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Dave
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Post subject: Kosuke Fukudome breaks out of funk
 Posted: Aug 25, 2008 - 01:14 AM CST
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When Lou Piniella talks, Kosuke Fukudome listens.
Piniella met with the struggling Cubs outfielder before Sunday's game, and whoever translated the manager's message did a good job. Fukudome did not start in the series finale against the Washington Nationals, but delivered a pinch-hit two-run homer in the seventh inning in the Cubs' 6-1 victory.
"He's a good pupil," Piniella said of Fukudome, whose homer ended an 0-for-10 skid.
Fukudome was welcomed into the dugout by his teammates, who seemed more excited than he was by the home run.
"I really appreciate all the support, and because of that it makes me want to succeed even more," Fukudome said through interpreter Ryuji Araki.
"It's nice to see him get a 2-0 fastball and turn on it and hit it the way he did," Chicago's Mark DeRosa said. "That ball was out the minute it left his bat. I see how hard the guy works and how much he takes it home with him. It was nice to see him get going."
What did Piniella do?
"We shortened his stride," the Cubs manager said. "It's a simple little thing to get his hands set a little quicker. His swing is shorter, more compact, and into the ball. We talked for awhile. He went out to the batting cage and tried it out and [coaches] Alan Trammell and Gerald Perry said he really swung the bat well there.
"He took it into the game and you saw the results," Piniella said. "We didn't change much at all. We shortened his stride, so when his front foot hits, his hands are set quicker and his swing is shorter. He drove that ball really well."
Fukudome has been in the lineup despite his troubles at the plate because of how well he plays right field. Piniella was cheering the Japanese outfielder along with the rest of the Cubs when he connected.
"He's been struggling," Piniella said. "He was happy, too [after the homer]. I was happy for the young man. He's a good hitter and he got himself into bad habits. We should've probably addressed it sooner, but we let it go to see if he could work himself out of it.
"We didn't change much. We just shortened his stride. Nothing happens until that front foot hits, and once it hits quicker, you get a better look at the ball, and your swing is shorter and you can shift your weight through the swing. That was a beautiful swing he put on the ball."
Fukudome notched his first pinch-hit home run, and ninth homer of the season. It's his first home run since July 31.
"Lou just gave me his point of view of what he thought I should change," Fukudome said. "I was able to work on that a little bit in the cage. During the game, I can't think of stuff like that, and I wasn't able to fully introduce what he told me in that at-bat."
He'll get back to work on Monday before the Cubs' game in Pittsburgh.
"He's a quality player and a guy who was highly sought after," DeRosa said of Fukudome, who signed a four-year deal this offseason with the Cubs. "Even when he wasn't hitting and going through his little bad stretch, he helped with his defense and the way he handles right field and his ability to help change a game by working a walk or getting bunts down or moving runners over. Those things don't show up in box scores. We're a much better team with him in the lineup."
Anyone on the Cubs can relate to Fukudome's scuffles. The outfielder finished the homestand 2-for-14 with four RBIs.
"You know when you're going bad, you're coming up in key situations and to not be able to get the job done or at least put the ball in play and help the team out is frustrating," DeRosa said. "There's not a guy in here who wavers on anyone on this team. Everybody has contributed to our success this year. I hope he gets as hot as a pistol right now."
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/articl ... p;c_id=chc
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