Angels Might Save Hiroki Kuroda From Japan

Dodgers free agent pitcher, Hiroki Kuroda, recorded a career best 3.07 ERA in 2011 but might head back to Japan instead of pitching in the MLB next season. Kuroda will turn 37-years-old before the start of the 2012 season but in four years with the Dodgers, he has been pretty consistent. Aside from 2009 when he made 20 starts, Kuroda has started at least 31 games and averaged a 3.45 ERA and 3.55 FIP (fielding independent pitching) which means he’s pretty much the pitcher his ERA indicates. The Angels, along with the Dodgers, appear to be the only teams with a chance to keep Kuroda in America, according to Jon Heyman anyway…

I’m sure Japan isn’t that bad of a place to play and he is kind of from there. I just picture Japan as one big, raw fish Hello Kitty factory. I get all of my foreign culture from Simpsons episodes. Kuroda made $12M on a one year deal in 2011 after finishing a 3-year $35.3M contract in 2010. Bill James projects another ho-hum 204.0 innings of 3.57 ERA and 3.89 FIP for 2012. I’d certainly be in favor of handing out a one year deal to bolster the back of the Angels rotation.

Who am I kidding though? The Angels are probably going to back up a dump truck of cash to C.J. Wilson’s driveway.