Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Billingsley heads to disabled list, Fife recalled

No, really – just keep pouring it on.

This moming, the Dodgers placed Chad Billingsley on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow pain (retroactive to April 16). Stephen Fife – ninth on the Dodgers’ starting-pitcher depth chart when the season began three weeks ago – will start today’s game in Baltimore, trying to help the Dodgers end their six-game losing streak.

Fife has started three games for Triple-A Albuquerque this year, posting a 4.61 ERA in 13 2/3 innings with 20 hits allowed, three walks and 14 strikeouts. As a major-leaguer, Fife had a 2.70 ERA in five starts covering 26 2/3 innings in 2012, with 25 hits and 12 walks allowed against 20 strikeouts.

Fife’s longest outing this season so far is five innings, in the game he last pitched, Monday at Iowa. He allowed four runs and struck out eight, throwing 91 pitches.

We’re waiting for details on the timing of Billingsley’s trip to the DL. The right-hander, of course, eschewed surgery last year despite missing the final six weeks of the season with his elbow problem. He has a 3.00 ERA in 12 innings this year with 12 hits allowed, five walks and six strikeouts.

By the way, 21-year-old former first-round pick Zach Lee has a 1.17 ERA after four starts for Double-A Chatanooga this year, allowing 26 baserunners in 23 innings while striking out 21. (His teammate, Yasiel Puig, is on the seven-day minor-league disabled list with a sprained thumb.)

Update: “Chad Billingsley is not making his scheduled start today due to increased tightness and pain in his right elbow that he experienced during his last bullpen session,” the Dodgers said in a statement. “After consulting Dr. Neal ElAttrache, it was decided that he will return to Los Angeles on Tuesday for further medical evaluation. More information will be forthcoming after that examination.”

Dodgers at Orioles, 10:35 a.m.

Carl Crawford, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, CF
Andre Ethier, RF
Jerry Hairston Jr., 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Skip Schumaker, DH
Justin Sellers, SS
(Stephen Fife, P)

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49 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    Awesomeness keeps on coming…Long is beginning to take on a new meaning with this season

    • Anonymous

      Lat year, I wanted the regular season to end in April because the Dodgers were in 1st.

      This year, I’m embracing the same thought . . . for the opposite reason.

  2. package206

    It is beginning to sound like surgury might have been the best option for Bills.

  3. Anonymous

    I guess the less radical treatment was worth a shot, since going under the knife earlier would have meant missing the season in any event. Hope this works out for Bills. Nice to have a little depth. Is there anyone after Fife or do we start looking outside the system?

  4. Dave Alden

    Adding to the ill tidings, Allen Webster is listed to make his Major League debut this evening for the Red Sox.
    Last year’s big trade with the Sox has thus far worked out well for the Dodgers. especially with Crawford’s early performance. But, like many, I wondered at the time if Colletti really needed to include both Webster and de la Rosa in what was a salary dump for the Sox. The consensus in baseball this spring seems to agree, with the thought that Colletti had his pocket picked. Today turns the knife a little further.

    • Anonymous

      Garbage truck stops at Dodger Stadium tomorrow… Colletti absolutely deserves to be put on it, maybe Joe Torre’s stooge also. Uribe to DFA, Sellers and Cruze to Albuquerque. Gordon and Castellanos back to LA. Some kind of trade action for a ss or 3rd baseman…

    • Anonymous

      Webster hasn’t thrown a ML pitch yet. What was your take on Trayvon Robinson? The Boston trade needs more time still.

  5. Anonymous

    Did Fife fly overnight from Albuquerque, where the Isotopes played Oklahoma City yesterday?

    • Anonymous

      Sounds as if he would have had no alternative, could be jet-lagged. I expect he would have had to change planes as well.

      • Anonymous

        So, if that’s the case, he is probably pitching on a few hours of sleep, at best.

        • Anonymous

          Yeah, I would certainly cut him some slack today.

          • Anonymous

            I would probably cut him some slack because he’s Steven Fife also.

          • Anonymous

            But at least he’s not Harang.

          • Anonymous

            The way our pitchers are falling, I think we need him back!

  6. Anonymous

    Compare and contrast: Through yesterday’s action, the Dodgers are:
    –next to last in the National League in RISP at .173, ahead of just the Cubs, who are at .148.
    –last in the NL at .050 (1-for-20) in hitting with the bases loaded, but
    –first in the NL at .310, in hitting with no one on base.

  7. David Pinto offers up hope for the Dodgers: http://baseballmusings.com/?p=92633

  8. Anonymous

    About Jake Arrieta, today’s starting pitcher for the Orioles:
    –Career: 20-23, 5.33 ERA, WHIP of 1.457
    –This year, 1-0, 5.40 ERA, WHIP of 1.600

    • Anonymous

      vs. Dodgers: looking like a Cy Young Award candidate . . . but then they make almost every pitcher look that good

  9. Anonymous

    Carl with RISP!

  10. Anonymous

    Mellis & Agon with RISP!

  11. Anonymous

    Mark my words!!!!!

  12. Anonymous

    Adrian!!!! C’mon, Bison!!

  13. Anonymous

    THIS is what we were expecting this year!!!!!! 3 consecutive hits with RISP!!!!

  14. Anonymous

    Regardless of the outcome, let’s hope this inning is a turning point.

  15. Not to be greedy, but man, if Hernandez could have gotten a hit there — instead it’s three more LOB.

  16. Anonymous

    Clearly, a very good inning, one of the few this season. But it could have been a great inning. Ramon Hernandez? It’s a week bench.

  17. After that DP thought Fife would make it out of the 5th with a chance at a win, bummer.

  18. Anonymous

    Matt hitting & stealing again . . . sure hope he’s busting out!

  19. KT

    Just caught up…had a plumbing emergency…Great slide by Kemp!!

    • Anonymous

      Hope that it didn’t break the bank.

      • KT

        don’t know yet…the pressure reducing valve isn’t carried by the local hardware stores…find out tomorrow

  20. Anonymous

    We can’t afford to be starting Sellers virtually game after game. Time to call up Dee Gordon despite his defensive shortcomings.

    • Anonymous

      I’d like to think so, but I’m unconvinced.

  21. Anonymous

    Let’s get some insurance!

  22. Anonymous

    Yes! Scoring in four different innings . . . have they done that at all this year?

  23. Anonymous

    Ethier 0 for 5 today, 2 for last 21; BA now lower than Kemp’s

    • Anonymous

      I’m actually more worried about him rather than Kemp

  24. Anonymous

    DP for the W!

  25. Anonymous

    just woken up, great news on the score, not so great re Bills

  26. KT

    Yes…good come from behind

  27. Anonymous

    We needed that.

    • KT

      that’s definitely an understatement…thought that streak was going to last forever

  28. Anonymous

    Great win, especially after the news re Billz and the hole they started in.

    Let;s hope this is the start of a winning streak!

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