Kuo admits himself to disabled list

 

Ken Gurnick of MLB.com sums up the strange week of Hong-Chih Kuo:

On Wednesday night, Hong-Chih Kuo retired the side in order and looked like he finally was back on track.

On Saturday, he goes back on the disabled list.

The star-crossed left-hander has another injury to that left elbow that has already undergone four operations, including two Tommy John ligament reconstructions. He tried to warm up to go into Friday night's game for the eighth inning, and it was painful to watch.

Kuo made 15 throws in the bullpen, only four of them catchable by the bullpen catcher. Most bounced out of reach, while two sailed over the bullpen gate and rolled into the infield.

"It's his elbow, and he finally admitted it," manager Joe Torre said after Friday night's 1-0 victory over the Padres. "We talked to him and we're going to put him on the DL and get this thing right." ...

"He finally admitted it." The more things change among Dodger players, the more they stay the same.

Anyway, most seem to have assumed that a lefty pitcher will be called up to replace Kuo on the active roster, but considering the 13-man pitching staff resulted in part from Kuo's pitching so infrequently, I wonder whether the Dodgers will add a hitter like Xavier Paul to the bench and go back to 12 pitchers.  I would imagine that if the Dodgers intend to bring up Eric Milton, they could still send Eric Stults or James McDonald to the minors.  Not saying that will happen -- just throwing it out as another scenario.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Hong-Chih Kuo, from Taiwan, pitches to the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, April 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Comments

[Hollywood Joe]

As much as I wish he was more forthcoming earlier a part of me kind of respects and admires that Kuo tried to throw through it

I can empathize

[silverwidow]

XPaul would probably get 1-2 ABs a week -- not good.

I'm down with Leach. Torre said he was impressed with him in ST and he can throw 2 innings if needed.

[BHSportsguy]

A non-sanctioned, unorganized gathering will be taking place today around 3:30 at the following location.

Wurstküche
800 E. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Any and all are welcome.

[Bob Hendley]

Whenever the Dodgers are on the verge of shuffling their pitchers, I am guess that Mota hides under the tarp (does DS have a tarp?).

BTW, missed last night's game, but caught up through the posts. Who needs recaps and boxscores (beyond our SABR historian buddies)?

[Bob Hendley]

guess(ing).

[Phenomenal Smith]

Dodger Stadium has a tarp. And it probably got rolled out last night because it was a little drizzly.

The tarp is rolled up down the LF line.

[Phenomenal Smith]

Dodger Stadium has a tarp. And it probably got rolled out last night because it was a little drizzly.

The tarp is rolled up down the LF line.

[Michael Green]

You'll often hear people say in the old days, players were tougher--they played hurt. But they had to. Their lives depended on staying in the big leagues. Like most players today, Kuo is in a different financial class than his predecessors, and you would think--you would hope--he would have more sense.

Consider older Dodger history. Carl Erskine told how he was pitching one of his first games and his arm hurt. He told Burt Shotten, the manager, who said, you're pitching a two-hitter, get back out there. And thus, Erskine said, he never threw another curve ball without pain.

Don Drysdale once pitched with a cracked rib. He would never come out of there. And his rotator cuff blew out when he was 33. How much longer might he have pitched if he had been more careful?

[jpg]

BH - do we have sanctioned drivers prepared for car pooling as some of us cry in to our Kuo cups.

[jpg]

Michael - not sure Kuo did come from a different financial perspective. One more surgery and his career is probably over. He's not making any money as he's under team control with no arbitration. He really needed a strong season to help set himself up for the future. If he invested his original bonus wisely he might be okay but how many 18 year olds have done that?

[Eric Stephen]

I can drive from Wurst....whatever it's called, but is that a good area to be leaving cars for 3+ hours?

[BHSportsguy]

jpg - I hope to work on that.

[Bob Hendley]

Mr. Smith with the emphatic response.

BTW, I purchased one of those thick SABR books with all the stats just to loll away the hours at the beach, so I shouldn't be complaining, but what is the basis for having all those additional tables tables for left, right, and switch (in the case of batting)?

[LABits]

So, just to make this clear, we're meeting Jon at the Club Level will call at 5:30 and he's giving us our tickets.

[bhsportsguy]

Since Jon is probably on T-Ball duty, I'll answer LABits question, yes that is correct.

[Sean Chandra]

I don't empathize with Kuo. If his elbow was hurting and he didn't say anything, he's costing the team a roster spot for a healthy pitcher or bat off the bench. I don't respect or admire Kuo for that. It's selfish.

