Untitled Page

Hiroki Kuroda News & Rumors

Russell Martin touts the addition of Hiroki Kuroda to Bombers rotation
February 8
New York Daily News
 
"Russell Martin calls it his "mental hard drive." Stored on it is a lot of footage of the Yankees catcher's old Dodger teammate, Hiroki Kuroda, and how the righty's split-finger fastball plummets and how the short break on Kuroda's slider elicits weak contact. Also tucked in there is a memorable moment from Kuroda's first spring training in the majors, 2008, when the quiet newcomer donned full Elvis Presley regalia, including sideburns and a wig, for some rookie hazing that had an "American Idol" theme."
Rangers expressing interest in free agent Hiroki Kuroda?
January 8
Hardball Talk
 
"Take this one with a grain of salt, as Japanese news services have been wrong many times before about the goings-on in MLB. But here's the report… According to Sponichi, via the invaluable Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker, the Rangers are expressing free-agent interest in Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda has drawn attention from several teams this offseason, including the Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles and Rockies, but he's not budging from an asking price that is thought to be in the range of $12-$13 million annually. The Rangers might not have that kind of room in their budget, and they already have six viable starters on their 40-man roster in Derek Holland, Colby Lewis, Neftali Feliz, Matt Harrison,"
Yankees haven't offered contract to Kuroda
December 9
MLB.com
 
"The Yankees have not made an offer to free-agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, according to a person with knowledge of the club's thinking. A report by the Japanese news outlet Sponichi suggested that the Yankees had already presented a one-year, $12 million offer to the hurler, who turns 37 in February. The Yankees continue to look for ways to add starting pitching that could slide behind ace CC Sabathia, and they did show a level of trade interest in Kuroda last summer when he was with the Dodgers. But the person said that the report of an offer is not true. Kuroda finished 2011 with a 13-16 record and a 3.07 ERA in 32 starts, striking out 161 and walking 49 in 202 innings. In four Major"
All options open for Kuroda
December 4
Foxsports.com
 
"Hiroki Kuroda didn't want to leave the Dodgers last July, using his no-trade clause to block deals to both the Tigers and Red Sox, according to major-league sources. But now that the Dodgers have effectively replaced Kuroda with lefty Chris Capuano, the landscape for the Japanese right-hander is different – "wide open" in the words of one source. Kuroda, who turns 37 on Feb. 10, is considering all options, the source said, including major-league teams regardless of location as well as the Hiroshima Carp, his former club in Japan."
Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda struggles in 8-1 loss to Giants
September 12
Los Angeles Times
 
"Well, you can't win 'em all. The Dodgers received a shellacking Sunday, as Hiroki Kuroda was ineffective and the bullpen was downright awful in an 8-1 defeat to the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. The loss was the Dodgers' first in six days. Plagued with command problems, Kuroda gave up three runs and eight hits in a season-low 42/3 innings. Considering how he pitched, the damage could have been far worse. Kuroda said the neck problems that bothered him in previous seasons have resurfaced in recent weeks. He has been charged with 12 runs in 162/3 innings over his last three starts."
Dodgers' offense sluggish; Hiroki Kuroda gives up four homers
September 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"Reporting from Washington -- Well, that was fun while it lasted. The Dodgers are back to losing and back to not scoring, as they dropped their second consecutive game Monday, falling to the Washington Nationals, 7-2, at Nationals Park. The consecutive losses followed a 12-game stretch during which the Dodgers won 11 games. "It's hard to say," Manager Don Mattingly said when asked whether the Dodgers reverted to their season-long form. "Is it that? Is it baseball?" Hiroki Kuroda didn't help matters. In any of his 110 previous career starts, Kuroda had never served up more than two home runs. On Monday, he gave up three in the first inning and four in the game. Two of the home runs were by"
Dodgers back Hiroki Kuroda, sweep Cardinals
August 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"It was hard to tell what was hotter at Busch Stadium on Wednesday, the nearly 100-degree temperatures on the field or the Dodgers' renewed burst of run production. Dodgers batters pummeled St. Louis pitching for the second time in less than 24 hours to defeat the Cardinals, 9-4, sweep their three-game series and finish the Dodgers' trip 5-5. It was the Dodgers' first road sweep of the season and the first time the Dodgers had swept a series in St. Louis since 1993. A six-run third inning and subsequent home runs by A.J. Ellis and Juan Rivera gave starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda (10-14) plenty of cushion. "I don't think I had 100% [command] of all my pitches, but having that run support"
Kuroda receives rare show of support in 7-0 victory
August 15
L.A. Daily News
 
