Fukudome Fever

Every year someone roars out of the MLB gates and threatens to break every record in the books. In 2006, a little known first baseman for the Tigers named Chris Shelton hit 9 homers in his first 13 games. The fantasy waiver wires were torrid with "adds" and Tim Kirkjian was asked numerous times, “Can he keep this up?” and “Is Shelton on the doorstep of the most unlikely MVP season ever?” As it turned out, he ended the season with 16 homers in 373 at bats and everyone felt a little sheepish about getting all worked up over such a small sample size. So I want to qualify my complete adoration of Kosuke Fukudome by saying: While I understand that he’s only had 24 plate appearances, his .542 OBP and stellar arm in right field make me truly optimistic that we have the NL ROY on our hands.


Wrigley is abuzz over Fukudome after his dramatic Opening Day three-run homer off Eric Gagne to square the score in the bottom of the ninth. He’s only added to his status as an overnight legend in the coming days with timely hits, go-ahead RBI’s and frozen ropes to the plate. He’s received standing ovations, “we’re not worthy” salamis usually reserved Cubbie royalty and chants galore from the faithful. While it’s fairly typical for newly acquired players with hot starts to be embraced with open arms, this whole situation feels different. The intriguing cultural differences, the measured responses with interpreters and the uncertainty about how he’d fare against Major League pitching all hung precariously above our heads since his much ballyhooed signing. After only a handful of games and mere drop in the statistical bucket, we’ve got a pretty good idea at what all the fuss is about. Kosuke Fukudome is a ball player. His swing is as sweet as Sandburg, his command of the strikezone is Grace-like and the cannon affixed to his right arm rivals Dawson. His approach at the plate is incredible. I’ve seen him swing at ONE bad pitch so far this season and that was because the ump was calling strikes very liberally low and inside and he had to protect the plate with a two-strike count.

If you think I’m blowing his hot start out of proportion, you may be right. After all, there will be slumps and regression and bad breaks. However, I love the way this guy plays the game. I’ve always admired Ichiro and his abilities but I’ve never had the luxury of watching him over the course of many games. The small things that Japanese players do are interesting. In one game against the Brewers last week, Fukudome was on second and DeRosa was on first with one out. The pitch was low, in the dirt and squirted away from Kendall but only momentarily. DeRosa sold out and broke for second immediately while Fukudome shrewdly drifted off second only about 25 feet to gauge whether or not advancing was an option. DeRosa painted him into a corner by streaking to second after a nice block at the plate my Kendall. Upon a split second appraisal of the situation, Fukudome moved equidistant to second and third and froze while Kendall charged across the infield giving DeRosa time to make it safely to second and preserve the runner in scoring position. While not an extraordinary play, it was punctuated by a calmness of character that kept his team threatening. He bailed out a teammate who screwed him over. To me, that train of thought is everything. Filling the spot where Sammy once stood, he’s already proven that he understands more about winning baseball than our once Dominican slugger ever did. Sosa would swing for the fences late in a game when a single would do, frantically chopping away at the ball for his own glory. Many would argue that this approach was how he found his way into The Show in the first place, so why would he change his stripes now? It’s a good point, but one I would now ask about Kosuke. Despite the language barrier, what does he have in common with the once celebrated, now reviled Sosa. The answer: very little. Fukudome is a Cub today because of his ability to get on base, which is the trademark of the ultimate teammate. Ask any true baseball fan, there is absolutely nothing flash-in-the-pan about that.

The Bowler and Benny Greatest Hits: 2007 Edition

It's been six weeks since Ben or I have posted something. The two of us have been fairly busy over the past month, but to be strictly honest our (already woefully inaccurate) NBA preview took it out of us. We just needed a respite in the grand scheme of things. For some, the absence of a B&B original has lasted far too long. For others, this hiatus has served as a great opportunity to waste time on other websites such as cracked.com or this gameboy emulator site. However, for many, the fact that we haven't written anything in weeks has had completely no effect whatsoever. To be fair, we don't much mind that last demographic because we started this blog almost a year ago as a platform for two college buddies to entertain each other... and using that standard, I think it's been a resounding success. Before the advent of this site we'd toil away on our fantasy sports message board churning out the only impassioned and witty smacktalk in the league. On the phone, we'd do our best to fit all the current sports minutia into fifteen minute calls at (the proverbial) halftime during our weekend. While these tactics still exist in a largely reduced role, this blog has served as a wonderful outlet for our collective need to experience sports with equal parts humor and awe.

With that being said, I'd like to thank Ben for agreeing to indulge me in this venture. It's worthwhile because you're on board and I owe you for all the belly laughs you have provided with your roundly appealing and enigmatic banter. You truly are the Alan Arkin to my Peter Falk (I could have gone with Dennis Miller and Norm McDonald, but I thought that would piss you off).

