A couple weeks ago, there were whispers of a potential Daisuke Matsuzaka/Kosuke Fukudome swap between the Cubs and Red Sox this winter. The whispers picked over the last few days before being squashed.
Daisuke Matsuzaka’s name did not come up during the Chicago Cubs’ recent organizational meetings, according to a baseball source. That doesn’t preclude the possibility the Cubs and Red Sox had a conversation about him as part of a proposed deal for Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, as the Chicago Tribune’s Phil Rogers reported Wednesday.
But it’s a deal that doesn’t make much sense. It’s understandable that the Cubs would seek to dump a bad contract in Fukudome, who is due to be paid $13.5 million in 2011. But Matsuzaka has two years left on his deal, at $10 million per, so if the Cubs are looking to free up some money for another move, like signing free agent Adam Dunn, a Fukudome-Matsuzaka swap has limited benefit. ESPN Boston.
Edes goes on to point out that the four outfielders currently on the Red Sox’s roster – Jacoby Ellsbury, JD Drew, Mike Cameron, and Ryan Kalish – are all superior to Fukudome (moderately debatable), and that, if the team was going to add another outfielder, they’d be going after a clear upgrade like Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford. I don’t think anyone views Fukudome moving to the Red Sox as a starter, but Edes’ point remains.