"It might not be saying much, but Hiroki Kuroda definitely is the best 8-14 pitcher in baseball. Kuroda threw seven scoreless innings for just his second victory since July 1 in the Dodgers' 7-0 victory Sunday that completed a three-game sweep of the hapless Houston Astros, who fell to a major league-worst 38-83. Kuroda received a rare show of offensive support and even helped himself with a single in the sixth inning. The seven runs matched the Dodgers' run total in Kuroda's four previous starts combined, a trend that has lasted all season as the Dodgers went into Sunday's game averaging just 3.1 runs per game in Kuroda's 23 starts. The runs didn't come cheaply on Sunday either. The"
Dodgers come through for Hiroki Kuroda
August 15
Los Angeles Times
 
"The relieved look on Hiroki Kuroda's face in the clubhouse needed no translation. The Dodgers scored as many runs for the Japanese pitcher Sunday as they had in his four previous starts combined. "I'm not really used to having this many runs," Kuroda said through an interpreter after the Dodgers' 7-0 victory over the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium. Kuroda thanked his teammates for their support by limiting the Astros to five hits and one walk over seven scoreless innings. It was Kuroda's sixth consecutive quality start of at least six innings in which he gave up three earned runs or fewer, but the right-hander went only 2-4 over that stretch because the Dodgers averaged only 2.7 runs in"
Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda says no to trade
July 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"Hiroki Kuroda essentially had a reprieve from baseball purgatory. The Dodgers wanted to trade him to a contending team, perhaps the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox. By waiving the no-trade clause in his contract, Kuroda could have pitch in packed ballparks instead of an empty one. He could have pitched again in October, maybe even won a World Series. He declined that opportunity, informing the Dodgers on Saturday that he would veto any trade. "It's his decision," Rafael Furcal said. "Everybody has their own decision." Furcal has a similar decision to make, only he is expected to approve a deal that would send him to the St. Louis Cardinals before the non-waiver trade deadline at 1"
Kuroda gets no support in loss to Rockies
July 28
The Press-Enterprise
 
"If this was Hiroki Kuroda's final start with the Dodgers, his teammates gave him the kind of sendoff to which he has become accustomed: A wholly inoffensive one. Kuroda, the frequent subject of trade rumors as Sunday's deadline for non-waiver deals draws near, allowed one run in six innings Wednesday night. That was, of course, one too many, as the Dodgers lost 3-1 to Colorado, ending a four-game winning streak. It was the 10th time the Dodgers have scored fewer than three runs in a start by Kuroda, who now has a 6-13 record despite a very presentable 3.11 ERA. The surprise isn't that he's lost eight of those games, it's that he actually managed to win two of them. "I think you do feel bad"
Hiroki Kuroda doesn't get much support in 3-1 loss to Rockies
July 28
Los Angeles Times
 
"An empty ballpark. A game without any postseason implications. A solid performance. No win to show for it. For Hiroki Kuroda, Wednesday night was a repeat of countless other frustrating nights he has endured this season. He held the Colorado Rockies to one run over six innings, only to be saddled with the loss in a 3-1 defeat at Dodger Stadium. While Kuroda lowered his earned-run average to 3.11, his record dropped to 6-13. Until Rod Barajas hit a ninth-inning home run, the Dodgers were on the verge of being shut out for the third time in his last seven starts. But Kuroda can put an end to the vicious cycle. The decision appears to be his to make. All he has to do is waive his no-trade"
Yankees keeping an eye on Dodgers' Kuroda
July 28
New York Post
 
