With his landscape reportedly "wide open," Hiroki Kuroda is seeking a $12-$13MM salary, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, who feels that the goal is attainable because Kuroda isn't seeking a long-term deal.
Kuroda, who will be 37 on Opening Day, enjoyed arguably his best Major League season in 2011, posting career bests in ERA (3.07) and innings pitched (202). His 7.2 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 were consistent with his marks in 2010. Advanced metrics like FIP (3.78) and SIERA (3.66) will suggest that he took a step back from his 2010 numbers, and it's worth noting that he post a career-low 43.2% groundball rate and a career high 22% line drive rate.
Kuroda signed a one-year deal with a $12MM base last year for his fourth season in the Majors (all with the Dodgers). His Dodgers tenure was effectively ended when Los Angeles inked Chris Capuano to a two-year deal last week. The Rockies and Red Sox are known to have interest in Kuroda.
