Fukudome isn't going to be back.

Fukudome isn't going to be back.

Bastian, in his latest inbox. Surprised that he was comfortable being so definitive. I guess the Indians have made it clear to him that there's no chance, which strikes me as a bit odd.

Perhaps Kosuke has made it clear to those in the know that he's not going to play in America?

5 months ago afh4 19 comments 0 recs |

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Bastian got back to me on this:

3 starting LHH in outfield. He was brought in due to injuries. With all 3 back, there’s no room. Need is RHH power.

That makes sense, though I’m not sure I really buy the embedded assumptions (Grady and Brantley as starters), though I suppose that choice was made once they wrote the check to Sizemore. Fukudome strikes me as the more useful 4th OF than Brantley (assuming some RH bopper shows up), but that’s a false choice. Brantley’s on the roster and cheap.

by afh4 on Dec 12, 2011 3:59 PM EST reply actions

I don’t really see Fukudome as a better bet than the much younger Brantley, who by all intensive purposes hit just about as well last season per wOBA, and probably fielded better due to age/speed/range factors alone.

by hans on Dec 13, 2011 1:16 AM EST up reply actions

What about for purposes that aren’t all that intensive? What about those?

by Jay on Dec 13, 2011 2:32 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs

For the less intensive purposes, he may not have hit as well last year. I excluded this in my argument because it didn’t make me feel good about myself, of course.

by hans on Dec 13, 2011 9:54 AM EST up reply actions

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=For%20all%20intensive%20purposes

by Jay on Dec 13, 2011 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

Hey maybe I meant it this way:

Taken literally, the phrase means "for purposes which are intense.

Likely though it was probably better linked to this explanation:

The phrase is a corruption of “for all intents and purposes” by persons who have heard the phrase, but have not read it in it’s proper form. It means “for all intents, and for all purposes.”

I corrupt.

by hans on Dec 13, 2011 3:28 PM EST up reply actions

Now you’re quoting a grammatical error from the source used to correct your mistake!

by cleveland teamer on Dec 13, 2011 6:25 PM EST up reply actions

Nice try.

by emd2k3 on Dec 13, 2011 7:44 PM EST up reply actions

This reminds me of “Fragile” Frankie Merman.

by hans on Dec 14, 2011 12:56 AM EST up reply actions

“Keep those profiles straight!”

by APV on Dec 14, 2011 8:58 AM EST up reply actions

no bathtubbing

by macasson on Dec 14, 2011 11:06 AM EST up reply actions

Dang, I wish him well. I liked him when he was here.

by JulioBernazard on Dec 12, 2011 4:58 PM EST reply actions

This. I would have liked to see him as a nearly everyday player, roaming the OF positions as necessary.

Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.

by USSChoo on Dec 12, 2011 5:28 PM EST up reply actions

I still don’t understand the Fukudome love here. The guy was below replacement level offensively and defensively, hits left handed, and has no upside. I’m not even sure he’s significantly better than Carrera.

by callmrplow on Dec 13, 2011 8:59 AM EST reply actions

To respond to both you and Hans, I don’t have any great affection for Fukudome as a player. I’m just surprised the Indians are definitively ruling out any free agent outfielder, especially one likely to make a salary in the lower third of new signees.

Obviously, he’s not a perfect fit, but I thought they’d leave the door open. He’s, minimally, adequate defensively at all three spots.

by afh4 on Dec 13, 2011 9:28 AM EST up reply actions

You are right that they need more depth at the position, but I’m thinking that perhaps they are going to go for a better upgrade than Fukodome (i.e. someone who could start in LF and bat RH) and adding that player plus Fukudome creates a five outfielder situation that they may be wanting to avoid on the 25 man roster.

In actuality they need to get some guys that will accept or can be placed at AAA. Pie might be one of those guys, or he pushes Carrera there, or they both end up there.

by hans on Dec 13, 2011 9:59 AM EST up reply actions

For what it’s worth, UZR says Fukudome can play CF about as well as Garko plays LF (SSS warning), and he’s never played LF before. Is he capable? Probably, but there may be a reason he hasn’t logged a single inning there in 4 years.

I’m a little surprised that they’ve essentially ruled him out too, but perhaps they’re thinking that Fukudome will likely get a ML offer from some team and they were interested in a deal similar to the PIe one. All things considered, there’s not a whole lot of a difference between him and a number of other options on the free agent market.

by callmrplow on Dec 13, 2011 1:27 PM EST up reply actions

I think it’s just a little affection and not love. He’s not loved the way that, say, Luis Isaac was loved.

by Jay on Dec 13, 2011 2:12 PM EST up reply actions

Hey, Jay-Z: Luis Isaac, fired bullpen coach, winner of the Frank Gibbons-Steve Olin Good Guy award? That seems to be a direct criticism of Eric Wedge. Would I be wrong? — Evan Michaels, Cleveland.

Yo, Evan: You know who would win the hip-hop good guy award? Some chump that I accidentally ate for breakfast in 1998 because I thought he was a blueberry muffin. You want a blueberry muffin as a bullpen coach? No, you want that ish for breakfast and then you want to [redacted]ing forget about it.

I try not to link my old stuff, but I like that too much to miss the opportunity.

by afh4 on Dec 13, 2011 2:56 PM EST up reply actions