"The Yankees remain uncomfortable with the high price tag of Ubaldo Jimenez, but also equally uncomfortable with the state of their rotation behind CC Sabathia. Thus, they are remaining in regular contact with the Dodgers about Hiroki Kuroda. The Yankees liked Kuroda enough that he was their second choice in last offseason's free-agent market behind Cliff Lee. Nevertheless, by the time Lee signed with the Phillies, Kuroda already was committed to go back to the Dodgers. Kuroda is comfortable in Los Angeles and so doubt remains if he would waive his no-trade rights to accept moving. There have been conflicting reports on the matter. And Kuroda might have to make a definitive decision because"
Dodgers GM: Deal for Kuroda is not imminent
July 26
MLB.com
 
"Dodgers starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, the subject of increasing trade speculation, had not been asked to waive his no-trade clause for any specific club as of Monday. "I haven't talked to Ned [Colletti, general manager] or my agent or had any meeting in recent days," said Kuroda, who would need to approve any assignment. "I haven't heard anything from anybody." Colletti, who met with Kuroda last week and told him he would keep the pitcher informed, said Monday that no deal is imminent. The non-waiver Trade Deadline is Sunday. Kuroda's next start -- and possibly last for the Dodgers this year -- is Wednesday night. He said he's aware of the rumored destinations (the clubs most"
Pitcher Hiroki Kuroda laughs off trade rumors
July 26
L.A. Daily News
 
"Hiroki Kuroda needed no interpreter for his reaction to the latest trade rumor involving him. Kuroda laughed. He's been involved in a whirlwind of trade reports, and the latest has Kuroda willing to waive his no-trade clause with the Dodgers for either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, according to ESPN. Asked to confirm the report, Kuroda had a good laugh first. "I can't confirm that, because I've never talked about those teams," Kuroda said through an interpreter. "I've never talked about these things." Kuroda, who signed a one-year deal with the Dodgers in the offseason, is believed to have a short list - if one at all - of teams to whom he'd accept a trade. "My agent hasn't"
Kuroda denies interest in trade
July 26
The Press-Enterprise
 
"Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda denied a report Monday that he would only be interested in a deadline trade to Boston or the New York Yankees. "I never mentioned those teams," Kuroda said through a translator, when asked about the ESPN Internet story. "I never talked about those things ... I haven't thought about going anywhere." Kuroda is 6-12, with a 3.19 earned-run average, for a team that has provided scant run support for him. With the Dodgers out of contention, Kuroda is among a handful of team veterans who could draw interest from a contender. But he would have to waive the no-trade clause in his one-year deal, worth $12 million -- $8 million for this season and $4 million in bonuses"
Tigers, Dodgers discussing Kuroda
July 24
Foxsports.com
 
"The Tigers and Dodgers have had dialogue about a trade that would send Hiroki Kuroda to Detroit, sources say, but other teams remain involved and a deal is not yet close. One significant hurdle: Kuroda has a full no-trade clause, and his willingness to play in Detroit is unknown at this point. Kuroda is also expected to ask for some form of compensation — perhaps financial — if he waives the clause. However, one source said Kuroda is leaving all options open at this point. He hasn't ruled out East Coast teams — or anyplace else — the source indicated. The Rangers and Indians are among the other teams with interest in Kuroda, according to major-league sources. The Rangers and Tigers each"
Kuroda wants to be informed of trade developments
July 24
L.A. Daily News
 
"With the nonwaiver trade deadline eight days away and the Dodgers very much playing the part of sellers rather than buyers, their moveable assets remain in flux. Veteran infielder/outfielder Casey Blake can't stay healthy long enough to show he's capable of helping someone in a pennant stretch, and shortstop Rafael Furcal is mired in a season-long slump of poor play and injuries. The one Dodger a handful of contenders truly covet, pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, has a no-trade clause and reportedly won't give the Dodgers a list of teams he'd agree to join. He instead prefers general manager Ned Colletti to approach him on a case-by-case basis. Kuroda, though, said he's unaware of the Dodgers'"
Hiroki Kuroda clears the air about trade speculation
July 19
Los Angeles Times
 
