KUO, HONG-CHIH  
 
Image of    Nickname:   N/A Position:   P
Home: Tainan City, Taiwan Team:   Retired
Height: 6' 2" Bats:   L
Weight: 240 Throws:   L
DOB: 7/23/1981 Agent: Alan Chang-Octagon
Birth City: Tainan City, Taiwan Draft: 1999 - Dodgers - Free agent - Out of High School in Taiwan
Uniform #: N/A  
 
YR LEA TEAM SAL(K) G IP H SO BB GS CG SHO SV W L OBA ERA
2000 CAL SAN BERNARDINO   1 3 0 7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   0.00
2001 GCL Dodgers   7 19 13 21 4 6 0 0 0 0 0   2.33
2002 GCL Dodgers   3 6 4 9 1 3 0 0 0 0 0   4.50
2002 FSL VERO BEACH   4 8 11 8 2 4 0 0 0 0 1   6.75
2003 - D.L.                            
2004 SAL COLUMBUS, GA   3 6 8 10 4 0 0 0 0 1 0   4.50
2005 SL JACKSONVILLE   17 28 22 44 11 0 0 0 3 1 1   1.91
2005 NL DODGERS $316.00 9 5.1 5 10 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.238 6.75
2005 FSL VERO BEACH   11 26 19 42 10 3 0 0 0 1 1   2.08
2006 NL DODGERS $328.00 28 59.2 54 71 33 5 0 0 0 1 5 0.244 4.22
2006 PCL LAS VEGAS   23 53 52 63 22 9 0 0 1 4 3 52 3.06
2007 PCL LAS VEGAS   7 20 18 28 8 5 0 0 0 0 1 0.243 3.60
2007 NL DODGERS $384.00 8 30.1 35 27 14 6 0 0 0 1 4 0.285 7.42
2008 NL DODGERS $392.00 42 80 60 96 21 3 0 0 1 5 3 0.204 2.14
2009 NL DODGERS $437.00 35 30 21 32 13 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.198 3.00
2009 AZL AZL-Dodgers   3 3 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0   0.00
2009 PCL ALBUQUERQUE   2 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0   4.50
2009 CAL INLAND EMPIRE   4 4 3 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0.00
2010 CAL INLAND EMPIRE   2 2 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0   0.00
2010 NL DODGERS $950.00 56 60 29 73 18 0 0 0 12 3 2 0.139 1.20
2011 NL DODGERS $2,725.00 40 27 24 36 23 0 0 0 0 1 2 0.242 9.00
2011 PCL ALBUQUERQUE   2 1.2 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0   0.00
2011 CAL RANCHO CUCAMONGA   5 4.1 7 7 1 1 0 0 0 0 1   6.23

  • Kuo has an outgoing personality.

  • He is a hard worker.

  • He played in several international tournaments, including the IBA International Tournament in Japan and the Senior League World Series in Florida.

  • In 2000, he had his hair dyed an orange-reddish tint.

  • In 2001, he learned a lot of English from the Dodgers' Asian interpreters while he was stranded in Vero Beach, Florida, rehabbing after his Tommy John surgery.

  • Kuo loves to go fishing.

  • During the off-season before 2006 spring training, Baseball America rated Hong-Chih as 14th-best prospect in the Dodgers organization.

  • Kuo tested postively for a banned substance during the Asian Games. Hong-Chih said the substance was in a cold mdication he took.

  • On June 12, 2007, Kuo became the first Taiwanese-born player in Major League history to hit a homerun.

    TRANSACTIONS

  • 1999: Hong-Chih signed with the Dodgers, and scouts Jack Zduriencik and Kohrogi, for a $1.25 million bonus. He was the first Taiwanese-born high school player to sign a pro contract.

    But he was raw, not even knowing how to properly play catch. He just lobbed the ball. Then he tried to fire the ball at 100 mph.

  • January 19, 2010: Kuo and the Dodgers avoided salary arbitration, agreeing on a $950,000 salary for 2010.

  • February 2, 2011: Kuo and the Dodgers avoided arbitration, agreeing on a base salary of $2.725 million contract for 2011. There are also performance bonuses possible based on appearances and games finished.

  • December 12, 2011: The Dodgers did not offer Kuo a contract for 2012.

  • February 6, 2012: Hong-Chih signed with the Mariners.

    But the M's released Kuo on March 19, 2012 after he posted a 17.55 ERA in six spring training appearances over 6 ¾ innings. He allowed 13 earned runs and gave up five home runs.
PERSONAL:
 

  • Kuo is built a lot like Chan Ho Park, with a loose, flexible upper body but strong, thick hips and thighs that allow him to drive off the mound like Tom Seaver. He has tremendous arm speed with an efficient, compact delivery. The ball jumps out of his hand.

  • He relies almost exclusively on his rising-and-running 94-98 mph FASTBALL that he can place on either side of the plate. That heater jumps on hitters, showing running action. His 79-83 mph slurvy-CURVEBALL has great rotation and a 10-to-4 break. Kuo also has a great feel for his deceptive CHANGEUP, but it needs more work. He added a SLIDER in 2006.

