Dodger lefty Kuo advises young Taiwan youngsters on making it to MLB

 

By Jason Pan

Dodger lefty Kuo advises young Taiwan youngsters on making it to MLB

 

By Jason Pan

 

Kuo Hong-Chih, wrapping up his fifth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, returned home to Taiwan yesterday as he provided advice for youngsters intending on making it with MLB teams in the U.S.

 

In a session with youth baseballers and the media, Kuo said it is important have a good fastball, and do your job when the team needs you. The lefty pitcher for the Dodgers also told the youngsters to pursue their major league dream with persistence and determination, also to keep up with daily training, and be well-prepared to go in and play for each game.

 

When asked about his main goals for next year, Kuo said, "Stay healthy, and don't get injured. I want to maintain my good pitching form, and also to increase my strength." The 28-year old also mentioned that he would like to help the Dodgers in postseason series, and hopefully the team can go further into the World Series next year.

 

About the New York Yankees winning the MLB title, Kuo challenged that it might not have gone that way if the Dodgers played in the finals, "The Yankees did not encounter us this time, if so, the result might be different."

 

Besides a blazing fastball as his main weapon, Kuo also mentioned that he would like have other pitches to go along. Among them, he wants to pick up the sinker, saying he would like to learn it from fellow Taiwanese pitcher in the MLB, Wang Chien-Ming (New York Yankee pitcher). He added, "It would be good for Wang to join me. He can come to the Dodgers and we can be teammates next year."

 

With Wang of the Yankees injured for most of the season, Kuo along with Ni Fu-Te of the Detroit Tigers became the focus of Taiwan media attention in the MLB. The two lefty pitchers did not disappoint local fans, and were the two success stories for Taiwanese players in the U.S. this past year.

 

Wrapping up his fifth season with the LA ballclub, Kuo was used mostly as a set-up man in the mid- to late-innings to preserve a lead in tight-scoring games, and also in lefty versus lefty match-up situations.

 

The 28-year old fireballer was an integral component in Dodgers' pennant run for a 95-67 team record in taking the NL West divisional title. Kuo also featured in the the playoffs.

 

The Dodgers went on to knock off the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Divisional Series, but the Dodgers lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Championship Series.

 

Appeared 35 games in 2009 regular season, Kuo ended up with a record of 2-0 through 30 innings, with successful 21 holds and 32 strikeouts, with a total of 10 earned runs for an ERA of 3.00. In the postseason, the Taiwanese southpaw performed even better, as he came in for relief in five games for four pitched innings, and gave up a lone run to register an outstanding ERA of 1.80.

 

Kuo was the winning pitcher in Game 2 of NLCS against the Phillies, when with an inherited runner on first base, he used three pitches to induce a double-play grounder against the only batter he faced.

 

With this effort, the Dodger set-up man became the toast of local fans and made Taiwan sports history. He became the first Taiwanese pitcher to register a win in MLB postseason series.

 

In the media session yesterday, he also met up with four young Taiwanese players, in giving them baseball workout tips and answering their questions.

 

Kuo was asked about his fellow Dodger players. He said shortstop Rafael Furcal was the live wire of the whole bunch, as he leads the team with vocal cheering and gesturing during games. Kuo added that he got on with his teammates fine, but he must learn more English to communicate better.

 

The lefty reliever also mentioned that underneath the superstar image of Manny Ramirez and his unruly outward appearance, the former Red Sox slugger is really a nice guy with good-humor disposition.

 

Kuo said he is satisfied with the task team manager Joe Torre has slotted him, in the set-up role chiefly in the sixth to seventh innings.

 

With reference to his past injuries and coming back strong after four surgeries, Kuo asserted he has the fire and desire for the game, "I will do my job and help the team to win more next year.... I am not the quitting type, and I will play on until I can not pitch anymore."

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