"Nearly every day for the last couple of weeks, Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda has been asked the same question: Have you heard anything? Each time, he said he hadn't. That changed Monday, when Kuroda said he had met with General Manager Ned Colletti in the team hotel earlier in the day. The subject of trade speculation, Kuroda said Colletti told him he would promptly inform him if or when another team inquires about him. Kuroda's one-year, $12-million contract with the Dodgers includes a provision that allows him to block a trade to any team. Kuroda said Colletti told him he doesn't want to deal him and wants him to return next year, but that he wants to offer Kuroda the chance to win."
Angels' Weaver, Kendrick and Dodgers' Kemp, Kershaw selected as All-Stars
July 4
L.A. Daily News
 
"Jered Weaver downplayed his excitement recently but when his All-Star selection was made official Sunday, some gentle prodding by reporters brought out his enthusiasm. "Growing up as a kid and you've got a bat in your hand and you're like, 'I'm Mark McGwire' or 'I'm Ken Griffey Jr.,' " Weaver said. "All little kids (that) play baseball watch the All-Star Game and dream to be there one day." Weaver and Angels teammate Howie Kendrick were picked for the July 12 game at Chase Field in Phoenix while Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp and pitcher Clayton Kershaw were first-time selections to the All-Star team, which was announced Sunday. Weaver (Simi Valley High) watched the selection show with his"
Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda shuts down Angels, 5-0
July 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"There's an old baseball saying for what the Dodgers did in Angel Stadium on Friday night. They put up a "picket fence," which was the visual on the scoreboard after they tallied single runs in five of nine innings for a 5-0 interleague victory over the Angels. Crooked numbers can be tough to come by when your lineup looks like Matt Kemp and the seven dwarfs. Kemp entered the game with 22 home runs; the rest of the lineup - and that's with a designated hitter - combined for 17 homers, seven by Andre Ethier. But beggars and pitchers hungry for scraps of support can't be choosy. When you're in last place and 10 games out in the National League West, you take any kind of win. And when you're"
Hiroki Kuroda was anything but a big man on campus in high school
June 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"Clayton Kershaw was the national player of the year as a high school senior in Texas. Andre Ethier was an all-state player in Arizona. Rod Barajas was an all-league catcher in Southern California. Hiroki Kuroda was none of that … and less. Kuroda, who will start the Dodgers' series opener in Cincinnati on Friday, spent almost his entire high school career on the bench. This wasn't one of those cases in which a coach played his son or nephew over a more talented player. "He was the third-best pitcher on the team," said Hidemasa Tanaka, who coached Kuroda at Uenomiya High in Japan's Osaka prefecture. Tanaka was at Dodger Stadium when Kuroda shut out the Milwaukee Brewers over 7 2/3 innings"
Hiroki Kuroda's formula is a sure winner for Dodgers over Brewers, 3-0
May 18
Los Angeles Times
 
"You pitch for the Dodgers and you want to win a game? Easy. Don't give up any runs. Hiroki Kuroda has figured out that much. Backed by a two-run home run by Matt Kemp and a run-scoring double by Jerry Sands, Kuroda pitched 72/3 innings Tuesday night to lift the Dodgers to a 3-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that ended their losing streak at three games. "The team is a little down right now," Kuroda said. "Somebody has to change something. The rotatino has been pitching well. Today just happened to be my turn." The win was the second in a row for Kuroda (5-3), who six days earlier blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates over seven innings. Kemp aided Kuroda's effort not only with his bat, but"
Kuroda is wild, ineffective in Dodgers' loss
April 15
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Dodgers opened their homestand Thursday with a new look of heavy security. Following an Opening Day parking lot attack on San Francisco fan Bryan Stow, the Dodgers employed a presence of more than 200 LAPD officers, new temporary lights in the parking lot and security officials and police officers everywhere one looked inside Dodger Stadium. And baseball continued in front of a crowd of 34,288 with thousands of empty seats, even with a Lakers hat promotion and the St. Louis Cardinals in town. The Dodgers lost 9-5, thanks in part to a wild outing by starter Hiroki Kuroda and another ineffective offensive performance. The Dodgers stranded 10 baserunners. Matt Kemp was 3 for 5 with two"
Hiroki Kuroda re-signs with the Dodgers
November 16
Los Angeles Times
 
