http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/columnists/askba.html What's going on with Dodgers lefthander Hong-Chih Kuo? I hear he's hitting 97 mph and they're thinking of making him a closer rather than a starter to save his arm. Joseph Rentz Ridgecrest, Calif. I heard that Hong-Chih Kuo has come back from two Tommy John surgeries and has thrown 99 mph. If he stays healthy, when could he reach the majors? Ermias Bahiru Los Angeles Before Jack Zduriencik left the Dodgers to become the Brewers' scouting director, one of his last significant moves was to sign Kuo for $1.25 million. The first Taiwanese high schooler to sign with a U.S. team, he struck out seven of the 10 batters he faced in his first pro start in 2000. But that stint ended with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, and he had the operation performed again in 2003. Entering 2005, he had worked just 42 innings as a pro. Kuo has spent most of this season in relief and has been dominating, as he always has been when healthy. In 28 innings between high Class A Vero Beach and Double-A Jacksonville, he has posted a 1.93 ERA and 48-11 strikeout-walk ratio. Opponents have batted just .204 with two homers against him. In Kuo's first Double-A outing, he threw one pitch at 99 mph and eight others at 98. He fanned six in two innings, including four in one frame. Kuo, 22, also has a promising breaking ball and changeup, and if they believe he could hold up, the Dodgers could be tempted to try to make him a starter again. But if they keep him in the bullpen and he maintains this success for another month or so, he may earn a big league bullpen spot. Few lefties have an arm like Kuo's, and specialist Kelly Wunsch is the only healthy southpaw on Los Angeles' big league roster. --

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