I'd also like to thank TK (my brother) for being such a supportive reader and our most consistent and thoughtful "Comment Hawk". In accordance with that designation I just made up, Ben and I owe you a Andre Dawson-style Salami greeting next time we see you... and even if he's a Cubs fan - and TK is most certainly that. Quite possibly the biggest Cubs fan in all of San Francisco County, which would place him high in the runnin' for biggest Cub's fan worldwide. Sometimes there's a man, sometimes, there's a man....


Speaking of which, Kosuke Fukudome is a Chicago Cub!!! He's basically all I've heard about for the last month and I'm so completely excited about this signing because of the unknown factor. He’s a cross between Ichiro and Hideki Matsui!!! Wait, he's a cross between Ichiro and Eric Brynes!!! Holy crap!!! I'm much too much of a pragmatist to fall for any of this, but he does stack up quite well to other Japanese exports who’ve come to the Majors. UmpBump did an excellent job breaking his game down, so I'll let them handle the details. However, I will say this. Some people are already questioning the amount spent (4 year, $48 million) on a corner outfielder who has never played in MLB, recently had elbow surgery and turns 31 next year. These points all presuppose that the Cubs scouting staff hasn't kicked his tires and done the appropriate leg work. I find that highly unlikely. Cubs fans know that they've been coveting Fukudome for a couple years now, all the while keeping close tabs on him until his contract with the Chunichi Dragons was up. Also, he fits PERFECTLY into this Cubs team. I'm not saying he's the final puzzle piece, but having a versatile left-handed bat with a gaudy OBP that can field AND throw is exactly what we missed. Our corner outfielders will be throwing frozen ropes all around Wrigley for the next handful of years and our centerfielder (Felix Pie) has tremendous speed and an affinity for making sensational catches appear routine. D Lee plays a gold glove caliber first base while Ramirez is much improved at the hot corner. Giovanni Soto showed some tremendous ability (both swinging from and catching behind the plate) towards the end of last year in big games. Theriot, DeRosa and (knock on wood) Brian Roberts would make this not only one of the best fielding teams in the National League, but also one of the premier hitting lineups top-to-bottom. I just reread that last paragraph and it becomes painfully obvious that the Bears are 5-8 and the Bulls are 7-13 right now.


Alright, with the year winding down to a close, I’m going to provide my Top Five favorite posts from Bowler and Benny over the past year:

Honorable Mention
Ben’s reaction to ESPN’s coverage of the Home Run Derby

I liked this piece because it reminded me of simpler times. I recall waking up every morning at 6:45am during grade school because Sportscenter started at 7am. What makes this all the more impressive is that classes didn't start until 8:55am and I lived a ten minute walk from school. People sometimes forget just how wonderfully addicting ESPN was during the "glory days". I'd attentively watch as Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick wove magic with those highlights while I ate my Life cereal. Now I'm forced to suffer through Trey Wingo and Linda Cohn (sometimes in hi-def *yikes*) attempting to work Hannah Montana jokes into WNBA clips. Kill yourself.

5) My farewell to Mr. Thomas Jones

If you're asking me if I ever get tired of being right, the answer is... Absolutely I do.

4) Ben’s trip to the Packers/Giants game this year

As bad as this sounds coming from a Bears fan, I'm a huge Brett Favre guy. I've been converted because whenever Ben speaks about him, I understand that it's bigger than team affiliations or rivalries. I can hear a little of myself extolling the virtues of Michael Jeffery Jordan in his wildly glowing soliloquies. I still remember that day in January 2002 when the Bears and Packers both fell in the conference semis. Favre threw six interceptions and they lost to the (then great) Rams. We watched our games separately and then reconvened at our apartment and traded solemn, yet knowing nods of mutual defeat. I'll never forget it because Ben wasn't mad, he was just disappointed because he knew the greatness was there. Everyone has that ONE GUY from their childhood that will always be the truest of sports heroes. My dad had Brooks Robinson, my brother has Ryne Sandberg and Benny... has Brett Favre.

3) My brush with Greatness (personified by Tiger Woods)

I'll always remember the '89 Cubs season. I'll always remember those Knicks vs. Bulls playoff series in the early 90's. I'll always remember the 2006 Bears and what they did for the city of Chicago. Congruently, I'll always remember seeing Tiger Woods in person, methodically calibrating his game and staring down a golf course that he would destroy over the next four days. These are things that never leave you.

2) A Cubbie afternoon in late June

I've done running diaries of both Bears and Bulls games, but never at a Cubbies game. This was my first run at it and I was extremely pleased with the way things turned out. I can still recall how ominous the sky was that day and how, now in the middle of winter, just how wonderful those long days felt. The sun is setting at 4:13pm today and Wrigley Field is just a big building that I have to walk around to get to Clark street. March can't come soon enough.

1) TIE

Athletes and Hip-Hop: Why Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should

and

When doing what I want goes wrong

Easily the funniest thing we've done all year. I understand that making fun of athletes "performing" hip-hop is like shooting fish in a barrel, but that doesn't make it any less amusing. If you have yet to peruse these "10 worst" videos, please do so right now and thank us later...