Hong-Chih Kuo

Hong-Chih Kuo
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 56
Starting Pitcher
Bats: Left Throws: Left
debut
September 2, 2005, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Career statistics (through August 3, 2009)
Win-Loss	8-13
Earned Run Average	3.91
Strikeouts	212
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (2005-present)

Template:Chinese name Hong-Chih Kuo (Chinese: 郭泓志; pinyin: Guō Hóngzhì; Wade–Giles: Kuo¹ Hung² Chih⁴; born July 23, 1981) is a Major League Baseball pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Kuo made his debut in 2005, he became the fourth MLB player from Taiwan (after Chin-Feng Chen, Chin-hui Tsao, and Chien-Ming Wang).

Kuo pitched for Taiwan in the Asian Games and in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, allowing three earned runs in two games of work.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Kuo was signed as a free agent by the Dodgers on June 19 1999, but elbow problems prevented him from participating with the team. He underwent two Tommy John surgeries in 2000 and 2003, respectively. It wasn't until 2005 that Kuo was able to pitch again on a consistent basis. That year, he pitched 11 games for the Vero Beach Dodgers and 17 games for the Jacksonville Suns before coming out of the bullpen for his Major League debut on September 2, 2005 against the Colorado Rockies.

2006 season

Kuo started the 2006 season as a relief pitcher. After giving up eight earned runs on 15 walks in only 13 innings pitched in April, he was sent down to the Dodger's AAA affiliate in Las Vegas. That May and June in AAA he posted a 3.75 ERA in Las Vegas in 12 innings, striking out 18, but walking eight. He was called up by the Dodgers in June. Over June and July 2006, Kuo had a miserable 5.74 ERA in 14.1 IP.

Back in Las Vegas for most of July, the Dodgers decided to start Kuo rather than have him work out of the bullpen, hoping that the increased innings would give him a chance to improve his control, and that ample rest between appearances would protect his fragile elbow. His ERA in July was 5.19, with 17 Ks and eight BB in 17.1 IP. However, in his last start of the month, he had his longest appearance in several years, pitching five shutout innings. Kuo built upon that with a 1.14 ERA in five August starts, striking out 28 in 23.2 innings.

On September 8, 2006, Kuo made his first start in the major leagues after more than 30 relief appearances. In his debut, he tossed six shutout innings and lead the Dodgers to a 5-0 victory over the New York Mets. His next three starts were largely successful, and Kuo ended the season with a 2.59 ERA as a starter.

2007 season

A spring training injury kept Kuo from starting the 2007 season in the Dodgers' rotation, but he eventually reclaimed his starting pitcher role.

On June 12, 2007, Kuo hit a 412-foot home run and became the first Taiwanese player to hit a home run in MLB. He also picked up his first win of the season in that game.

2008 season

Kuo started the season competing with Esteban Loaiza for the fifth starter spot in the Dodgers rotation. Off-season elbow surgery raised doubts about his endurance, so Kuo was made a long-reliever by manager Joe Torre. He has excelled in that role as well as serving in middle relief and set-up.

A particular pitching performance of note came against the New York Mets on May 6th. Kuo came in during the fourth inning in relief of Hiroki Kuroda, and pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings without giving up a hit, striking out 8 of the 12 batters he faced, and securing his second victory of the year. Kuo recorded his first career save on August 14 against the Phillies when he pitched two scoreless innings without allowing a hit.

Kuo finished the 2008 season with a 5-3 record, appeared in 42 games, three games as a starter and 39 games in relief, and accumulated an overall ERA of 2.14 with 96 strikeouts in 80 innings. Kuo led all National League relievers with an ERA of 1.69. In his 39 relief appearances, he allowed only 49 hits in 69 1/3 innings, striking out 86 batters, while limiting the opposition to a .204 average.

A tricep injury forced him to miss the last 15 games of the regular season, but he recovered in time for the National League Championship series and was activated on October 9th. He appeared in three games during the Championship series, logging three innings, allowing two hits and one earned run, while striking out three.

Kuo was named the 2008 Setup Man of the Year, voted by the fans on MLB.com as part of the website's This Year in Baseball Awards.

Pitching Style

Despite the four surgeries on his elbow, Kuo can still reach the mid 90s with his fastball while occasionally reaching 96 to 97 with excellent late movement. He throws a sharp slider clocking in the high 80s, a curveball, and a changeup. For a power pitcher, Kuo is quick to the plate. His velocity and pitch execution makes him difficult to hit. Also, he does not surrender many home runs. Kuo's command has steadily improved, and he has maintained an excellent strikeout to walk ratio (4 1/2 to 1 in 2008).

Controversy

Kuo and three other Taiwanese players tested positive for banned stimulants before joining the 2006 Asian Games in Doha. The players explained that they had taken cold/pain medications containing a banned substance and due to their innocent situation, all of them were cleared to play in the Asian Games by Taiwan's Olympic Committee.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs

{{subst:#if:Kuo, Hong-chih|}} [[Category:{{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1981}}

|| UNKNOWN | MISSING = Year of birth missing {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:}}||LIVING=(living people)}}
| #default = 1981 births

}}]] {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:}}

|| LIVING  = 
| MISSING  = 
| UNKNOWN  = 
| #default = 

}}