…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 if anyone else really had a chance…

…i’m certainly interested to see if he can be as successful in the majors as he was in japan - but let’s be honest, i’m more excited to name my fantasy team after him and hear sportscasters mispronounce his name…

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 Dugout Central, Dugout Scout gave a detailed, first-hand scouting report of Fukudome, writing…

“He is capable of playing center field and right field…capable of hitting in the middle of the batting order or in the number two spot…could bat fifth in the line-up for 11 of the 30 teams. He projects to the following: .265 AVG, .380 OBP, 20–30 HR, 80–100 RBI and 10 SB.”

For more on Fukudome, check out his profile page at Armchair GM, complete with a collection of video.

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 Francisco Giants, as well as the Padres and Cubs, have all shown interest in Fokudome.

Last week, at Dugout Central, Dugout Scout gave a detailed, first-hand scouting report of Fukudome, writing…

“Fukudome is one of the better athletes playing in Japan. He is capable of playing center field and right field…capable of hitting in the middle of the batting order or in the number two spot…could bat fifth in the line-up for 11 of the 30 teams. He projects to the following: .265 AVG, .380 OBP, 20–30 HR, 80–100 RBI and 10 SB.”

For more on Fukudome, check out his profile page at Armchair GM, complete with a collection of video.

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 was going to the Yankees.  I don’t have any sense there’s a favorite team with this guy.”

…as i have written before, from what i can gather, he plays very hard; he’ll be strong defensively in left field and right field, where he has a great arm, very similar to Ichiro; he will not be a big home run threat, though he’ll hit a lot of balls in the gap; think a better version of Tadahito Iguchi during his rookie season for the White Sox, i.e., .290, 15 HR, at least 30 doubles, 10 SB, 100 K’s, etc…the early buzz from baseball expects him to ask for at least a three-year deal, while the Red Sox, Padres, Rangers, Mariners and Giants will likely show interest…

For more on Fukudome, check out his profile page at Armchair GM, complete with a collection of video.

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 of the better athletes playing in Japan.  He is capable of playing center field and right field…capable of hitting in the middle of the batting order or in the number two spot…When evaluating the 2007 MLB line-ups, Fukudome could bat fifth in the line-up for 11 of the 30 teams.  He projects to the following: .265 AVG, .380 OBP, 20–30 HR, 80–100 RBI and 10 SB.”

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 was going to the Yankees.  I don’t have any sense there’s a favorite team with this guy.”

…from what i can gather, he plays very hard; he’ll be strong defensively in right field, where he has a great arm, very similar to Ichiro; he will not be a big home run threat, though he’ll hit a lot of balls in the gap; think a better version of Tadahito Iguchi during his rookie season for the White Sox…the early buzz from baseball expects him to ask for at least a three-year deal, while the Red Sox, Padres, Rangers, Mariners and Giants will likely show interest…

For more on Fukudome, check out his profile page at Armchair GM, complete with a collection of video.

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 that Kobayashi keeps ‘looking better every time out.’ True enough, and a reason I like him.”

The following clip is of Kobayashi pitching in 2005…

In the last three seasons, the 32–year-old Kobayashi struck 20 percent of the batters he has faced, while walking just four percent, during which he is 10–11.

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 was going to the Yankees.  I don’t have any sense there’s a favorite team with this guy.”

…from what i can gather, he plays very hard; he’ll be strong defensively in left field and right field, where he has a great arm, very similar to Ichiro; he will not be a big home run threat, though he’ll hit a lot of balls in the gap; think a better version of Tadahito Iguchi during his rookie season for the White Sox, i.e., .290, 15 HR, at least 30 doubles, 10 SB, 100 K’s, etc…the early buzz from baseball expects him to ask for at least a three-year deal, while the Red Sox, Padres, Rangers, Mariners and Giants will likely show interest…