Kuo Analysis

by John Sickels on Sep 5, 2005 5:08 PM EDT in News

Per Reader Request, a look at Dodgers prospect Hong-Chih Kuo.

Kuo was signed by the Dodgers out of Taiwan back in 1999, earning a $1.25 million bonus on the strength of his mid-90s fastball and power breaking ball.. He made one start in 2000, striking out seven men in three shutout innings for San Bernadino in the Cal League, but he blew out his arm in so doing and had to have Tommy John surgery. Rehab and further elbow pain limited him to just a handful of innings 2001 through 2004.

Kuo is healthy this year and has done extremely well in relief. In 54.1 innings combined between Class A Vero Beach and Double-A Jacksonville, Kuo has an 86/21 K/BB ratio and a 1.99 ERA. His K/IP is extremely impressive, and all of his numbers are better than average. He seems to have taken well to a relief role, which could/should help him avoid further arm troubles.

There is some risk here, due to his lack of experience above Double-A and his injury history, but his stuff is first-class. If he continues to throw strikes, he should be ready to help the Dodgers in 2006.

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Man..

Dodgers AA is stacked...

Jackson(formerly), Martin, Guzman, Laroche, Loney, Billingsley, Kuo..

Are reports accurate that he tops out in the upper 90s?

by cincyinco on Sep 5, 2005 6:39 PM EDT reply actions

Don't Forget

Also they had Delwyn Young, and currently have Greg Miller, Orenduff, Tony Abreu, and Jon Broxton.

by ssjames on Sep 5, 2005 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions

velocity

Maybe there were extenuating circumstances but Kuo's 95 lefty heat came in only at 89-91. He has a really fluid beautiful delivery though.

by Yethal on Sep 5, 2005 7:07 PM EDT reply actions

Wonder..

what caused all the arm trouble then?

by cincyinco on Sep 5, 2005 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Colorado

if you are talking about kuo's velocity when he was pitching for the dodgers at colorado, the radar gun was terribly off the whole series. In the first game dj houlton's fastball was 82-84 on the tv's gun. Kuo, Jackson and Sanchez were the only dodger pitchers to throw as hard as 92, and they all throw harder than that.

by sanchez101 on Sep 5, 2005 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions

thank God

you saw this too. I couldn't believe Edwin couldn't break 90 except for a few pitches when having read that he hit 98 late in a game 2 weeks ago. The gun in Colorado is not accurate at all.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 6, 2005 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Gun IN CO

I live in CO and often wondered about the Gun at the stadium as well... so..

by cincyinco on Sep 7, 2005 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I actually...

have heard Kuo has been hitting 98-99. But that was a couple months ago, I think.

I think I've read somewhere that his velocity has dropped off, it might have been on the Dodgers scout.com board, but I'm too lazy to double check.

Supposedly he's scared of hearing another pop in that elbow, at least thats what I think I remember.

Too many "I thinks" in this post, which means to many maybes. So this has a legit shot of being a useless post...

by SenorGato88 on Sep 5, 2005 7:59 PM EDT reply actions

If Kuo is such a good lefty reliever

then why would the Dodgers move Broxton to the bullpen? It seems everyone talks about Broxton as a reliever but he a very successful starter. I know you can have many good pitchers in the bullpen whether they throw left or right, but it just seems strange that he would be converted to a reliever when Kuo is ready to come up.

Anyone have thoughts on this?

by count sutton on Sep 5, 2005 9:45 PM EDT reply actions

Broxton

was moved to the pen, so I hear, because his stuff is more consistent in that role. With Billingsley, Orenduff, Tiffany, Jackson, etc. the Dodgers felt they could put Broxton in the pen. In one of his last appearances for Jacksonville before being recalled in late July, Broxton's FB was clocked at 98-101. He couldn't do that as a starter.

by LogicRules on Sep 5, 2005 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions