When is the right time to draft Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome?
There are high expectations for Fukudome this season, but those simple accolades are too vague for fantasy owners trying to decide if the Japanese import is a better pick than outfielders like Aaron Rowand and Josh Hamilton. To determine whether or not to spend the pick, you need a working knowledge of the type of player Fukudome is. Most scouts compare him to Bobby Abreu or J.D. Drew; those comparisons seem fair because he can get on base frequently like Abreu, and has dealt with injuries recently like Drew. The fact of the matter is fantasy baseball owners are spoiled by Ichiro and seem to hold onto the hope that the latest player to arrive from Japan can come close to matching that production. That hope keeps us chasing each new arrival and while Fukudome won`t match Ichiro hit for hit, he has the tools to be the second most productive import in the last decade. He possesses good speed and solid plate discipline, making a line of .290, 15 homers, 75 runs and 15 steals a reasonable e
