Wednesday Late Morning/Early Afternoon Food For Thought

Hiroki Kuroda in the 1st inning in 2013: 32.0 IP, 46 H, 8 BB, 21 ER, 5 HR

Kuroda in the 2nd-9th innings in 2013: 169.1 IP, 145 H, 35 BB, 53 ER, 15 HR

He said he doesn't have an explanation, and given the fact that it's been a season long problem it doesn't seem like Joe or Larry Rothschild do either.  Make no mistake though, the 1st inning has killed Hirok this season.  Subtract that inning and its terrible results and he's probably still in the hunt for the AL Cy Young.  It wouldn't be such a problem if he had some offensive support, but the current lineup Joe's rolling out is almost as short and powerless as it was during the lowest times of the summer.  Once the 1st inning was over last night, so was the game.