Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Hiroki Kuroda Has Hit The Wall... Again


Hiroki Kuroda has hit an invisible wall the last two seasons in August and it looks as though the third time is the charm for the Yankee right hander. Kuroda looks like he is well on his way to hitting another wall in the most important part of the season when the Yankees need him most. With a patch work rotation in New York and Kuroda being the only member of the Spring Training rotation left standing the Yankees cannot stand for Kuroda to be ineffective and still make a postseason spot.

You would think that the Yankees would have monitored his innings closely this season, like I mentioned in a few posts on this blog, to try and prevent yet another breakdown and fade but that was not the case. Heading into August of 2012 Kuroda had thrown 137.1 innings heading into August and in 2013 the righty had thrown 140.1 innings. Heading into August of 2014 Kuroda has thrown 135.1 innings and is on pace for another 200 IP season. Is Joe Girardi, Mr. Binder, Mr. Stats, not paying attention?

Kuroda seemingly hits a wall at 85 pitches or so and tends to labor and struggle until the 100 pitch mark when he is usually taken out of the game. Kuroda has thrown 100 pitches or more eight times this season including four times in July. Kuroda's two starts in July where he did not throw at least 100 pitches he threw 99 and 94 pitches respectively. This is down from 22 times he threw 100 pitches or more in 2012 (including August and September) and 21 times in 2013 but still, the trend is disconcerting.

You could make the case that Kuroda has been unlucky or run into good offenses or use this stat or that stat but the fact remains that when you're tired and your struggling you tend to lose control. Kuroda walked four guys in his last start including his last two batters, one of which with the bases loaded to walk in a run, and you cannot chalk up control and command to anything but an injury or fatigue.

If Girardi doesn't start watching what he's doing with Kuroda now he will be doing the same thing this October as he was last October, nothing.

2 comments:

  1. I think we all saw this one coming. I don't think a 15 day dl stint for "arm fatigue" would be a bad idea.

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  2. Then we might as well throw in the towel.

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