"Hiroki Kuroda said he didn't have to listen to any other offers. He was told the Dodgers wanted him back. That was all he had to know to decide where he would play next season. Kuroda re-signed with the Dodgers on Monday evening, passing a physical to make official a one-year, $12-million deal. "The fact that they felt they needed me made me happy," said Kuroda, who completed a three-year, $35.3-million contract this year. Kuroda said other major league clubs informed him of their interest in him, but that he agreed to a deal with the Dodgers before any of them made an offer. The Japanese right-hander, who was 11-13 with a 3.39 earned-run average, was widely considered the second-best"
Kuroda shows his worth in Dodgers victory over San Diego
September 24
L.A. Daily News
 
"Hiroki Kuroda hasn't decided where he's going to pitch next year, but if he keeps turning in performances like he did Thursday night at Dodger Stadium, he's going to be in demand on two continents. Kuroda scattered five hits and held the first-place San Diego Padres to one run, leading the Dodgers to a 3-1 victory. Kuroda struggled to get through the first inning but was dominant the rest of the way. He retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced and left after eight innings. Kuroda retired the side in order in the second, fifth, seventh and eighth innings, and got double-play help to get out of the first and fourth innings. "I was inconsistent with my control in the first inning and"
Hiroki Kuroda stifles Padres in 3-1 win
September 24
Los Angeles Times
 
"Hiroki Kuroda was sitting in front of his locker drawing up his socks on Thursday when he was told his start that night could be his last ever at Dodger Stadium. He nodded. The Dodgers were long out of contention. The ballpark appeared more than half empty. But Kuroda pitched as if the game meant something, holding the San Diego Padres to a run and five hits over eight innings in a 3-1 victory. He later said he didn't think much about the possibility that he might never pitch at Dodger Stadium again. "I'm not thinking about the future," he said. "It might be more accurate for me to say that I don't want to think about it." The guarded statement was similar to the answers Kuroda has offered"
Dodgers' Kuroda gets hit, allows only one
August 31
L.A. Daily News
 
"If the Dodgers were trying to make their fans forget about Manny Ramirez, they picked the right guy to do it. Hiroki Kuroda pitched 7 1/3 innings of no-hit ball and picked up his first hit of the season in the Dodgers' 3-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night at Dodger Stadium. Shane Victorino got the Phillies' only hit, a line-drive single to right, prompting the crowd of 44,896 to give Kuroda a standing ovation. If Ramirez's fans were looking for a new hero, now that the slugging outfielder is a member of the Chicago White Sox, they might have found one. Kuroda was pulled after 7 2/3 innings, and Hong-Chih Kuo retired the final four batters for his seventh save. "I was"
Dodgers' Kuroda one-hits Phillies
August 31
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"If the Phillies entered last night hoping to face the Hiroki Kuroda whom they demolished in the National League Championship Series last October, they came away severely disappointed. Instead, the pitcher they faced looked strikingly similar to the one who had stymied them on four other occasions, not to mention the one who entered the night with a 2.94 ERA in his last eight starts of this season. Kuroda held the Phillies hitless for 7 1/3 innings, finally allowing a single to Shane Victorino, as the Dodgers cruised to a 3-0 victory and handed the Phillies their 11th shutout loss of the season. It was the third time the Phillies have been one-hit this season, the others coming on May 22"
Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda flirts with a no-hitter
August 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"No Manny? No matter — the Dodgers still have Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda's no-hit pitching through 71/3 innings lifted the Dodgers to a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies and ace Roy Halladay on Monday at Dodger Stadium. The win not only helped the Dodgers put Manny Ramirez's departure behind them, it also lifted the Dodgers to within 5 1/2 games of Philadelphia in the National League wild-card race. Kuroda, perfect before walking Carlos Ruiz with one out in the sixth, didn't allow a hit until Shane Victorino singled to right field with one out in the eighth. As Victorino rounded first, the announced crowd of 44,896 loudly booed the Phillies center fielder and then quickly gave Kuroda a loud"
Hitters do enough for Hiroki Kuroda in 5-4 victory over Brewers
August 26
Los Angeles Times
 
