Get ready: Kosuke is coming

MESA, Ariz. -- He's coming. He's coming.

The Cubs have confirmed that right fielder Kosuke Fukudome will fly into Arizona on tonight and join the team Friday, three days ahead of Monday's reporting date for position players.

"I think it says a lot about the man," Cubs GM Jim Hendry said Wednesday. "From the first time that we knew we were going to get him, his actions and his comments to his agents were all about coming here and doing his part, proving he could play at the highest level over here.

"He felt like he was in the prime of his career and really has done everything to make sure he's accepted properly. He doesn't want to cut corners. He was very worried about how he was going to be received with his interpreter that we provide for him. He was very cognizant of being a good teammate."

A few Japanese journalists were at Fitch Park on Wednesday, and several will travel with the Cubs all year just to cover Fukudome, whom the Cubs signed as a free agent in December.

The Cubs are even printing news releases in Japanese and placing them in the media workroom to accommodate Japanese reporters.