Thank You, Hong-Chih Kuo

Hong-Chih Kuo has been a warrior for us. Battling multiple arm injuries and surgeries, he continued to provide quality relief innings. He has been an inspiration, and will be a player I continue to root for even as he wears the uniform of another team. Best wishes, big guy.

As noted by Jayson Stark on twitter, Kuo is expected to join the Seattle Mariners.

(Pic Link: Twitter: @JaysonSt)

UPDATE: It looks like it is now official. Kuo has joined the Mariners. Eric Stephen's at True Blue LA has more information.

Kuo, who is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow in October, will receive a base salary $500,000, plus bonuses of up to $2.5 million, per Peter Wang of ETTV. Kuo will make $1 million if he makes the Mariners' 25-man roster.

Kuo will wear number 32 with the Mariners, a number already forever claimed in Los Angeles by Kuo-fax.

#32, eh? It looks like you can take the man out of LA, but you can never take the influence of LA out of the man.