"Who knows how long the heart of the Dodgers' lineup will remain intact after Manny Ramirez, Casey Blake and some other Dodgers reportedly were put on waivers Wednesday. But for one night, at least, the core group again showed the offensive form that was supposed to help the Dodgers repeat as division winners. Ramirez, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and James Loney all contributed at least one run batted in, and Blake went two for five and scored a run, as the Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-4, to take the first two games of their three-game series. The Dodgers moved to within 5 1/2 games of the Philadelphia Phillies, who lost to the Houston Astros, in the National League wild-card"
GM: Hiroki Kuroda not on Yanks' radar
August 25
ESPN.com
 
"General manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday that even though the pitching-depleted New York Yankees are engaged in a bitter division battle with the Tampa Bay Rays, he does not anticipate going outside the organization for help before the Aug. 31 waiver deadline. "What we got is what we're going with," Cashman said by phone from his office at Yankee Stadium. "I anticipate we are going to use the alternatives we have here." That means youngster Ivan Nova, journeyman Dustin Moseley and, hopefully, a return to form by Andy Pettitte, out since July 18 with a groin strain. "That is what we expect to happen," Cashman said. He also refuted media reports that the Yankees were planning to acquire"
Hiroki Kuroda starts Wednesday, but it's all very hush-hush
July 28
Los Angeles Times
 
"In his third season in the majors, Hiroki Kuroda has an increased understanding of American culture — enough to understand the concept that he could be jinxed by the written word. So when initially approached Tuesday, Kuroda smiled and used his left hand to simulate the sealing of his lips. The reason? He starts on Wednesday. The last time he had something written about him in this newspaper on the day he started was on July 2. He was pounded by the Arizona Diamondbacks for six runs in a season-low 1 2/3 innings. "After that, I don't want to take a chance," Kuroda said, laughing. That only happened once, Kuroda was told. This could serve as an experiment. "Experiment?" he replied, still"
Hiroki Kuroda fills in blanks for Dodgers
July 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"From the time Hiroki Kuroda and Hisanori Takahashi were teenagers, they frequently crossed paths. Their collegiate teams belonged to the same league. They faced each other as professionals in Japan, Kuroda pitching for the small-market Hiroshima Carp and Takahashi the big-money Tokyo Giants. They met again Thursday night at Dodger Stadium, not as the stars they were in their homeland, but as two pitchers trying to lift their teams out of ruts. The result was one familiar to them: Kuroda won. Kuroda went eight shutout innings in the Dodgers' 2-0 victory over the New York Mets, who lost for the 10th time in 12 games. Kuroda improved to 5-0 in the seven games he and Takahashi have gone head"
Hiroki Kuroda does his part to extend Dodgers' streak
May 19
Los Angeles Times
 
"Apparently, no Dodgers pitcher wants to be the one responsible for breaking the streak of the hottest team in baseball. Despite laboring at times and squandering an early lead, Hiroki Kuroda kept fighting long enough for his hitters to score again, and the Dodgers won their ninth consecutive game Tuesday night, a 7-3 victory over the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium. Casey Blake homered and Manny Ramirez and James Loney each had two-run singles to spearhead the Dodgers' offense in the win, the Dodgers' 11th in their last 12 games. The last time the club won nine games in a row was July 28-Aug. 11, 2006. The Dodgers kept their latest streak alive despite losing outfielder Andre Ethier, who"
Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda impressive on emotional night
April 10
Los Angeles Times
 
"Hiroki Kuroda said his deceased friend was in his thoughts. Two days before Kuroda held the Florida Marlins to an unearned run over eight magnificent innings in the Dodgers' 7-3 victory at Sun Life Stadium, he learned from news reports out of Japan that Takuya Kimura had died of a brain hemorrhage. But as Kuroda stood in front of his locker biting his lower lip between sentences on Friday night, he said he didn't want to trivialize the death of his longtime Hiroshima Carp teammate by doing something as tacky as dedicating his first victory of the season to him. "To say that I pitched for Takuya-san and that it affected the outcome of the game would be making light of what happened," Kuroda"
Hiroki Kuroda is hoping for a full, healthy season
March 17
Los Angeles Times
 
