When Kosuke Fukudome hit a game-tying three run home run on opening day of the Cubs' MLB season, it looked as though the club had made a very wise $48 million investment in a player that was going to push them over the hump and into the World Series. Unfortunately, that hasn't exactly been the case. While Fukudome started off on a torrid pace, he progressively got worse and worse as the season went on. He finished the season with a paltry .257 batting average and only 10 dingers. His .379 slugging percentage was nothing to write home about either.
And don't even ask about September. His number's were absolutely brutal that month (.178 AVG, .288 OBP, .289 SLG).
But despite the appearance that Fukudome is already an automatic out, Lou Piniella started him in Games 1 and 2 of the NLDS against the Dodgers. Of course, Piniella has been rewarded with an 0-8 performance and 4 strikeouts. In fact, Lou is so exasperated that he's officially benching Fukudome for the rest of Cubs' brief stay in the playoffs.
"From now on I don't want to hear about Fukudome, whether he'll play or not," Piniella said. "I'll play [Mike] Fontenot or Reed Johnson or someone, and that's the end of that."
You better watch out, that someone could be you if you're not careful.
On top of Fukudome's dismal play on the field, he's a also having a negative impact off of it by hurting our nation's youth.
The Elgin High School sophomore [Jill Howe]had to remove her Kosuke Fukudome jersey and wear a gym T-shirt to class Wednesday because of a misunderstanding about how to pronounce the All-Star right-fielder's last name.
Jill called her mother after school to tell her what happened.
"She's a big Cubs fan, and we got the jersey at Dick's," said Jill's mom, Nancy Howe. "We were going to get a [Kerry] Wood one, but it cost more."
I'm not sure what's worse, that Fukudome was actually an All-Star this year, or that his jersey is going for less than a Kerry Wood one. Because let's be honest, when your jersey is selling for less than Kerry Wood's, you might as well just did your own grave and hop into it.
'Fukudome' Is Now a Bad Word to Both Lou Piniella and Chicago Area High Schools [The Sporting News]
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