So who to play in center field??? Reed Johnson is a very good center fielder. It's his natural position. He made some of the best catches in CF last year, that you might ever see. Fukadome has been mostly a right fielder. He has good speed. But he's not as fast as Johnson. Lou could platoon them, but generally the idea of a platoon is you have the left handed hitter hit against right handed pitching and the right handed hitter hit against lefties. But Reed hit .280 last season....against right handers. Which was 29 points higher than Fukadome hit againsh right handers!! In spring, Johnson has picked up where last season ended and is hitting .339. Meanwhile, Fukadome has likewise picked up where he ended 2008 and had just 4 hits in 20 at bats for the team (Japan) that he played for in the WBC. They must not have been too impressed, as the team representing Japan, chose not to play Fukadome in 2 of their last 3 games-including the Championship game. If the Cubs were not on the hook for 40 million to this guy, I think the choice would be simple. But Hendry will look kinda foolish, if Fukadome is making over 10 million a season, as a 4th outfielder. It's kinda like the situation with Derek Lee, who is making 13.5 million and Micah Hoffpauir, who is making less than a million, but leading all major league hitters in RBI this spring and has 4 homers. I just hope Lou has the brass balls it's going to take to sit less productive players, in favor of those more capable-TODAY. Screw what they were in the past and what you THOUGHT they were going to be, when their contracts were signed. Play the best players.

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Go Cubs!!!!

it will likely platoon right off the bat, but i think whoever gets out of the box quickest will get the AB's over time. they both are fine defensively, but i think fukudome would have the advantage due to his speed and arm strength. the need for quality LH bats is still there, so fukudome will get more AB's at first, but i think this year they wont have the patience they did last year, and they shouldn't. if he starts terribly, reed johnson should see more time. i think the cubs outfield is pretty solid if healthy. they are a pretty deep group of players, all of who have started at one time or another.

i really dont think the money has much to do with it. this team is feeling urgency this year to win, and i think they will be quick to pull the plug on fukudome. it isnt like the derrek lee situation, because lee has proven year in year out that he can hit big league pitching, and play above average first base. again, he hit .290 last year, with 20 homers and 90 rbi. those arent numbers that cause you to lose your job. he has earned his place on this team and in the starting lineup, and on the field with his defense. the only question with him is where to bat him in the order. bradley could turn out to be a very nice #3 hitter, if healthy.

Lee hit into more double plays (27!!!! a major league leading 27, a club record 27) than he hit home runs (20). He had more at bats than anyone on the team and batted 3rd for the team with the most runs scored in the league, yet had just 90 RBI. I'm thoroughly unimpressed. Besides, if you have another player who appears capable of much better production, you don't just stick to what has worked well enough in the past. You look to improve whenever possible.

As for Fukadome, if he gets off to a slow start (particularly, if he continues to struggle this last week or 10 days of spring training) I think that you are right, that Lou will not be very patient this season and pull the plug.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Trot them both out there in a platoon situation. If Fukudome proves he cant hit switch the platoon to be Johnson/Gathright.

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Put Haufpauer out there.

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mitch webster

I hated him as a kid. Leadoff guy who always struck out.

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Mitch led off?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Lets hear it for little Douggie Dascenzo.

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yeah. zim hated davey martinez so they dealt him for webster to lead off. ugly bastard. webster that is. martinez was kind of hot!

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

damon buford or j walton

Hmmm ok,I vaguely remember that now.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I don't.

I call shenanigans on that one.

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Seriously?

Mitch webster played 168 games for the cubs in 88 and 89...he led off pretty much every game in the second half of 88 til walton showed up in 89

How quickly we forget bad cf on their way out...

Sorry, my bad...was thinking Mitch Williams (pitcher) and scratching my head...but it's all good now!!!

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Seriously?

Ced Landrum?

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Reed Johnson was rated a -6 in John Dewan's 2008 fielding bible. He is the better offensive player (that's not saying much) and should get the majority of the starts in CF.

Trade Fukudome to the Southside. Another G.Bell for Sosa trade would be nice.

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