  • He has a simple, smooth delivery. His delivery allows the ball to get on the hitter quickly.

  • Hong-Chih is poised and aggressive, challenging hitters. His makeup is such that he wants to excel.

  • Ken Howell and Steve Yeager, who were teammates of Steve Howe and coached Kuo at Double-A Jacksonville, said the lefty's style is reminiscent of Howe's—the fearless lefty relief pitcher who had so much success for the Dodgers years ago.

    "Where he resembles Howe is that he goes right after guys," said Howell. "He throws hard and throws strikes. He attacks the zone and surprises right-handed hitters who wait for him to nibble. He's fun to watch."

  • In 2010, Kuo stymied lefty hitters, who managed only a .095 average with no homers in 63 at-bats. Righthanded batters had a .159 average with one homer in 145 at-bats.

  • As of the start of the 2012 season, Kuo had a career Major League record of 13-17 with a 3.73 ERA having allowed 18 home runs and 228 hits while striking out 345 in 292 innings.

PITCHING:
 

  • April 2000: Kuo injured his arm pitching in his very first game of the season. He struck out 7 of the first 10 batters he faced, then was injured for most of the next five years. 

    The ligament injury required Tommy John surgery, performed by Dr. Frank Jobe in April 2000.

  • In 2001, he pitched only 19 innings.

  • November 2002: Hong-Chih had surgery to remove scar tissue in his left elbow—a cleanup operation.

  • Spring 2003: Kuo's elbow blew out again. So he had to undergo a second Tommy John elbow reconstruction. (Another Dodger, Darren Dreifort, also had to undergo two Tommy John procedures.)

  • 2004: Kuo spent the first two months of the season on the D.L., recovering from that second Tommy John surgery. He was reactivated June 1.

  • March 22-May 3, 2007: Kuo was  shut down with inflammation in the back of his throwing shoulder. It was a strained teres major muscle in the back of the shoulder. The muscle is just below the four that make up the rotator cuff and is essential in accelerating the arm for the throwing motion.

    It took him out of the running for the job as the #5 starter for the Dodgers. He opened the 2007 season on the D.L.

  • July 25–end of 2007 season: Kuo underwent a fourth operation on his elbow, this time to remove a single loose body that was causing irritation when he threw. The arthroscopic procedure performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic lasted only 25 minutes.

    Ordinarily, that would be considered a minor clean-up. But nothing is minor in the elbow of Kuo, which has undergone two Tommy John reconstructions, a scar tissue clean-up, and now this, over seven years. He was out for the year and the Dodgers might even find themselves having to talk Kuo out of retiring. Kuo has hinted to teammates that would be a consideration if he needed another operation.

  • 2008 Season: Staying healthy with that elbow that has survived four surgeries, including one 13 months previous, forced Kuo to be among the first players to show up to work every day. He has received various forms of therapy in the trainer's room, ranging from ultrasound and electrical stimulation treatment to extra stretching.

    On days when he might be called upon to pitch, Kuo rubs a hot balm on his elbow to keep it loose. After every outing, he straps packs of ice on his shoulder and elbow.

    "He's shown more heart than I've ever seen in a player trying to get through a season," trainer Stan Conte said.

  • May 1-July 27, 2009: Kuo was on the D.L. with a sore left elbow. While it is true his elbow was strained, he also  had a case of the "yips," a loss of certain motor skills often used by golfers to explain shaky putting, but adapted in baseball for players who suddenly can't control throws with no loss in velocity.

  • March 26-April 22, 2010: Hong-Chih began the season on the D.L. with left elbow soreness.

  • April 16-May 1, 2011: Kuo was put on the D.L. with what was called a "lower left back strain," and his back does have an issue, but apparently he also has a relapse of the yips.

    During pitchers' fielding practice on Friday, two of Kuo's throws to second base sailed and bounced into center field. He tried to warm up in the bullpen during the eighth inning of a blowout loss and wasn't able to throw a strike. (He previously had the "yips" back in May, 2009 -- see above.)

  • May 11-June 9, 2011: Kuo was on the D.L. with anxiety disorder. In the past, he had several bouts of the yips, a disconnect between the mind and body that leaves athletes incapable of performing the most ordinary motor-skill tasks. In Kuo's case, that has been throwing a baseball accurately.

    Among Major Leaguers that in recent years have publicly battled anxiety disorder are Joey Votto, Zack Greinke, Dontrelle Willis and Khalil Greene. Among players who have battled the yips are former Dodgers Steve Sax and Gary Bennett, Chuck Knoblauch, Rick Ankiel and current Pirates broadcaster Steve Blass.

  • October 28, 2011: Hong-Chih underwent a fifth opertaion on his left elbow. He had a loose body removed arthroscopically, and also some scar tissue removed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache. It is estimated that he would be able to resume throwing in six to eight weeks.

CAREER INJURY REPORT:
 
 
Last Updated 5/9/2019 7:26:00 PM. All contents © 2000 by Player Profiles. All rights reserved.