Home Run Derby

Some Famous Japanese Imports to American Culture: Honda, Sushi, Ichiro, Toyota, Dice-K, Bukkake, Godzilla, Fukudome.

Wait – who was that last one?

The reigning MVP of Japan’s Central League could be coming to a Major League Baseball team near you in 2008. Kosuke Fukudome turned 30 this year and his contract with the Chunichi Dragons expires in 2007.

Which means there won’t be a Daisuke Matsuzaka-esque bidding war before an MLB team can even talk contract numbers with him.

Fukudome is a natural hitter and is an excellent outfielder (RF). He’s got a rocket arm and blazing speed. He has led the Central League in Fielding Percentage the past two seasons. He led the 2006 Central League in batting (.351) while slugging .653 with 47 Doubles, 31 HR, and 104 RBI. That’s how you get yourself named MVP.

He is a two-time Olympic Baseball Medalist (1996 – Silver, 2004 – Bronze) and was a member of the Japanese National Team which won the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.

Let’s compare Fukudome’s Japanese career stats to some other heralded Japanese outfielders who have left Japan for the Major Leagues. Not too Shabby - especially considering that his first few years have been nowhere near as good as his recent performances.

But the reason I hope he leaves Nippon Baseball for the Majors is to hear people mispronounce his name. It’s gonna be vulgar, especially over at the Booyah Network when analysts like Dusty Baker and Joe Morgan have to speak it. Let’s have a quick pronunciation lesson so you don’t get your mouth washed out with some Mr. Sparkle …

It’s Koe-Sue-Kay Foo-Koo-Doh-May.

Not Koe-Sucky F*ck-You-Do-Me.

Good God I wish Harry Caray was still alive to mispronounce that.

You can watch Fukudome throw a spaz after getting called out on strikes right here.

There. My one year of Japanese in college paid off. See, Dad – I told you it wasn’t a waste of money.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 15th, 2007 at 5:45 pm and is filed under Japan, Kosuke Fukudome. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.