Bay Area Baseball

Kosuke Fukudome started off with a bang in Chicago but his second half and playoff performance found him languishing on the bench and in a platoon role. His batting average, near .280 at the All Star Break, and his OPS, near .800, fell off considerably.

Chicago needs a centerfield solution, a Fukudome/Reed Johnson platoon can probably get it done statistically but is not going to be healthy for either player, both of whom believe they are everyday types. Fukudome seems like a Kazuo Matsui type who might need to get out of the spotlight and away from Lou Pinella. Chicago also needs a middle infield answer. Mike Fontenot and Ryan Theriot are nice players but the two do not bring enough offensively

Chicago will also need another starting pitcher, Jason Marquis is not the answer and Ryan Dempster is a free agent. Look for them to take a shot at free agent Ben Sheets, who could be affordable because of injury concerns. Edgar Renteria could be another bargain pickup coming off of a terrible season in Detroit.

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