Baseball for the Thinking Fan

Login | Register | Feedback

btf_logo
You are here > Home > Baseball Newsstand > Discussion
Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Sunday, September 11, 2022

Dragons veteran Kosuke Fukudome to retire after season

Kosuke Fukudome, a former big leaguer and the oldest active NPB player at 45, will retire at the end of the season, the Central League’s Chunichi Dragons said Thursday.

The left-handed hitter spent five years in the majors from 2008 with the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox, logging a total of 498 hits and 42 home runs in 596 games.

The outfielder joined the Dragons in 1999 as their top draft pick out of the corporate leagues and won the CL batting title twice as well as the league’s MVP award in 2006 before joining the Cubs as a free agent.

He returned to Japan in 2013 with the CL’s Hanshin Tigers before re-signing with Chunichi ahead of the 2021 season.

With less than a month left to go in the NPB season, Fukudome has a total of 2,450 hits in NPB and the majors combined. In NPB alone, he has batted .286 with 285 home runs and 1,078 RBIs in 2,022 games.

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: September 11, 2022 at 10:14 PM | 3 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
  Tags: kosuke fukudome, npb

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

   1. danup Posted: September 12, 2022 at 01:41 AM (#6095804)
Fukudome has barely played this year and hasn't hit since 2019, though it's impressive enough that he hit then. I've seen a number of Japanese players end their careers this way, with a borderline Udonis-Haslem-style fadeout that lasts several years. Is there anything about Japanese roster rules that make that kind of player-coach-y role more plausible, or is it just a difference in how both players and teams feel about the end of stars' careers?
   2. vortex of dissipation Posted: September 12, 2022 at 12:35 PM (#6095827)
Is there anything about Japanese roster rules that make that kind of player-coach-y role more plausible


The active roster in NPB is 29 players, with 25 players being eligible for each game. So a team could carry a player such as Fukudome on the active roster, but not have him be eligible for every game, while keeping him part of the team.
   3. danup Posted: September 12, 2022 at 02:04 PM (#6095838)
Thanks! I thought it might be something like that, but I've never looked into it. Would be a fun thing for MLB to add, I think, if there were some way to ensure it would be used for vets and not a taxi squad full of relievers.

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

 

 

<< Back to main

BBTF Partner

Dynasty League Baseball

Support BBTF

donate

Thanks to
BFFB
for his generous support.

You must be logged in to view your Bookmarks.

Hot Topics

NewsblogIs It Time to Stop Using Scripts on Sports Uniforms?
(13 - 8:50pm, Sep 23)
Last: JRVJ

NewsblogQualifying Offer Value To Land Around $20.5MM
(11 - 8:47pm, Sep 23)
Last: bookbook

NewsblogOT - NBA Off-Pre-Early Thread for the end of 2023
(4 - 8:47pm, Sep 23)
Last: Mellow Mouse, Benevolent Space Tyrant

NewsblogOmnichatter for September 2023
(499 - 8:44pm, Sep 23)
Last: Bote Man

NewsblogOT - August/September 2023 College Football thread
(96 - 8:10pm, Sep 23)
Last: tell me when i'm telling 57i66135

NewsblogOakland vs. the A's: The inside story of how it all went south (to Las Vegas)
(32 - 5:12pm, Sep 23)
Last: Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMc

NewsblogYankees' status quo under Brian Cashman resulted in 'disaster' season, and a fresh perspective is needed
(6 - 4:11pm, Sep 23)
Last: The Duke

NewsblogCan Freddie Freeman Re-Open the 3,000 Hit Club?
(49 - 4:04pm, Sep 23)
Last: John DiFool2

NewsblogRepublicans propose $614M in public funds for Brewers' stadium upgrades
(35 - 3:17pm, Sep 23)
Last: tell me when i'm telling 57i66135

NewsblogOT - 2023 NFL thread
(4 - 1:38pm, Sep 23)
Last: Lance Reddick! Lance him!

NewsblogCarroll makes more history: 1st rookie to have 25-HR, 50-SB season
(3 - 6:28pm, Sep 22)
Last: ReggieThomasLives

NewsblogOT - NBA Bubble Thread
(4096 - 5:01pm, Sep 22)
Last: Hombre Brotani

NewsblogAs Padres’ season spirals, questions emerge about culture, cohesion and chemistry
(43 - 3:32pm, Sep 22)
Last: Never Give an Inge (Dave)

NewsblogOT: Wrestling Thread November 2014
(2971 - 2:21pm, Sep 22)
Last: tell me when i'm telling 57i66135

NewsblogOT Soccer - World Cup Final/European Leagues Start
(98 - 12:09pm, Sep 22)
Last: AuntBea odeurs de parfum de distance sociale

Page rendered in 0.1638 seconds
48 querie(s) executed