New York Yankees

          Spend Hal's Money: Hiroki Kuroda

          Hiroki Kuroda is consistent, but he's very near the end. Leon Halip/Getty Images

          The Yankees went into last winter with a publicly stated goal of keeping their payroll below $189 million. They came out of it having committed more than $400 million for four new players. This winter, there are no such payroll limitations, at least to our knowledge, but there is still plenty of need. And since there is nothing more fun than playing with another guy's cash, we at ESPN New York will once again aid the Yankees' decision-makers with a little game we like to call "Spend Hal's Money."

          Hiroki Kuroda

          Hiroki Kuroda

          #18 SP
          New York Yankees

          2014 STATS

          • GM32

          • W11

          • L9

          • BB35

          • K146

          • ERA3.71

          Today's Candidate: Hiroki Kuroda

          Position: Starting pitcher

          Age: 40 on Feb. 10

          Height: 6-1

          Weight: 205

          2014 Numbers: $16 million salary, 11-9, 3.71 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 2.4 WAR

          Pros: Kuroda isn't spectacular, but he's as dependable as a sunrise. In his seven big-league seasons, Kuroda has averaged 30 starts and about 190 innings per year; if you take away his injury-riddled 2009 season for the Dodgers, the numbers are 32 starts and 200 innings. So one thing you can count on is that every five days, Kuroda will take the baseball. And he'll generally give you quality innings; he went at least six innings in 24 of his 32 starts in 2014 and worked into the eighth inning 10 times, a blessing for a club with an overworked bullpen. And unlike his disturbing 2013 season, in which he fell off a cliff after the All-Star break, Kuroda was actually much better in the second half of 2014 than in the first half, going 5-3 with a 3.16 ERA in the second half after starting out 6-6, 4.10. As always, he pitched in terrible luck for a team that scored two runs or fewer in 12 of his starts.

          Cons: His age, obviously. And the fact that in spite of his steadiness, Kuroda is probably no more than a No. 3 starter at this point in his career. He gave up just about a hit an inning last season, and at some point, his age and the mileage on his arm -- which poked their noses into his business a few times the past few seasons -- will begin to take over. At around $16 million a year, that is a huge gamble for any team to take.

          The Verdict: It's probably a moot point to make a call here, because I'm told the Yankees are pretty sure Kuroda will retire. That is why they didn't bother giving him the qualifying offer, which at $15.3 million would have amounted to slight pay cut. Kuroda has indicated that if he does play, it would only be for the Yankees or the Dodgers, with whom he began his U.S career in 2008. And while he gave the Yankees three seasons of excellent service -- 38-33, 3.44 ERA -- the odds are, given his age and pay grade, the Yankees would not be unhappy to see Kuroda pack it in, or return to Japan to pitch one more season over there. I would have to agree. Better to let Kuroda go a season too early than a season too late.