NewsSarah's Take: Kuroda's role on the staff
Veteran pitcher vital to the Dodgers' success
By Sarah D. Morris / Special to MLB.com
06/29/09 7:02 PM ET
Since becoming a member of the Dodgers, Hiroki Kuroda has been an important starter. He provides valuable experience to a young starting rotation. Although Kuroda has been limited to a few starts this season, he will play a role in the success of the Dodgers for the rest of the year.During the offseason, people worried about the lack of experience in the Dodgers' starting rotation. Dodgers fans watched general manager Ned Colletti choose not to re-sign Derek Lowe and Brad Penny. He didn't want to spend the money to sign a big-name starter. He didn't acquire any starting pitcher until January. Most Dodgers fans felt the Dodgers must upgrade their starting rotation to be competitive in the National League West.
Most Dodgers fans understand Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw will be special, but we know they need more time to develop into successful starters. These young starters needed to have veterans to help them through rough stretches in the season. The Dodgers finally signed Randy Wolf to help Kershaw. Since Kuroda has been in the Major Leagues for only one year, we forget he is a veteran.
Kuroda's father played professional baseball in Japan and Kuroda followed him and was drafted in 1996. For Japan during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Kuroda won two games, including a complete-game shutout against Taiwan. He returned to the Olympics in 2004 and played a crucial role as Japan won the bronze medal. During the period between 2001 and 2003, Kuroda won at least 10 games a season.
While in Japan, Kuroda was recognized as a great fielder. Once he had the lowest ERA in the Japanese Central League. Although he signed many lucrative contracts in Japan, he wanted to satisfy a lifelong dream of pitching in America. In his last Japanese contract, Kuroda had an out if he had an opportunity to go to the Major Leagues.
Kuroda has a good fastball, a satisfactory slider, and a devastating splitter. Since he has been with the Dodgers, he has relied on pinpoint control to be successful. Many times in Japan, Kuroda led the league in complete games. Although in this country pitchers don't hurl many complete games anymore, Kuroda has two during his Dodgers career. This past Tuesday he needed one more out to have a complete game.
To follow in the footsteps of Hideo Nomo, Kaz Ishii, and his good friend, Takashi Saito, Kuroda signed a three-year $35.3 million contract with the Dodgers. When he has been healthy, Kuroda has been an effective starter for the Dodgers. Last June he went on the disabled list with mild shoulder tendinitis. After he came back, he arguably was the best Dodgers starter.
During the playoffs, Kuroda won two games, including the only win that the Dodgers had against the Philadelphia Phillies. This winter he turned down an opportunity to play for his native Japan in the World Baseball Classic because he wanted to rest his weary shoulder for his job with the Dodgers. Like most Japanese pitchers, Kuroda was overused, so his arm was tired.
This spring Kuroda had an excellent performance, earning him the exciting honor of pitching on Opening Day. Against the San Diego Padres, Kuroda pitched well and set the tone for the Dodgers' season. Little did we know that Kuroda strained an oblique muscle during that start. At first, the Dodgers believed that he would be back in a couple of weeks. The injury was underestimated, as is common with the perplexing oblique.
Kuroda didn't pitch again for the Dodgers until June 1. Just after he came back, he had trouble locating his pitches. This is typical with pitchers who haven't pitched for a long time.
This past Tuesday, Kuroda was magnificent against the homer-happy Chicago White Sox, enabling the Dodgers to win one out of three games of that series. Kuroda looked like he was playing catch with Russell Martin. Going until the last out, Kuroda gave the bullpen an important rest.
On Sunday, Kuroda pitched well, though the Dodgers lost the game. He continued to avoid giving out free passes. This streak began on June 12 against the Texas Rangers. Kuroda's perfect control enables him to pitch long into games and sets a great example for Billingsley and Kershaw. If he can remain healthy, he will play a vital role as the Dodgers seek a playoff berth.
Sarah D. Morris is the editor of Sarah's Dodger Place. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