[Craig88USC]

I'm bringin' up Josh from Chatanooga... : ) This might be a 1 year run for the gold with Manny on board – - so bring out all the guns. And when i say guns, I of course mean the Phenom Lindblom. It’s all or nothing in ’09, imho.
The future (i.e. Dodgers 7th World Series Title) is here.

[BHSportsguy]

I'd like Josh Lindblom pitch one season in the minors before annoiting him the next big thing.

[Craig88USC]

...and yes, we need XPaul & DeWitt here too in LA. (Castro & Pierre; It's been nice knowin' ya.) Going with the best 25. : - ) And, at the deadline - our best 3 minor players for Peavy. (Costly but so worth it to get him & keep him off the Cards, Mets, Yanks, RSox, Angels plus any other team in our division.) Future is now. Give it our absolute best shot.

[Marty Leadman (LAT)]

By the way, if anyone is unfamiliar with Wurstküche, it's a sausage and beer joint, east of Alameda on Third. All kinds of sausages available, including duck, alligator and rabbit if you have exotic tendencies. Also, something like 30 Belgian beers on tap. It's not a real big place, but it's fun to go to.

[BHSportsguy]

Generally, future is now campaigns don't work. Stick with what you have, add at the edges but you don't need the 25 best players in your system on your team right now.

If something happened to starting outfield, then a callup for Paul makes sense but right now, Juan Pierre is the right guy for the role he is the playing. Same goes for Juan Castro.

[Dodgers49]

Tony Jackson's blog will continue. Just without Tony Jackson:

Thank you, Tony

By Ramona Shelburne

>> This blog will continue forward, though there will be a host of voices contributing to it now. <<

http://tinyurl.com/c56tcn

[Preston]

Wade, Troncoso, and Mota seem to be the only relievers available tonight, as everyone else has pitched in back to back games, except Weaver who threw 4 on Thursday. Given that situation, I'll bet they call up a reliever, at least for the weekend; once the pen is a bit more rested, then they may switch that 13th pitcher for another bat off the bench.

[Dodgers49]

From Tony's blog:

News and notes

By Jill Painter

>> Rafael Furcal and Casey Blake will be given the day off on Sunday. Mark Loretta is expected to start at third. <<

http://tinyurl.com/cbubg7

[underdog]

I think that's probably a good guess, Preston.

They already have Elbert up. I like the idea of Lindblom but agree it's too early to rush him up. Has to be someone on the roster this time, is my only assumption...

Oh well, good recovery to ya, Kuo.

[Who is Karim Garcia?]

Count me in for Wurstküche.

[Who is Karim Garcia?]

I always feel like we need name tags for these events.

[Alex]

underdog, so they brought Elbert back up? I was hoping he could be this year's Wade-- so far doesn't seem like it, but a man can dream.

[underdog]

Oh wait-- sorry, Alex, I'd totally forgotten they'd sent him back down this week for Wade. D'oh.

So... it's possible they'd bring him back to replace Kuo, yeah?

I need coffee.

[underdog]

And then again, maybe they'll call up Brent Leach, as was suggested above.

Just posted on the Chattanooga paper:
http://timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/02/chattanoogas-leach-promoted-dodgers/

(Sorry, tinyURL didn't work.)

>>Chattanooga relief pitcher Brent Leach was promoted to Los Angeles early Saturday, becoming the second Lookouts player this season to make the jump directly from Double-A.

In nine appearances with the Lookouts, Leach went 0-1 with an 0.64 earned run average. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound lefty tallied 18 strikeouts in 14 innings worked.<<

[DaDoughboy]

From Peter Gammons on defensive efficiency:
"Dodgers GM Ned Colletti worked hard to re-sign Rafael Furcal and stole Orlando Hudson; the Dodgers have the second-best defensive efficiency in the majors after being in the middle of the pack in 2008.

And the team that leads the majors in DE? The Pittsburgh Pirates, who were 28th last year and in 2009 are competitive despite losing their catcher, shortstop and center fielder."

http://preview.tinyurl.com/d496f8

[KG16]

I don't think I'm going to be able to make the sausage and beer thing. The sanctioned event is 530 at Will Call, right? And which Will Call?

[Jon Weisman]

NPUT

[Craig88USC]

Keeping my eye on a busy Sat variety of sports: 1) Yanks to keep exploiting Angel weaknesses. ... 2) Bubba challenging Tiger & Phil. ... 3) RoushFenwayFords domination in the 400. ... 4) Bulls shocking the Nation. ... 5) Ricky Hatton in a thrilla at the MGM. ... And the best for last 6) The Boys with Stultsy goin' 9 straight. (Home cooking plus the DT motley crew rooting them on to victory.) Go Dodgers to 17 - 8 !