Tag Archives: Fukudome

Team MVP

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Yup, it’s another Cubs update.  But, what can you expect?  Not only are the Cubs in first place in the NL Central, not only do they have the best record in the National League, they have the best record in all the majors.  And I learned yesterday that the last time that happened was 1908, the last year the Cubs won the World Series.  Exactly a century ago for the North Siders.  Coincidence?  Perhaps.  I dunno…I’m just sayin’.

Anyway, my two favorite players on the Cubs are first baseman Derrek Lee and right-handed setup man Carlos Marmol (MARMOL!!)  Lee is the best defensive first baseman in professional baseball and a pretty darn good hitter, too, despite his recent struggles. He’s a career .282 hitter with a career OPS  or .870, plus he’s a three-time Gold Glove winner.  Go ahead, find me another active first baseman who can field better than D-Lee, I dare you.  And Marmol?  He’s only turned into the one of the most (if not THE most) dominant reliever in the majors, with a high-90’s fastball and a slider that’s just filthy.  Stupid filthy.  In 29 games this year, he’s struck out 54 batters while only walking 12 in 36 innings and posting a miniscule 1.75 ERA and leading he majors in holds.  As Mike and I have been saying for about a year now, Marmol is the next great closer.

The way I see it, despite the contributions of Lee and Marmol, which have been tremendous, the Cubs’ MVP thus far has been rookie catcher Geovany Soto.  Let’s start with the numbers: in 53 games, he’s batting .296 with 9 HRs, 38 RBI, and 19 doubles, along with a .942 OPS, all of which place him at or near the top among rookies and catchers.  Not to mention that he calls a great game, works well with Cubs’ pitchers, and has the ability to throw out runners (he’s caught 11 of 24 would-be base-stealers).  And he’s done all of this from the bottom half of the batting order, starting the season in the #7 spot and recently moving up to the 5-hole.  Keep your eyes on Soto; he’s a superstar in the making.  Remember this folks, you heard it here first: Soto will be this year’s Rookie of the Year (with Fukudome coming in second).

(Cast your votes for the MLB All-Stars.  Vote now and vote often, up to 25 times.  Needless to say, I’ve already voted for Lee at first and Soto behind the plate, and I wrote in Carlos Marmol.)

Fukudome uproar

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Clearly, Kosuke Fukudome is having a tremendous impact in Chicago, not only on the Cubs, but also just outside Wrigley Field, where some t-shirt vendors have been selling t-shirts with this questionable, arguably offensive, graphic:

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The vendors are now suing the Cubs organization for trying to stop the sale of these t-shirts, citing First Amendment “freedom of speech” violations.  Here we go with yet another cry out about freedom of speech.  Let’s get this straight: just because the Bill of Rights gives us freedom of speech, that doesn’t mean you can say or print anything.  There are limits, people.  That amendment gives us all the right to express our opinions, regardless or what they may be, but once those expressions infringe on others’ rights, those limits have been reached.  I find this graphic offensive in that it makes fun of Asians’ pronunciation of “L’s” in the English language.  I’m sure the creator of this t-shirt, no doubt some narrow-minded yuppie- wannabe on the North Side, wouldn’t like a shirt poking fun at the fact that he probably can’t even speak his own language properly (the subject of many a future blog, to be sure!).  And the slanty eyes?  Really?? It would have been just fine printing the trademark “Holy Cow” in the “Asian-style” lettering, but to change “Holy” to “Horry” and give the cub slanty eyes crosses the line in my book.  The way I see it, whether there was offensive intent or not (I really hope not), the shirt’s creator has to realize the graphic’s potential to offend.  Better judgment was needed here.

Other pieces of apparel, such as the headband below, I think are just fine.  The headband itself harkens to Fukudome’s Japanese heritage, as does the sun and the font, without offending or making fun of anyone.

If you like having “Holy Cow” on your Cubs accessories, how about this Japanese-inspired headband, complete with the white-flag “W” and the Chicago skyline:

Now, don’t me wrong.  I’m all for silly, light-hearted t-shirts, those that are fun and are clearly not trying to hurt anyone, like this one:

Or, for those who are phonetically challenged:

Now THAT is a funny, non-offensive t-shirt.