Bruce Miles lays it out straight:

The Cubs can make the Alou comparisons all they want, but it's just as likely Fukudome will turn out to be Todd Hundley or Jacque Jones (who outperformed Fukudome at the plate) or Mike Remlinger or LaTroy Hawkins, to name some free-agent disappointments of the last few years.

This one may require a meeting of the minds this winter, among Hendry, Piniella and Fukudome. Perhaps the Cubs will even allow Fukudome to bring a hitting coach with him over from Japan next spring if it makes him more comfortable.

The flash point has been reached with a manager who is signed through 2010. The organization's job is to act and get Fukudome turned in the right direction now.

Bruce has hinted in the past that Fukudome has a short fuse when it comes to dealing with the media. That suggests that he's not exactly in love with Chicago and/or the United States.

Extrapolating further: If he's that unhappy, what would it take for Fukudome to tell the Cubs that he's had enough and is going home?

I'd venture about $15 million. Given that they owe him $42 million (he was only paid $6 million of his $48 million in 2008), they might be smart to just offer such a thing.