DODGERS NOTEBOOK: BILLINGSLEY READY FOR HIS DEBUT.Byline: TONY JACKSON
Anthony (Antonio) Jackson, best known as Tony Jackson Staff Writer SAN DIEGO San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. -- Chad Billingsley Chad Ryan Billingsley (born July 29, 1984, in Defiance, Ohio) is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Biography As a senior at Defiance High School in 2003, pitched in 11 games and was 6-1 with a 1. says his 14th start of the season this afternoon will be similar in nature to the previous 13. The only difference is that this one, for the first time in Billingsley's life, will come in the major leagues. ``For right now, I'm just going to do what I have been doing and then make adjustments from there,'' said the Dodgers' top pitching prospect, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. late Tuesday night. ``I'm not familiar with the hitters, but we have scouting reports on them. So I'm not going to change much.'' That means a lot of fastballs early, a lot of fastballs late and a lot more fastballs in between, with an occasional changeup or breaking ball mixed in just to keep the hitters honest. Billingsley isn't deceptive, and his aggressiveness isn't a secret. His success is due to the fact that hitters, at least in the minors, usually can't catch up with his heat. ``That's my main pitch,'' he said of his fastball. ``I go right after people. I have a slider A block of material that holds the read/write head of a magnetic disk. See flying head. and a two-seamer, but it's always been mainly my fastball.'' Billingsley, 21, arrived at Petco Park several hours before Wednesday's game after having been told of his callup Tuesday night. ``It's good he could come in and watch a game instead of just walking in (today) and starting a game,'' Dodgers manager Grady Little William Grady Little (born March 30, 1950 in Abilene, Texas) is a manager in Major League Baseball. He guided the Boston Red Sox from 2002 to 2003, and has been manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2006. said. ``This day will be good for him. We just want him to come here and continue to do what he has been doing and have some fun and see what happens. We know the kid has a good arm and a lot of ability.'' Billingsley's fiance, Tiffany Clemmer, whom he plans to marry next winter, will be in the stands. His parents, who live in Defiance, Ohio
Defiance is a city located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio, in Defiance County, about 55 miles southwest of Toledo. The population was 16,465 at the 2000 census. , were not expected to make the trip because Billingsley's father suffered a stroke a few years ago and doesn't travel easily. --Gagne update: Dr. Vern Williams Vern Williams (born Delbert Lavern Williams, December 9, 1930 – June 6, 2006) is generally accepted as the father of bluegrass music on the West Coast of the United States. , a neurologist with the Anaheim branch of the Kerlan-Jobe clinic, examined disabled Dodgers closer Eric Gagne on Wednesday and confirmed the original diagnosis of nerve inflammation in Gagne's right elbow. Beyond that, there was little news, and there still is no timetable for Gagne's return. It is clear, though, that he will be gone beyond next Thursday, when he becomes eligible for activation from the 15-day DL. --Seo fine: One day after what was supposed to be an extended relief appearance turned into a one-inning stint when he walked off the field holding his right shoulder, Jae Seo had little residual pain and appeared to be OK. Little said Seo probably will be available today. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion