Hung-Chih Kuo
Born: 7/23/1981 in Tainan City, Tainan, Taiwan
MLB Debut: 2005-09-02 | Final Game: 2011-09-24
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 240 lbs
Biography
Hung-Chih Kuo, born in 1981, was a Taiwanese professional baseball pitcher who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball during his career from 2005 to 2011. Known for his electric fastball and devastating slider, Kuo played primarily for the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he became a key figure in the team's bullpen. His career record stood at 13-17 with a commendable earned run average of 3.73, complemented by 345 strikeouts and 13 saves. Kuo's ability to strike out batters made him a formidable presence on the mound, earning him an All-Star selection in 2010, which marked a pinnacle in his career.
Kuo's journey to the Major Leagues was significant not only for his personal achievements but also as part of the growing influence of Taiwanese players in baseball. He emerged during a period characterized by increasing global representation in the sport, contributing to the popularity of baseball in Taiwan and inspiring future generations of players. Despite facing challenges, including injuries that affected his career longevity, Kuo's contributions to the game and his performances in crucial moments solidified his legacy as one of the notable pitchers of his era.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 17 | 218 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 292.3 | 228 | 121 | 18 | 127 | 345 | 3.73 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | LAD | NL | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 6.75 | - |
| 2006 | LAD | NL | 1 | 5 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59.7 | 54 | 28 | 33 | 71 | 4.22 | - |
| 2007 | LAD | NL | 1 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30.3 | 35 | 25 | 14 | 27 | 7.42 | - |
| 2008 | LAD | NL | 5 | 3 | 42 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 80.0 | 60 | 19 | 21 | 96 | 2.14 | - |
| 2009 | LAD | NL | 2 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30.0 | 21 | 10 | 13 | 32 | 3.00 | - |
| 2010 | LAD | NL | 3 | 2 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 60.0 | 29 | 8 | 18 | 73 | 1.20 | - |
| 2011 | LAD | NL | 1 | 2 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27.0 | 24 | 27 | 23 | 36 | 9.00 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 218 | 27 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 0.185 | 0.214 | 0.370 | 0.585 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | LAD | NL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2006 | LAD | NL | 28 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.125 | 0.0 |
| 2007 | LAD | NL | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 2008 | LAD | NL | 42 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 2009 | LAD | NL | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2010 | LAD | NL | 56 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2011 | LAD | NL | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | NLCS | LAN | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2009 | NLDS1 | LAN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2008 | NLCS | LAN | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2006 | NLDS1 | LAN | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 12.3 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 2.92 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | NLCS | LAN | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2.25 |
| 2009 | NLDS1 | LAN | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
| 2008 | NLCS | LAN | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3.00 |
| 2006 | NLDS1 | LAN | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4.15 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 218 | 14 | 7 | 26 | 4 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | LAN | P | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | LAN | P | 28 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | LAN | P | 8 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | LAN | P | 42 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | LAN | P | 35 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | LAN | P | 56 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 | LAN | P | 40 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 218 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | This Year in Baseball Setup Man of the Year | MLB.com GIBBY |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | LAN | NL | $2,725,000 |
| 2010 | LAN | NL | $950,000 |
| 2009 | LAN | NL | $437,000 |
| 2008 | LAN | NL | $392,000 |
| 2007 | LAN | NL | $384,000 |
| 2006 | LAN | NL | $327,500 |
| Total Career Earnings | $5,215,500 | ||