Hiroki Kuroda Still Gets His Work In

Feb 18, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda (18) throws a pitch as he works out at Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Even when the game gets rained out during spring training, you have to get your work in. Two weeks from tomorrow is opening night in Houston, and more than likely, the night after opening day will feature Hiroki Kuroda‘s first start of 2014. So even if the game is rained out, like today, you have to get your work in and that’s what Kuroda did.

Kuroda went back to Tampa, back to George M. Steinbrenner field and threw about 75 pitches, or around five innings, in order to get his work in. It was important for Kuroda to get his work in because his last start wasn’t exactly his best outing ever.

Kuroda looked like the guy who only got one win the final two months of 2013 against the Detroit Tigers last Wednesday, giving up six runs on 10 hits in just 3.2 innings of work. Nobody is ready to jump off the cliff just yet with Kuroda, as all the Yankees projected starters have issues of some sort.

After all, the re-signing of Hiroki Kuroda was one of general manager Brian Cashman’s best moves of the past off-season. He needed an established starting pitcher to eat up at least 200 innings, and that is exactly what Kuroda does. Sure, he wore down, but he was carrying the load of a much weaker starting rotation a year ago than he is now. Kuroda slots in nicely behind C.C. Sabathia, and will provide solid outings from start to finish, along with being a mentor and friend to rookie Masahiro Tanaka.

Whether it’s the regular season, a playoff game, or a rained out spring training start, Hiroki Kuroda is the consummate professional, and you can count on him to get his work in, because at the end of the day, it’s about the team’s success over his own.