Ohayou Gozaimasu, Fukudome-san. Dozo Yoroshiku

So now that Kosuke Fukudome is a Cub, what does it mean? It means further vindication for those of us taht called the Cubs cheap and said that Andy McPhail was an anchor on this franchise.

So, the minute MacPhail left the Cubs start dumping cash as if the money was infected with some deadly virus. Coincidence? Hardley.

And with every long term contract effectively a contingent obligation on the future cash flows for the new owners (expected to be here by the 2008 All Star Break), every dollar spent could negatively affect the sale price of the team were it to put a strain on the finances.

Would a cash-strapped company like the Trib lower the value of one of their for-sale assets? Not likely.

The Cubs are oozing with cash. They are finally spending it like they should have for the last 25 years. Another Cub myth, that the Trib wasn't cheap, is put to rest (along with the idea that fans staying away and letting tickets go unused doesn't affect future payroll).

Now, is Fukudome (K Fuk?) a good player? Somewhere between possibly and probably. But, unlike Alfonso Soriano, the guy does have a position other than DH and can play that position well.

It's hard not to like this move on a number of levels.