The Cubs are "expected" to offer Kaz Matsui a three-year deal, the Denver Post reports.
I hope the Cubs go through with this They have no real need for a second baseman. They could use a good shortstop, but Matsui probably is neither of those things. He isn't good and he hasn't played much shortstop since 2004. On top of that, he's 32 and has trouble staying on the field, and second basemen don't age well. And as with any Rockie hitter, you can't take his 2007 stats at face value.
2007
Home: .864 OPS
Road: .638 OPS
Basically, Matsui's the same bad hitter he has been for years.
This might all be part of an elaborate attempt to get star Japanese center fielder Kosuke Fukudome to sign with the Cubs. Depending on how much money Matsui costs, he may not even be worth it if their ploy works. Fukudome has a better batting eye than Kenji Johjima did in his last couple years in Japan, but other than that their production in Japan is pretty similar. Johjima turned out to be about an average big-league hitter. That's great for a catcher, but Fukudome's an outfielder. Who can tell how to put these Japanese stats into context, but I'm betting Fukodome's probably not worth a three-year commitment to a bad player.