Kuroda has been pitching with a dead arm since August 17 when the Red Sox hammered 11 hits off of him in a butt ugly 6-1 loss.
It was suggested to fade Kuroda against Archer and TB his next start because Kuroda is running on empty, as he got shelled again 7-2, in a start just as ugly as the previous one.
Then Kuroda and the Yanks go up to Toronto and face that underachieving team, and Kuroda and his dead arm got hammered yet again, and loses that one again, 7-2
Last start against the White Sox, he won ugly, 6-4, but he gave up 4 earned, on six hits, walked two last time out.
Not pretty.
Listen, I am a Yankee fan, respect what Kurdoda has done for the team I root for, however, people, his arm his shot, it's been shot for a month now.
I am not expecting, off of his previous four starts, to reach into his Kuroda bag of tricks, throw a 5 hit 1 run effort today, even without Ellsbury, against that line up. When healthy Papi owns Kuroda, Papi should have his own way today in the batters box. Pedroia hits Kuroda too.
I am not the biggest Lester (Sox starter today) fan in the world, but that last start against Mighty Max and the Tigers was beyond brilliant, and the Yanks big boys have trouble with Lester.
I don't want to hear 'let down' game for Lester today, either.
If you wear Red Sox red, you don't have let down games against the Yankees, Lester hates them.
Even without Ellsbury, Red Sox have the better line up today, are swinging the better bats, and have (right here, right now at this point in time) the better starter.
If Kuroda doesn't give NYY at least six plus innings, it's going be another ugly NYY loss, their bull pen, like Kuroda's arm is abused.
On paper, and I get games are played on the field, not paper, but looking at all the data before the first pitch is thrown today, this not only looks like the easiest game on the card today, but the easiest game on the card all week.
If I am wrong, I am wrong, so be it.
Pass, fade or tail me on this one, it's all good.
I'm strong on this play, Sox 4* at -107