Taking out one moment before the deluge to salute Dodgers reliever Hong-Chih Kuo

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The offense stinks. The rotation appears doomed to go without an ace. There are 732 relievers in the bullpen, and 730 of them are unreliable. The owners care more about building personal wealth than a winning ballclub.

Yet before the outrage hits full bore over trades made and not made, let’s take a brief moment out to salute one thing with the Dodgers this season that has gone very right:

Hong-Chih Kuo.

Let’s give it up. Tip the cap, put the hands together, offer a salute, sing the praises.

Here’s one player who deserves nothing but applause.

This is offered one day after Kuo’s remarkable streak of not having allowed a hit to a left-handed hitter in 36 at-bats came to an end when Padre Adrian Gonzalez singled off him Thursday.

Which now makes left-handed hitters only 1-for-37 against Kuo.

Overall, opposing hitters are batting just .131 against him (16 for 122). He has not allowed a run in his last 15 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to a stunning 0.76.

This from a guy who’s had four elbow operations (two Tommy John surgeries) and shoulder surgery.

Kuo, who turned 29 last week, had numerous occasions to decide the fates were against him and call it a career.

Yet he persevered, and then persevered some more. Given his history, the Dodgers could not afford to truly count on him this season. And yet he’s been their most reliable reliever, their most consistent pitcher.

He was rewarded a rare All-Star berth for a set-up man, and was absolutely deserving.

The Dodgers are seven games out and in trouble, but Kuo should hear only cheers.

-- Steve Dilbeck