The Chicago Cubs signed on Tuesday a 4-year $48 million contract deal with Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, outbidding the Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres. Jim Hendry said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times: ”It’s a great addition for us. He’s a guy we’ve wanted from Day 1. We’ve probably been on this constantly for about 60 days. It’s a great ending.”

The 2004 Olympic medalist Kosuke Fukudome has been in Cubs' attention for quite some time now, and the perfect situation was 2007, when he finally became a free agent. When asked whether he was interested in the Major Leagues in 2006, Fukudome answered that playing in the World Baseball Classic team increased his desire of going for the Major Leagues.

The 30-year-old Japanese professional baseball player was “the perfect fit” for the Cubs, according to Hendry. Standing an impressive carrier of .305 hitter, 192 home runs and 647 runs – with the Chunichi Dragons of the Japan Central League – the Cubs couldn’t be more happier of their new outfielder.

“We had no assurances we could get somebody else tomorrow, so it was a gamble. Bu t we felt like if we were going to gamble, gamble on the ‘A’ player. Don’t gamble on the ‘B-minus’ player” said Hendry, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

According to Manager Lou Piniella, the Cubs' new outfielder will wear the No. 1 uniform, as a result of the player’s request, another thing that goes to show how successful this acquisition appears to be for the Cubs. Despite the fact that this will be Fukudome’s first year in the majors, and following a surgery he suffered to remove bone chips from his elbow, the predictions of Cubs’ officials appear to be optimistic.

''There's nothing wrong with the lineup we have now,'' Hendry said according to the same newspaper. ''If he's in right and [Mark] DeRosa's at second, we're certainly in a happy position. But this puts us in solid position to now make a solid decision if something comes our way, rather than reacting because we didn't get the guy we wanted.”