating as much flexibility as we can in our payroll going forward."

Seriously, a guy who might not spend all the money in his pocket unless it makes sense! Now let's see is he can keep his word.

I'd rather be watching baseball.

by Sisquatch Kids on Dec 12, 2007 10:30 AM EST reply actions

Best strategy

Going into the offseason, it seems like pretty much all of us thought that Moore should go after some good FA's, but if he couldn't get them, just hold onto the money, spend some of it on the draft and international player development and save the rest for next year's free agent class, arbitration awards and locking up young players long-term. It appears that this is exactly the strategy Moore is following. We have to be happy with that.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 12, 2007 10:59 AM EST up reply actions

matt murton

does this mean murton is available?

Never giving up on your team is what makes you a good fan.

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Dec 12, 2007 12:26 PM EST reply actions

He's been available for a while

There was a rumor of the Cubs shopping a Murton-Teahen trade.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 12, 2007 12:29 PM EST up reply actions

interesting

i'd at least entertain that. murton's minor league hitting numbers were comparable to billy butler's as he was coming up, but he has not nearly lived up to that potential since being called up. but it might be worth a shot.

Never giving up on your team is what makes you a good fan.

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Dec 12, 2007 12:32 PM EST up reply actions

Not for Teahen

Teahen is worth more than that. Teahen is at least as good as Murton with a shot to develop into something better. And Teahen can play 3B as well as the OF. That pumps up his current and future potential trade value.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 12, 2007 12:36 PM EST up reply actions

Who's Who?

Based on a 162 game season here are the averages

Line 1:
R 88 H160 2B34 3B8 HR14 RBI78 SB 13 BB57 SO 135 OBP.340 OPS100

Line 2:
R70 H138 2B21 3B3 HR16 RBI55 SB4 BB49 SO69 OBP.365 OPS108

You probably figured out...
Line 1 is Teahen
Line 2 is Murton

It looks to me like Teahen is the supperior player statistically and that if he can limit his free swinging a bit he could progress to become an above average corner OF...and definitely a far above average CF if he could develop the defense.

I realy don't like this unless we got a pitching prospect who is likely to make the majors in the next 2 years...not sure who the Cubs have to offer.

I'd rather be watching baseball.

by Sisquatch Kids on Dec 12, 2007 1:16 PM EST up reply actions

I think he's always been available

What would it take to land him? I don't know that answer.

by royaldaddy on Dec 12, 2007 12:32 PM EST up reply actions

The deal was for 4/48

Much more reasonable than the rumors of 5/65 the last few days.

Fukudome turned down more money from the Rangers to play for the Cubs. So, we now know he is a smart guy not entirely driven by money.

I guess for the Royals to have been in on the bidding they would have had to gone at least to 4/48, perhaps a bit more. I would have been fine with a 5/55 deal, or even a 4/50 deal. Well c'est l'vie.

Fukudome and Guillen will both earn $12M per year.

The only FA 1B/COF out there that I am still at all interested is Jenkins, and I would only want him for low money short years. 1/8 or 2/12. Something like that.

I think the team will tender Emil Brown now.

The focus should now move to trades. I wonder if any team would be interested in trading a decent young power hitting prospect for Guillen? Yes, I am already dreaming of getting rid of him.

Rock Chalk Talk for pretty good KU College Baseball Coverage

by James Quinn on Dec 12, 2007 1:05 PM EST reply actions

You can't trade a player you just signed

Thankfully.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 12, 2007 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

Jenkins

...will go for more than 2/12. I'd guess 2/16 at least. With Guillen on board and Gathright as the presumptive 4th OF, I think the Royals don't need to focus on the outfield again for a little while unless Jose, DDJ, or Teahen starts hacking bad in 2008.

by DarthYoshi on Dec 12, 2007 1:53 PM EST up reply actions

I agree that the Royals should still be looking

for more power in the outfield. Thing is I just do not see any free agents still out there beyone Jenkins I would be happy to see join the team. Are there any other there you still think are worthwhile?

I think the focus should now be trades.

The Royals still have a lot of money. I wonder where they will spend it now?

Rock Chalk Talk for pretty good KU College Baseball Coverage

by James Quinn on Dec 12, 2007 5:38 PM EST up reply actions

For better or worse

The trade market for CFers will be better next offseason. While next year's FA class is better and deeper, it will be pretty thin at CF. Our biggest trading chips are DeJesus or Teahen. Unless a great offer comes along, I'd wait until next year.

We don't have to make a big trade this offseason. Sure I'd love for the Royals to contend in 2008, but that simply isn't going to happen. Some minor moves may happen, but the big upgrade will likely happen next offeason in FA acquisitions and perhaps a trade or two. As it stands now, this will be a pretty good team, probably with wins in the high 70's.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 12, 2007 5:44 PM EST up reply actions