Fire Lou

[cherp]

<!--quoteo(post=105674:date=Jul 15 2010, 05:07 PM:name=Ace)-->QUOTE (Ace @ Jul 15 2010, 05:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=105669:date=Jul 15 2010, 05:42 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Jul 15 2010, 05:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=105667:date=Jul 15 2010, 04:38 PM:name=Ace)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ace @ Jul 15 2010, 04:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Wait - there are people who still believe the Fukudome contract was not outrageous the day it was signed? I won't get into the whole hindsight part of this (obviously the deal sucked) or the merits of signing him at all (I was opposed to signing him at all - "Fuk-Flop").

But even if we place ourselves in that moment, and decided we HAVE to sign him, I'm pretty sure there were not any reported offers out there that topped $40 million. The Cubs gave him $48 million.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
BT mentioned this before, and I do recall that it was reported at the time that the Sox offered Fuk a few $ million more than we did, yet he still chose to sign here. I personally wouldn't use that bit of info to justify the signing as a prudent or fiscally responsible one, but it isn't ridiculous to assume that other teams felt he was worth the money at the time.
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I believe I recall that those reports were shot down. Could be wrong.
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At the time, Ken Williams said he offered more than Fuk took. I'm not sure that was ever refuted. I know Sox fans were unhappy about it at the time. The story was that Fuk wanted to be the first Japanese player on his team and he didn't want to follow Iguchi and Takatsu.

Here's what was said at the time - if you have something more recent that refutes it - I'd be interested.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3151725