Chad Billingsley

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Chad Billingsley
Billingsley with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Pitcher
Born: (1984-07-29) July 29, 1984 (age 39)
Defiance, Ohio, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 15, 2006, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Last MLB appearance
July 18, 2015, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics
Win–loss record83–64
Earned run average3.72
Strikeouts1,052
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
World Junior Baseball Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Sherbrooke Team

Chad Ryan Billingsley (born July 29, 1984) is an American former professional baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2006 through 2013 and Philadelphia Phillies in 2015. He was a National League (NL) All-Star in 2009.

Early life

Billingsley attended

runs batted in and 24 home runs as a senior. Billingsley finished high school with a state-record 502 strikeouts.[2]

He also played American Legion Baseball in Ohio and was named the organization's Graduate of the Year for 2013.[3]

He pitched three games and went 3–0 with a 2.45 ERA for Team USA, which won the bronze medal in the 2002 World Junior Baseball Championship in Sherbrooke, Quebec.[citation needed]

He committed to attend the University of South Carolina.[2]

Draft and minor leagues

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Billingsley in the first round, with the 24th overall selection, in the 2003 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Dodgers, receiving a signing bonus of $1.375 million.[citation needed]

Billingsley pitched in 2003 for the

Class AAA Pacific Coast League before being promoted to the Dodgers. According to Baseball America,[4] Billingsley was the number one prospect in the Dodgers organization prior to being recalled to the major league roster in June 2006.[5]

Major leagues

Los Angeles Dodgers

Billingsley made his Major League Baseball debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 15, 2006, against the

disabled list.[6]

Billingsley in spring 2007

In 2008, Billingsley elevated to one of the top pitchers in the

shutout against the San Francisco Giants on July 30, 2008, allowing five hits and recording eight strikeouts without allowing a walk. On September 6, Billingsley faced Arizona ace Brandon Webb and helped to hold him off long enough for a Manny Ramirez
homer, and a 7–2 win, his 14th of the season.

Billingsley also started 3 postseason games for the Dodgers in 2008. In his first postseason appearance, Billingsley pitched a strong 6+2⁄3 innings, while allowing just one run against the

2008 NLCS
. He received some criticism for not brushing back (i.e., pitching far inside) to Phillies batters when Dodgers hitters were knocked down several times.

On November 21, 2008, Billingsley slipped on ice outside his

South Heidelberg Township[7] home, and suffered a spiral fracture of the fibula in his left leg.[8]
However, the injury was healed by the time spring training began.

Billingsley warming up before a game against the Atlanta Braves

In 2009, Billingsley started well, winning his first five decisions and posted a 7-inning, 11-strikeout performance against the San Francisco Giants on April 13. On July 5, 2009, Billingsley hit his first career home run off Josh Banks in a 7–6 Dodgers win against the San Diego Padres. He was selected to the 2009 National League All-Star Team. However, he struggled in the second half of the season and finished the year 12–11 with a 4.03 ERA in 32 starts and pitched out of the bullpen in the playoffs.

In 2010, he had a solid season, finishing 12–11 with a 3.57 ERA in 31 starts and also pitched one complete game shutout, on July 21 against the San Francisco Giants.

Billingsley signed a 3-year $35 million extension during spring training in 2011. The season, however, was a disappointment. With an 11–11 record, it was the first season he failed to finish with a winning record. His ERA was 4.21 (the highest of his career), and his 152 strikeouts were the fewest since becoming a full-time starter in 2008.

In a loss to the

Tommy John surgery. Billingsley was shut down for the rest of the 2012 season.[10]

Rather than undergoing off-season surgery and missing the entire 2013 season, Billingsley chose to try to treat the injury with

Tommy John surgery on April 24 and missed the rest of the 2013 season.[12]

Billingsley rehabbed his injury in an attempt to return in 2014, but after a couple of minor league rehab starts he experienced some discomfort in his elbow. An MRI revealed that he had torn his flexor tendon in the elbow and he was shut down again.[13]

Later in 2014, Billingsley underwent a season-ending surgery to repair this same torn flexor tendon.[14] The Dodgers declined his 2015 option on October 31, 2014, making him a free agent.[15]

Philadelphia Phillies

Billingsley signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on January 29, 2015.[16] He began the 2015 season on the 15-day disabled list to recover from his previous elbow surgery and made his debut with the Phillies on May 5, 2015.

Pitching style

Billingsley was a versatile pitcher, throwing four pitches with regularity and another two infrequently. He led with a

slider in the mid 80s, a changeup in the mid-high 80s, and a curveball that is usually in the upper 70s. (Occasionally, he threw it as slowly as 65 mph, so that it resembled an eephus pitch.) Billingsley typically worked right-handed hitters with all of his pitches except for his slider and changeup. Against lefties, he used the changeup more frequently. He used his curveball in many two-strike counts once he established the strike zone with fastballs.[17]

Post-playing career

In January 2018, Billingsley was named head baseball coach at Conrad Weiser High School in Pennsylvania. Billingsley resigned from the position in June 2021 (can't be verified).[18]

References

  1. ^ Silka, Zach (June 20, 2010). "Arms of Defiance". The Blade. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Billingsley All-American, again". The Blade. July 29, 2003. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  3. ^ "Graduate of the Year | The American Legion". www.legion.org. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  4. ^ Matthews, Alan (December 9, 2005). "Top Ten Prospects: Los Angeles Dodgers". Baseball America. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  5. ^ Gurnick, Ken (June 14, 2006). "Notes: Billingsley has familiar help". MLB.com. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  6. ^ "Schmidt faces long rehab after season-ending surgery". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 21, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  7. ^ "Berks County Assessment Records".
  8. ^ "Dodgers ace Billingsley has surgery after breaking leg in fall at home". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 23, 2008. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
  9. ^ Emerick, Tyler (July 8, 2012). "Homers not enough to halt Billingsley's skid". Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  10. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers' Chad Billingsley placed on 60-day disabled list – ESPN Los Angeles". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  11. ^ "Billingsley says his right elbow is feeling fine". Major League Baseball. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  12. ^ "Chad Billingsley injury: Dodgers RHP needs Tommy John surgery, out for year". True Blue LA. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  13. ^ Mike Axisa (June 13, 2014). "Chad Billingsley has partially torn flexor tendon in elbow". CBS Sports. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  14. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Announce Chad Billingsley to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery". Archived from the original on November 1, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  15. ^ Stephen, Eric (October 31, 2014). "Dodgers decline 2015 option on Chad Billingsley". truebluela.com. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  16. ^ "Phillies sign RHP Chad Billingsley". ESPN. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  17. ^ "PITCHf/x Player Card: Chad Billingsley". BrooksBaseball.net. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  18. ^ "Former major league pitcher Chad Billingsley named Conrad Weiser coach". Reading Eagle. January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.

External links

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