HIRO-KEY TO VICTORY

The Toronto Blue Jays were kicking the stuffing out of Hiroki Kuroda. Jose Bautista hit a solo shot off of him. JP Arencibia cranked a two run blast. Edwin Encarnacion rang up a three run dinger. Toronto easily cruised to an 8-1 victory over the New York Yankees.

The date was May 16, 2012. I was attending my last Yankee game in Toronto before moving back to the Apple. This was my first look at Hiroki Kuroda in person. To say that I was unimpressed would be similar in tone to informing a beachfront community in the path of a tidal wave to “expect moisture.”

At that point in the 2012 season, Kuroda was 3-5 with an ERA of 4.50. Baseball pundits everywhere, including myself, figured that the big bad AL East was too much for a guy used to the pitcher friendly National League.

"Hoo boy" I thought, "this guy ain’t the answer."

Thankfully I enjoy the taste of crow. I have had to eat so much of it over my lifetime that I have developed an awesome recipe for it. You would think they were hot wings. Really. Great with beer and baseball.

Kuroda made sure I had plenty of that dish for the rest of the 2012 season. He grabbed his destiny by the scruff of the neck and finished the season 16-11. He dropped his ERA more than a point to 3.32. He threw three complete games, two of them for shutouts.

And just to rub my face in it, the guy who beat me last season in fantasy baseball picked up Kuroda after I had dropped him. Hiroki, of course, was the difference in winning my opponent that week and subsequently, the League Championship.

This season, Kuroda has been a machine. He has picked right up from where he left off last year. As of this writing he is 11-8 with a 2.41 ERA, dropping it by almost another full point. He also has a complete game shutout. He is the ace of the New York staff, and the one pitcher that gets fans excited for the game each and every time he starts. We know we will have a good chance of winning with Hiroki Kuroda on the mound.

So how does this happen? How does a pitcher go from “Hoo boy” to “You da man?” The answer lies with the Toronto Blue Jays.

After getting his butt truly and thoroughly kicked by the Jays that May, Kuroda marked the next time he would face them in his calendar, July 18, 2012. He clamped down, focused, and turned his approach around. When Toronto came to town, Hiroki was ready.

In that rain-shortened game, Kuroda allowed four hits, no runs, and notched five K’s. The game was ended at 6 1/2 innings, technically giving Hiroki a complete game shut out. At that point in the season, this was his third victory in a row. He was firmly above .500 and would not lower himself below that line again.

How does this happen? Determination. Focus. Grit. Heart. All of the attributes that are admirable in great athletes. Hiroki Kuroda was the person most critical of his performance against the Jays. He vowed to turn himself around. He set his jaw and waited for the chance to get at Toronto again. And this time he creamed them.

From there on in, Kuroda’s quiet confidence has been unshakable. He has simply walked to the mound, taken the ball, and located it. His splitter has good motion. His fastball darts in and out. He trusts his abilities. He knows he has good stuff. He carries himself with composure and dignity befitting the pinstripes.

A confident pitcher is a good pitcher. A good pitcher wins games. Hiroki Kuroda is an excellent pitcher. And he is the key to victory for the Yankees.

 
Chad R. MacDonald
BYB Features Writer
Facebook: New York Yankees the Home of Champions
My Blog: ChadRants


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