"There are aspects of baseball in this country that Hiroki Kuroda still isn't used to. Heading into his third season in the major leagues, Kuroda hasn't completely adjusted to pitching every five days. Or to the slickness of American baseballs. Or to even the spring-training schedule. So before leaving Los Angeles for Camelback Ranch last month, Kuroda picked up the phone and called the Japanese pitcher who overcame these obstacles better than any other. A pitcher who did that while wearing the same Dodgers colors Kuroda wears today. He called Hideo Nomo. Nomo is a part-time Los Angeles resident, but he and Kuroda had never met or talked. Kuroda had heard that Nomo was a guest coach in the"
Billingsley to 'pen; Garland off roster
October 15
MLB.com
 
"Reliever Jeff Weaver was sent home from Wednesday's practice with flu-like symptoms, the third Dodgers player this week to fall ill with a bug on the eve of Thursday's National League Championship Series opener (5:07 p.m. PT on TBS) against the Phillies. Of course, there are worse places to be sent than home. Chad Billingsley, who would have started Game 4 of the NL Division Series if there had been one, has been sent to the bullpen. Jon Garland, not used in the first round as a long reliever, has been sent to baseball Siberia -- told he will be left off the roster entirely for the best-of-seven rematch with the Phils. The demotions of Billingsley and Garland are fallout from the rapid"
Kuroda may be back in NLCS mix
October 13
MLB.com
 
"Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda worked out at Dodger Stadium on Monday, and is scheduled to fly to Arizona to pitch in a simulated game Tuesday against instructional league hitters at the club's Camelback Ranch complex. Kuroda has recovered from a herniated disk in his neck, which forced him to skip his final regular-season start and kept him off the roster for the National League Division Series against the Cardinals. A successful simulated game might put him back in the mix for one of the Dodgers' four starting slots in the NL Championship Series, which starts Thursday at home against Philadelphia."
Hiroki Kuroda will face fears head-on
September 4
Los Angeles Times
 
"For days now, people have talked in amazement about Hiroki Kuroda's last pitch. The ball coming off the bat of Arizona's Rusty Ryal, shooting into the side of Kuroda's head, bouncing off his skull and back into the stands, dropping him to the dirt with a ground-rule concussion. For days now, people have talked in amazement about Hiroki Kuroda's last pitch, which sent me to Dodger Stadium on Thursday in search of something even more compelling. His next pitch. How exactly does one do that? A soft cap covering his head, memories of violent pain filling his brain, how does a pitcher resume taking giant steps within 55 feet of a man swinging a bat?"
Kuroda could start Sunday for Dodgers
September 2
MLB.com
 
"Hiroki Kuroda improved his chances of returning to the Dodgers' rotation Sunday with an effective rehab start for Class A Inland Empire on Tuesday night. In his first game action since taking a line drive off the head Aug. 15, Kuroda allowed San Jose one unearned run on five hits in five innings, throwing 62 pitches. He struck out five and the only run allowed scored in the third inning on a passed ball. Kuroda has been disabled from the effects of a concussion since getting drilled off the side of the head by a Rusty Ryal line drive in Arizona. Dodgers manager Joe Torre said earlier Tuesday that Kuroda is "penciled in" as the Dodgers' starter Sunday against the Padres."
Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda will miss his next start
August 18
Los Angeles Times
 
"Hiroki Kuroda has been ruled out for his start on Thursday, Manager Joe Torre said. Kuroda underwent a battery of tests that indicated he was recovering from the line drive he took on his head on Saturday in Arizona, but was sent home early and missed his previously scheduled bullpen session. "That would all but eliminate that," Torre said of Kuroda taking his next turn in the rotation. Trainer Stan Conte said that Kuroda continues to experience headaches from time to time and that his activities will be determined on a day-by-day basis. Kuroda underwent an exam that tests brain function, and it showed he had a mild concussion. "A lot of his reaction times were normal," Conte said. "It was"
Kuroda to return to rotation Monday
May 29
MLB.com
 
"Hiroki Kuroda will return to the Dodgers' starting rotation Monday night for the opener of a nine-game homestand, manager Joe Torre announced before Friday's game with the Cubs. Kuroda, out since an Opening Day win because of a strained left oblique muscle, cleared the final hurdle by throwing a bullpen session in Los Angeles on Friday morning. He had made two rehab starts for Class A Inland Empire, the most recent on Wednesday, when he allowed seven runs in five innings. But Torre is eager to get his warrior back in the rotation. "If he's fine," Torre said, "he'll start Monday." Torre said he hasn't decided who will be removed from the rotation to make room for Kuroda, but it will be one"
Kuroda to return to rotation Monday
May 29
MLB.com
 
