Chad Billingsley
Encyclopedia
Chad Ryan Billingsley is a Major League Baseball
right-handed starting pitcher
with the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
, striking out
113 and walking
only 16 in 56.0 innings. He pitched three games and went 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA for Team USA, which won the bronze medal in the 2002 IBAF World Junior Championships in Sherbrooke, Quebec
and would have attended the University of South Carolina
had he not signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was signed by Dodger scout Marty Lamb.
Billingsley was a high school teammate of New York Mets
pitcher Jon Niese
.
and had a signing bonus of $1,375,000.
of the Rookie Leagues, compiling a record of 5-4 with a 2.83 ERA. He went 7-4 with a 2.35 ERA for the Vero Beach Dodgers in before being promoted to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
where he pitched through . He was 13-6 with a 3.51 ERA for Jacksonville in 2005. He started with the Las Vegas 51s
before being promoted to the Dodgers. According to Baseball America
, Billingsley was the number one prospect
in the Dodgers organization prior to being recalled to the major league roster in June .
Billingsley made his Major League Baseball debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 15, 2006, against the San Diego Padres
at PETCO Park
in San Diego, California
. In his debut, Billingsley started on the mound, and pitched 5.1 innings
and surrendered 6 hits
and 2 runs
while striking out three. He even knocked in two runs in his first official at-bat (Hit by pitch
in his first plate appearance
) to help his cause. His debut was considered a success as the Dodgers went on to defeat the Padres 7-3 (although Billingsley did not get credited with the win
). Billingsley remained in the starting rotation for the rest of the season, but started in the bullpen
. He pitched well in relief and was returned to the starting rotation on June 21 after season ending surgery placed Jason Schmidt
on the disabled list
.
In , Billingsley elevated to one of the top pitchers in the National League
while demonstrating his potential as an ace
. He finished the year with a 16-10 record, was 5th in the NL (and 9th in the majors) with 201 strikeouts, and recorded an ERA of 3.14 and a WHIP
of 1.34 in 200.2 innings pitched. Billingsley pitched his first career complete game
shutout
against the San Francisco Giants
on July 30, 2008, allowing five hits and recording eight stikeouts 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. The win put the Dodgers into 1st place, a spot they would not relinquish for the remainder of the 2008 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 Chicago Cubs
. The Dodgers won the game 10-3. However in his next two starts, Billingsley wasn't nearly as effective. Lasting only 2 1/3 innings, Billingsley was torched for 8 runs (7 earned) in an 8-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies
in Game 2 and 2 2/3 innings, while giving up 3 earned run
s, in Game 5 of 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 home, and suffered a spiral fracture of the fibula in his left leg. However, the injury was healed by the time spring training began.
In 2009, Billingsley started well, winning his first five decisions and posted a 7 inning, 11 K performance against the San Francisco Giants
on April 13. 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. However, his season was a disappointment as he finished 11-11 with a 4.21 ERA, the highest ERA of his career and the first season he failed to finish with a winning record and his 152 strikeouts were the smallest total he had since he became a full-time starter in 2008
Wife's name is Tiffany, who he met while playing minor league ball in Vero Beach, Florida. They married in 2006 and reside near Reading, PA in the offseason.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
right-handed starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
.
Biography
As a senior at Defiance High School in 2003, Billingsley pitched in 11 games and was 6-1 with a 1.49 ERAEarned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, striking out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
113 and walking
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
only 16 in 56.0 innings. He pitched three games and went 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA for Team USA, which won the bronze medal in the 2002 IBAF World Junior Championships in Sherbrooke, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and would have attended the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
had he not signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was signed by Dodger scout Marty Lamb.
Billingsley was a high school teammate of New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
pitcher Jon Niese
Jon Niese
Jonathon Joseph "Jon" Niese is an American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, he currently plays for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball.-Biography:...
.
Draft
Billingsley was the first round pick (24th overall) of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
and had a signing bonus of $1,375,000.
Minor leagues
Billingsley pitched in 2003 for OgdenOgden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League based in Ogden, Utah, United States. The club plays at Lindquist Field, whose view beyond the outfield fence was named the best in professional baseball by a staff writer for Grand Slam Enterprises, INC.The Raptors are one of...
of the Rookie Leagues, compiling a record of 5-4 with a 2.83 ERA. He went 7-4 with a 2.35 ERA for the Vero Beach Dodgers in before being promoted to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
where he pitched through . He was 13-6 with a 3.51 ERA for Jacksonville in 2005. He started with the Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
before being promoted to the Dodgers. According to Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
, Billingsley was the number one prospect
Prospect (sports)
In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team, or isn't established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams...
in the Dodgers organization prior to being recalled to the major league roster in June .
Major leagues
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
at PETCO Park
PETCO Park
Petco Park is an open-air ballpark in downtown San Diego, California, USA. It opened in 2004, replacing Qualcomm Stadium as the home park of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres. Before then, the Padres shared Qualcomm Stadium with the NFL's San Diego Chargers...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. In his debut, Billingsley started on the mound, and pitched 5.1 innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
and surrendered 6 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and 2 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
while striking out three. He even knocked in two runs in his first official at-bat (Hit by pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
in his first plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
) to help his cause. His debut was considered a success as the Dodgers went on to defeat the Padres 7-3 (although Billingsley did not get credited with the win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
). Billingsley remained in the starting rotation for the rest of the season, but started in the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
. He pitched well in relief and was returned to the starting rotation on June 21 after season ending surgery placed Jason Schmidt
Jason Schmidt
Jason David Schmidt , is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher.Schmidt was born in Lewiston, Idaho. In his career he has played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , San Francisco Giants , Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves , by whom he had been drafted in the eighth round, 206th overall, of...
on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
.
In , Billingsley elevated to one of the top pitchers in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
while demonstrating his potential as an ace
Ace (baseball)
In baseball, an ace is the best starting pitcher of any team and nearly always the first pitcher in his starting rotation. Barring injury or exceptional circumstances, an ace usually always starts on Opening Day...
. He finished the year with a 16-10 record, was 5th in the NL (and 9th in the majors) with 201 strikeouts, and recorded an ERA of 3.14 and a WHIP
Walks plus hits per inning pitched
In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base...
of 1.34 in 200.2 innings pitched. Billingsley pitched his first career complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
on July 30, 2008, allowing five hits and recording eight stikeouts without allowing a walk. On September 6, Billingsley faced Arizona
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
ace Brandon Webb
Brandon Webb
Brandon Tyler Webb is a Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the 2006 National League Cy Young Award winner.-High school:Webb attended Paul G...
and helped to hold him off long enough for a Manny Ramirez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
homer, and a 7-2 win, his 14th of the season. The win put the Dodgers into 1st place, a spot they would not relinquish for the remainder of the 2008 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 Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. The Dodgers won the game 10-3. However in his next two starts, Billingsley wasn't nearly as effective. Lasting only 2 1/3 innings, Billingsley was torched for 8 runs (7 earned) in an 8-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in Game 2 and 2 2/3 innings, while giving up 3 earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s, in Game 5 of 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 home, and suffered a spiral fracture of the fibula in his left leg. However, the injury was healed by the time spring training began.
In 2009, Billingsley started well, winning his first five decisions and posted a 7 inning, 11 K performance against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
on April 13. He was selected to the 2009 National League All Star
2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 80th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 2009, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, the home of the...
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
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
.
Billingsley signed a 3 year $35 million extension during spring training in 2011. However, his season was a disappointment as he finished 11-11 with a 4.21 ERA, the highest ERA of his career and the first season he failed to finish with a winning record and his 152 strikeouts were the smallest total he had since he became a full-time starter in 2008
Personal