Where’s Harry Doyle when you need him? The Mets (39-43) look not to lose against the Mighty Dodgers (53-30). Standing in their way is (RHP) Hiroki Kuroda. Here’s the skinny on Kuroda (3-4 3.91 ERA 1.01 WHIP)…
Full Name: Â Hiroki Kuroda
Born:  February 10,1975  in Osaka, Japan
Height:  6-2  Weight:  174  Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right
High School: Â Uenomiya (Osaka,JP)
College: Â None
Lifetime (12-14 3.77 ERA 1.18 WHIP)
 Per MLB.com,
With the big media turnout for Manny Ramirez’s return, Hiroki Kuroda pitched five innings like it was the postseason. He couldn’t make it out of the sixth inning, done in by a leadoff walk, but picked up his third win of the year and second against the Padres. The Mets gave Kuroda more trouble than any opponent last year, when he went 0-1 in two starts with a 12.00 ERA.
Last 2 outings per foxsports,
Jun 29, 2009 – Dodgers | Kuroda loses but allows no walks again.
The Associated Press reports Los Angeles Dodgers SP Hiroki Kuroda gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking none in a 4-2 loss Sunday, June 28, against the Seattle Mariners. Kuroda has not allowed a base on balls in his last four starts, extending his streak to 29 consecutive innings without one.(KFFL, 04:43am)
Wed. Jun 24, 2009 – Kuroda allowed two runs and four hits with nine strikeouts in 8 2-3 innings of the Dodgers’ 5-2 win over the White Sox on Tuesday.
Kuroda gave up only Paul Konerko’s second-inning homer and Jermaine Dye’s fourth-inning single until there were two outs in the ninth. Kuroda then allowed two more hits, including Dye’s RBI single, before Jonathan Broxton earned his 18th save by striking out Jim Thome. “He was terrific as far as his command,” manager Joe Torre said. “He’s not going to beat you with his velocity. He’s going to beat you with his location and movement. He was throwing a lot of strikes.”(STATS, 4:52pm)
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/playerNews?statsId=8167&fantasyNews=true
***The Mets last faced Kuroda June 1st of last year. Kuroda gave up 6 earned runs and 2 homers in 2.1 IPs. Mets win 6-3.
Acording to fangraphs, Kuroda utilizes 3 pitches –
Fastball – 61.9%/ 92.2 MPH
Slider – 27.9%/83.7 MPH
Changeup – 7.0%/84.7 MPH
Per thebaseballcube –
Scouting Report
| Control: | 92 |
| K-Rating: | 48 |
| Efficiency: | 87 |
Control: Walks compared to batters faced.
k-Rating: Strikeouts compared to batters faced.
Efficiency: Similar to WHIP, a higher rating for pitchers allowing less baserunners per inning pitched.
The ratings are based on formulas that sum a player’s entire career based on available statistics in our database, including minor league and college data. These scouting scores are to be used as indicators of a player’s strength. A career minor leaguer might have a speed rating of 100 though this does not insinuate that he is a better runner than a major leaguer with a speed rating of 90. Though it does indicate that a player was an excellent base-stealer in the minors, we do not know how he would have fared in the majors.
Per Wikipedia,
After allowing himself open to MLB clubs, Kuroda’s response was received favorably by both the fans and the media, and in Kuroda’s final start of the season, fans filled Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, old holding red cardboard cutouts of the number 15 (Kuroda’s jersey number). However, Kuroda had repeatedly expressed a desire to win a championship, and there was a high possibility that he would leave for the major leagues if the team continued to play poorly. The team ended up struggling to escape from last place in the league throughout the season; far removed from the 3rd place finish that would have enabled the team to participate in the newly created Climax Series playoffs. Kuroda declared his intention to play in the major leagues next season on October 18, 2007. It was briefly rumored that he would use the posting system to move to the major leagues, giving the poorly-financed Hiroshima team some monetary benefits from the process, but he ended up declaring free agency, which enabled him to negotiate freely with any of the major league teams. The Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Kansas City  Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Los Angeles Dodgers showed varying degrees of interest in signing Kuroda, and he signed a three-year 35.3 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 12, 2007.
Per baseball-reference,
Salaries
| 2008 | Los Angeles Dodgers | $7,433,333 |
63 comments
sabermetrician
7/8/2009-4:51pm at 4:51 pm (UTC -4)
Over/under(s):
Mets runs scored: 1.5
Dodgers runs scored: 4.5
Mets XBH: 1
Dodgers XBH: 4
QnsNative718
7/8/2009-4:57pm at 4:57 pm (UTC -4)
Check out that WHIP – 1.01. WOW!
sabermetrician
7/8/2009-4:59pm at 4:59 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah. Kuroda is pretty impressive. The Dodgers are super solid, especially in SPs.
oleosmirf
7/8/2009-6:44pm at 6:44 pm (UTC -4)
kidding me i’m taking the over on the dodgers. whats the over/under on Ollie’s IP. I’ll set the line at 4.1
sabermetrician
7/8/2009-4:57pm at 4:57 pm (UTC -4)
AccuScore favors the Dodgers 64% to 36%. I would have to say that’s generous considering Ollie is pitching.
mrose
7/8/2009-5:13pm at 5:13 pm (UTC -4)
ummm Argenis Reyes is playing in pawtucket, not Jose
sabermetrician
7/8/2009-5:15pm at 5:15 pm (UTC -4)
What??? We’re being toyed with! Oh man, the news is never good.
