Fuku-Watch 2007

After taking his sweet *****' time (The first of possibly thousands of Fukudome jokes on this blog), Japanes free agent Kosuke Fukudome has finally announced what everyone and their brother knew; that Fukudome was coming to America.

"I won't be playing for a Japanese club next season, I'll play in the Majors," Fukudome told the Associated Press. "I appreciate the fans who supported me for nine years. I hope that the fans continue to root for me when they see me playing in the United States."

Finally.  Jeez, that took forever.  Now it is being reported that Fukudome will make a quick choice on which team he will play for.  An announcement is expected by Wednesday.  The Padres have reportedly offered Fukudome 40 million, and some people believe that the Cubs have offered 50 million.  As I wrote about yesterday, with Milton Bradley signing with Texas, San Diego may choose to become more aggressive.  Don't forget about the White Sox either.  After a disappointing season and watching Detroit improve themselves, could the Sox try to swoop in? 

As the Tribune pointed out, if the Cubs sign Fukudome, they can immediately add to their revenues by selling advertising space at Wrigley Field to Japanese companies, as Boston, Seattle and other clubs with Japanese stars have done in their parks.  Of course that would be more ads in Wrigley.  The only thing that has me nervous are all these backloaded deals that Jim Hendry has made.  With the Tribune aware that they won't have to pay the bills on these contracts, they have given Hendry their blessing to award large contracts to Alfonso Soriano, Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis.  Will they do the same with Fukudome?  How will the new owners deals with all these fat contracts later?  Additional increases in ticket prices?  PSL's? 

I guess we can't worry about that now.  Let's just hope Hendry gets his man and his master plan actually works.

Go Cubs!

p.s. ML Blogs has censored my Fukudome joke in the beginning of this post.  That won't stop me from use Fukudome's name is my *****' jokes!