ESPN is reporting that the Chicago Cubs and OF Kosuke Fukudome have reached an agreement.
…Update…1:00am…
The deal is worth $48 million over four years.
…fukudome was all the rage in japan and it was rumored that the Padres were going after him hard, but he made up his mind rather quickly after deciding to leave japan…it makes you wonder [...]

…the buzz around baseball suggests that Japanese free-agent OF Kosuke Fukudome is seeking at least a three-year, $30 million contract to switch from his home country to Major League Baseball…
According to past reports, the Giants, as well as the Padres, Rangers and Cubs, have all shown interest in Fokudome, as have teams in Japan.
Earlier this month, at [...]

According to Ken Rosenthal, citing ‘a source,’ at FOXSports.com, Japanese free-agent OF Kosuke Fukudome could opt to stay and play in Japan, as opposed to signing with a team in Major League Baseball.
Fukudome recently received a contract offer from the Tokyo Giants, ‘the pre-eminent team in Japan,’ writes Rosenthal.
Meanwhile, according to past reports, the San [...]

Japanese OF Kosuke Fukudome declared free agency on Monday.
Last May, in a Rumblings & Grumblings report for ESPN.com, Jayson Stark quoted an MLB team official as saying of Fukudome…

“He’ll be a big name all winter.  There may be more teams on him than were in on Hideki Matsui, because it was nearly a foregone conclusion Matsui [...]

Former-Yankees 3B Mike Pagliarulo is an independent scout and has started a blog, Dugout Central, which aims to bring ‘fans and scouts’ together to ‘discuss our national pastime.’
Today, at Dugout Central, a writer named Dugout Scout gives a detailed scouting report of 30–year-old, Japanese free-agent OF Kosuke Fukudome.
In the post, Dugout Scout writes…

“Fukudome is one [...]

At MLB Trade Rumors, Tim Dierkes features a review of Japanese free agents OF Kosuke Fukudome, RHP Hiroki Kuroda and RHP Masahide Kobayashi, written by Bob Bavasi of the great JapanBall.com.
Regarding Kobayashi, Bavasi writes…
“He may be the best available reliever on the free agent market…During the recent playoffs in Japan, his manager, Bobby Valentine, noted [...]

According to JapanBall.com, 68 players from Japan have declared for free agency, including 30–year-old OF Kosuke Fukudome, RHP Masahide Kobayashi and RHP Hiroki Kuroda, who is rumored to be in Los Angeles this week to determine if he needs elbow surgery.
Last May, in a Rumblings & Grumblings report for ESPN.com, Jayson Stark quoted an MLB team official as saying [...]