There's Always '09
7/8/2009-5:19pm at 5:19 pm (UTC -4)
Kuroda is pitching tonight? Thank goodness!!! We finally get a break from the recent matchups against Cy Young, Sandy Koufax, Vida Blue, and Babe Ruth.
There's Always '09
7/8/2009-5:19pm at 5:19 pm (UTC -4)
Funny thing is, I didn’t even notice that A.Reyes was hurt.
sabermetrician
7/8/2009-5:33pm at 5:33 pm (UTC -4)
Me neither, but in hindsight I was grateful.
trs86
7/8/2009-5:31pm at 5:31 pm (UTC -4)
Anyone notice this? Don’t know how much stock to put in it.
Santana hurt? Cortisone Shot? Labrum? It’s on Mack’s Mets on the sportsypder widget
sabermetrician
7/8/2009-5:33pm at 5:33 pm (UTC -4)
Seriously? I guess I wouldn’t be surprised at this point. Can it get any worse?
trs86
7/8/2009-5:35pm at 5:35 pm (UTC -4)
I really don’t believe it. Article sounded like pure guess work.
metsfan4decades
7/8/2009-5:35pm at 5:35 pm (UTC -4)
Oh, no. I really don’t know how much more I can’t take…
metsfan4decades
7/8/2009-5:39pm at 5:39 pm (UTC -4)
Was out of touch most of today and just going through all today’s posts. Some really good stuff and thanks for the laughs on some of the comments. It’s about the only thing Mets I’ve got to smile at lately. Was at the hospital most of today and my Dad’s nurse is a male nurse. He noticed the Mets jersey I had on and said ‘My condolences, Ma’am’. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Of course, he’s a Yankees fan….
Just saw DWright’s comments after last night’s loss:
‘I just think we stink right now. We’re not very good. Not scoring runs, not playing good defense, not getting good pitching’. Wow….but I guess there is no denying the truth.
trs86
7/8/2009-5:40pm at 5:40 pm (UTC -4)
Nope. At least he is not giving the normal line.
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-5:46pm at 5:46 pm (UTC -4)
If it’s a step toward him getting angry, and taking his anger out on opponents when in the batters box, then I’m 100% behind it. Cuz right now Mr. Furious is powerless.
metsfan4decades
7/8/2009-5:57pm at 5:57 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed.
stickguy
7/8/2009-5:46pm at 5:46 pm (UTC -4)
didn’t read the article ,and heard nothing about it, but I have been saying for a while that it seemed like something was wrong with Santana. So if try, would not surprise me
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-5:49pm at 5:49 pm (UTC -4)
Kuroda is, like so many major league pitchers, inconsistent, but I will always appreciate him because last year I needed an emergency starter for my fantasy team, I picked him up for 1 start and he threw a 1 hit shutout.
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-5:54pm at 5:54 pm (UTC -4)
I’m ashamed to say that I picked him up for today’s start…
trs86
7/8/2009-5:55pm at 5:55 pm (UTC -4)
Safe bet to pick any pitcher against the Mets right now.
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-5:56pm at 5:56 pm (UTC -4)
I almost did, but I just couldn’t do it, I felt like I was kicking someone when they were down. At least you’re ashamed
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-5:58pm at 5:58 pm (UTC -4)
I just fell out of first place. A solid performance tonight might be enough to put me back on top.
It’s a good thing I can’t pronounce his name because that will prevent me from slipping up and rooting him on.
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-6:04pm at 6:04 pm (UTC -4)
Ku, like in Dae Sung KOO
Ro, like in ROW ROW ROW your boat
Da, like in DUH!
Koorowduh
Kuroda
Glad I could help!
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-6:05pm at 6:05 pm (UTC -4)
um… thanks…
trs86
7/8/2009-5:57pm at 5:57 pm (UTC -4)
This goes back to my Halladay post but it shows why we have to go all in.
“The Phillies say they won’t part with all their prospects, even to acquire the ace the covet. Amaro Jr. said some of his players are untouchable even for the best player in baseball. Jason Knapp and Dominic Brown could be untouchables. As Scott Lauber reports, Charlie Manuel listed Kyle Drabek as an untouchable.”
trs86
7/8/2009-5:58pm at 5:58 pm (UTC -4)
We have to make them very touchable.
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-6:01pm at 6:01 pm (UTC -4)
But in which context are we going all in, to actually get Halladay ourselves or just to bluff the Phils into giving up these prospects to get him (and do we really want to ‘force’ them to give up enough so that they do get him, as opposed to sitting by and watching as they don’t give up enough and Halladay stays in Toronto or goes somewhere other than Philly)?
trs86
7/8/2009-6:03pm at 6:03 pm (UTC -4)
Yes. LOL.