"Hiroki Kuroda will return to the Dodgers' starting rotation Monday night for the opener of a nine-game homestand, manager Joe Torre announced before Friday's game with the Cubs. Kuroda, out since an Opening Day win because of a strained left oblique muscle, cleared the final hurdle by throwing a bullpen session in Los Angeles on Friday morning. He had made two rehab starts for Class A Inland Empire, the most recent on Wednesday, when he allowed seven runs in five innings. But Torre is eager to get his warrior back in the rotation. "If he's fine," Torre said, "he'll start Monday." Torre said he hasn't decided who will be removed from the rotation to make room for Kuroda, but it will be one"
Kuroda feels good after bullpen session
May 11
MLB.com
 
"Dodgers right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, who is on the disabled list with a left oblique strain, threw his first bullpen session Sunday since suffering the injury.Kuroda threw 25 pitches, all fastballs, and came out of the session saying his shoulder and side "feel so much better."But he also added that it's still too early to set a target date on his return to the club."I don't really have a timetable and if there is one I'm not aware of it," Kuroda said through a translator. "Last time, I tried to rush it though and tried to push the trainer to let me throw more and it caused a setback. So this time I'm going to listen to the trainer as much as possible."Dodgers athletic trainer Stan Conte"
No timetable for return of Kuroda, Kuo
May 5
MLB.com
 
"Hiroki Kuroda played catch Monday and Hong-Chih Kuo did not, but there's no timetable for either disabled pitcher to take the mound again for the Dodgers. Kuroda, the Opening Day starter who has been disabled since April 7 with a left oblique strain, played light catch on flat ground just to keep his shoulder loose. But trainer Stan Conte said until the lingering tightness in the injured area is completely gone, Kuroda won't take the mound. And even when he does, it will still be weeks before he's activated as Kuroda essentially will need to go through a Spring Training to rebuild the arm strength needed for a starting pitcher. "It's a tricky injury and if you move too fast at the end, you"
Dodgers pitcher Kuroda out a little longer
April 16
L.A. Daily News
 
"Dodgers right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, whom club officials had hoped would be ready to come off the 15-day disabled list as soon as he becomes eligible next Wednesday, will instead need additional time to recover from a mild strain of his left oblique. Kuroda presently isn't allowed to participate in any baseball activity, including playing catch, and Dodgers trainer Stan Conte said the pitcher almost certainly will need to make at least one start in a minor-league game before being activated. "There is still some tightness in his side, but there is no question he is better," Conte said. "With this type of injury, we definitely want him to have (at least) a bullpen. In a perfect scenario, you"
Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda goes on the disabled list
April 11
Los Angeles Times
 
"Hiroki Kuroda's goal was to make it through the season without landing on the disabled list. He couldn't make it through a week. The Dodgers' opening-day starter was scratched from his scheduled start today in Arizona and put on the 15-day disabled list, but not because of the shoulder that bothered him most of last season. The culprit is a left oblique that he mildly strained in a bullpen session three days ago. Left-hander Eric Stults, who posted a 9.49 earned-run average in spring training, will be recalled from triple-A Albuquerque to start today in place of Kuroda. "I realize I've burdened the team by getting so hurt so soon after opening day," said Kuroda, who won his first start of"
Dodgers' pitcher Kuroda's DL stint merely a precaution
April 11
L.A. Daily News
 
"Right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, the Dodgers' opening-day starter, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a mild strain of his left oblique, a move that was mostly precautionary for a condition that isn't believed to be serious. To fill Kuroda's spot on both the roster and in the starting rotation, the Dodgers recalled lefty Eric Stults, who was about to make his first start of the season for Triple-A Albuquerque against Omaha but instead will now start tonight for the big club at Arizona. Although Dodgers trainer Stan Conte stopped short of predicting Kuroda will miss the minimum amount of time - the move was backdated to Tuesday, so he is eligible to return on April 22 - club"