The Cubs recently approached the Red Sox about Kosuke Fukudome, according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. Sources in both leagues told McAdam that the Red Sox did not engage the Cubs in talks because of the $21MM remaining on Fukudome’s contract. The Cubs are apparently unwilling to take on much of the $13MM Fukudome makes this year or the $13.5MM he makes next year.
The Red Sox are debating whether to rely on internal options like Daniel Nava and Darnell McDonald or pursue outside help to fill in while Jeremy Hermida, Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury are injured. They never exchanged names with the Cubs, according to McAdam.
The Cubs would like to deal Fukudome, according to recent FOX Sports reports. The 33-year-old is batting .281/.373/.456 with six homers. So far in his two-plus years in the majors, Fukudome has hit better in the first half (.798 OPS) than in the second (.736 OPS).
Even as a huge Cubs fan, I have to think they have to expect to pay atleast 12 mil of that contract or take a bad contract back. Fukdome is an okay player, but no $14 Mil a year player, more like $5-$6 mil.
Fukudome sucks
He doesn’t stink, but his salary sure does. get the cubs to take Lowell and ALL of his, plus pay most of Fukodome’s for next year and it would be ok, but Fukodome on the roster would probably mean no hermida next year and I (for one) would prefer Hermida as a 4th OF option with a healthy drew, Cameron, Ellsebury, with Hermida as the backup guy over him.
His contract means that on balance, he sucks. He is a liability rather than an asset.
Honestly, if this was Fukodome’s last year of the contract- that would be a great deal. But to have to pay him for 2 years when you probably only need him for 2 months? Seems like overkill to me. Fukodome has only one skill, which is OBP. However, that’s a pretty useful skill. With that said, getting two years of Fukodome for one of Lowell could still be bad. Because Fukodome could easily be next year’s Lowell (i.e. guy you are paying too much to never play). I think the Cubs would never do the deal unless the Sox paid all of F-Dome’s contract next year, but the Red Sox shouldn’t be having to give up any more than 7m in salary relief (3 for this season, 4 for next). So… probably no good middle ground. 5 or 6 million apart.Though I would argue that Fukodome is much better than Hermida. Hermida has a pretty bad OBP for an outfielder and is below average defensively. I think it’s pretty safe to say that Hermida is never going to live up to his prospect potential. However given that Hermida would be getting paid 1/2 to 1/4 as much… yah. I’d stick with him too.
That’s what’s so great about Hendry & his bloated contracts!
When my great-great-great-great grandfather got off the boat in this country, a lot of soldiers approached him about taking their place in the Civil War. That would have been a slightly greater burden than the ret of Fukudome’s contract, but not by much.
Get DeJesus!
Good luck moving him then. In today’s market he would be lucky to get $7m. Until the Cubs are prepared to eat half of his salary no team should even give this a second look.
please nooooo red sox dont take fukudome, just leave mcdonald for now!!
Seriously it takes some balls to go to ANY team about Fukudome and say “oh yeah by the way, we’re not eating any of his salary either so anyways tell us about this Doubrount kid of yours…”
And people think sox fans expect too much?
crazy cubs fans and there trade proposals!lol!
Lowell for Fukodome and Theriot?
Your mother for a ham sandwich?
Stick with Nava. I like his defense 1000x more than Hermida already
As much as I’m loving Nava, his story, and his sudden ability to be a slugger. Remember, 18 major league ABs. While he’s been great to watch, odds are he’ll be a less than average hitter in no time.
Same with Darnell McDonald (I don’t see him hitting .280 all year). And remember Hermida still only has a .230 average
I’d stand pat for now. I think Nava, McDonald, and Hall can continue to perform at an average clip while we wait for the starters to come back. If I was in charge, I wouldn’t spend too much money to find replacements who, in all honesty, wouldn’t perform that much better. Taking on Fukudome would be an awful idea, but the Sox have been good about not adding such players so I’m not worried.
Get used to this Cubs fans, I see the next 2-3 seasons just like this one, with Tommy Boy trying (in vain) to pawn off his ridiculously bloated contracts to some other sucker. Problem is, aside from the dupe in Seattle who took Milton Bradley off his hands, there isn’t a GM as gullible as Tommy Boy himself so my guess he is stuck with these guys until their contracts run out.