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-6:04pm at 6:04 pm (UTC -4)
If forcing them to give up a guy like Knapp, who is a promising power pitcher, is all the result is then it’s no big deal.
The kid is probably 3-4 years away.
He does have 111ks in 80+ innings right now and he’s as big as a mule.
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-6:02pm at 6:02 pm (UTC -4)
That’s all public negotation BS.
Believe me, if they’re comfortable paying Halladay, they’ll happily give up Knapp, an 18 year old in A ball, or Dominic Brown, who has hit for very little power at A and below.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:03pm at 6:03 pm (UTC -4)
Who knows Wanny?
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-6:04pm at 6:04 pm (UTC -4)
I know Wanny intimately.
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-6:10pm at 6:10 pm (UTC -4)
My guess is that they picked these names to promote them as the guys who would be a coup to acquire rather than to throw the names out of the guys they really want to keep: Drabek, Taylor and maybe Carrasco or Marson.
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-6:12pm at 6:12 pm (UTC -4)
nice call
Have I mentioned recently what an awesome shortstop Ruben Tejada is?
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-6:15pm at 6:15 pm (UTC -4)
What depth the Mets have at SS with Tejada, Jose Coronado and Jonathan Malo.
I’d hate to be some marginal international free agent prospect in Savannah looking up at those guys!
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-6:25pm at 6:25 pm (UTC -4)
And we didn’t even mention Reese Havens! (or does Savannah look down on St. Lucie, I’m not sure?)
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-6:29pm at 6:29 pm (UTC -4)
Did we fail to mention him on purpose?
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-6:30pm at 6:30 pm (UTC -4)
Whoops! Should I delete that post before the Blue Jays see it?
trs86
7/8/2009-6:04pm at 6:04 pm (UTC -4)
10:$19M, 11:$20M what the Phillies owe Howard next 2 years.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:05pm at 6:05 pm (UTC -4)
Lidge owed 23 million next 2 years.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:06pm at 6:06 pm (UTC -4)
10:$15M, 11:$15M, 12:$15M, 13:$15M for utley
trs86
7/8/2009-6:07pm at 6:07 pm (UTC -4)
10:$11.5M, 11:$11.5M Ibanez.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:08pm at 6:08 pm (UTC -4)
Where the hell are they going to get the money?
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-6:09pm at 6:09 pm (UTC -4)
The Human Fund.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:10pm at 6:10 pm (UTC -4)
But they already sell out now.
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-6:13pm at 6:13 pm (UTC -4)
Human Fund is a Seinfeld reference; George bought phoney Christmas gifts for his co-workers in the form of donations to a fake charity.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:15pm at 6:15 pm (UTC -4)
I remember now.
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-6:11pm at 6:11 pm (UTC -4)
Easy. Myers $12 mil comes off the books this year, they replace that with $15 for Halladay and reap the benefits of the far superior pitcher.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:12pm at 6:12 pm (UTC -4)
Grave they have a LOT of salary increases coming in.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:12pm at 6:12 pm (UTC -4)
Especially if they are going to sign him longterm which Halladay will require to waive the NTC.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:13pm at 6:13 pm (UTC -4)
The have about 115 committed already for next year.
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-6:22pm at 6:22 pm (UTC -4)
I look forward to the organization telling it’s fanbase they couldn’t get Doc because arbitration on Blanton and Victorino prohibits it. That will be fun for a Met fan in a summer of little fun.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:34pm at 6:34 pm (UTC -4)
Most likely not, but do they trade or release them?
GravediggerHebner
7/8/2009-6:37pm at 6:37 pm (UTC -4)
They could do that with any 2 of Blanton/Victorino/Werth I suppose
trs86
7/8/2009-6:52pm at 6:52 pm (UTC -4)
As good as Halladay is, they still need Blanton.
oleosmirf
7/8/2009-6:42pm at 6:42 pm (UTC -4)
if I’m the Phillies I dont trade Victorino. Werth is replaceable but Victorino means a lot to that ballclub…
oleosmirf
7/8/2009-6:40pm at 6:40 pm (UTC -4)
i dont know what is more painful. Watching Manny in LF in a Dodger uniform or watching Ollie pitch tonight…
trs86
7/8/2009-6:51pm at 6:51 pm (UTC -4)
Watching Manny play LF anywhere is always painful.
trs86
7/8/2009-6:54pm at 6:54 pm (UTC -4)
According to Rosenthal: “Along with ace Roy Halladay, the Blue Jays are also taking offers for outfielder Alex Rios and third baseman Scott Rolen. They both carry hefty contracts, however, so deals could be tricky.”
Yes please pass the Rios.
wannybackstra
7/8/2009-6:56pm at 6:56 pm (UTC -4)
Please pass the Smuckers?
trs86
7/8/2009-7:02pm at 7:02 pm (UTC -4)
Wasn’t that Allfruit?