Billingsley falls, suffers fracture in fibula
UPDATE: Here's Ken Gurnick's story on the injury.
Just got word from Dodgers PR that righty Chad Billingsley slipped down some stairs outside his home in Pennsylvania, suffering a spiral fracture of his left fibula. He had surgery today to put a plate in and repair the fracture. Bills will be in a cast for a couple weeks. Ask nicely and he might let you sign it. The good news is that the injury isn't expected to impact Billingsley's ability to start spring training on time.
It must have been a mighty fall to penetrate that guy's lower half.
In other news, it looks like Joe Beimel will be pitching somewhere else next year. Both Beimel's agent and Ned Colletti have indicated that the Dodgers won't be pursuing the lefty FA, reports the LAT's Dylan Hernandez. Can't say I'm shocked. Beimel wasn't as effective this season as last, and for whatever reason, Joe Torre never seemed to warm up to him as anything more than a situational reliever. If that was his future in L.A., it probably won't kill them to let Beimel go. Of course, the pigeonholing of Beimel in a one-batter role was probably the biggest mistake Torre made in handling his bullpen during the 2008 season. If there's a third choice -- bring him back and use him with more flexibility -- that's the one I'd vote for, though economics surely play a factor here.
I'll be sorry to see him go. Beimel is a solid guy, with a great and unique personality.
BK
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Not good news about Billingsley. Even if not serious enough to impact his spring training time, I am guessing it will throw a monkey wrench into any conditioning program he had planned to prepare for next season. That, in turn, could effect his stamina as the season progresses, especially in its latter stages.
If anything, this strengthens the argument to add pitching over the winter, if only to keep Bills from being forced to rush in the spring, setting into motion a chain of events that leads to injury. Has anyone forgot about Gagne's knee injury, and the shortsighted attempt to rush him back?
Posted by: Brooklyn Dodger | November 22, 2008 at 06:25 PM
BK,
What was it, a slip down a flight of stairs or a trip on the ice?
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081122&
content_id=3689204&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Posted by: Brooklyn Dodger | November 22, 2008 at 06:34 PM
Brooklyn-
Both, I think. I went back and checked the email sent by Dodgers PR, and it says he slipped on steps OUTSIDE his home. So my guess is both.
Bad job by me in reporting the news. Certainly don't want to create a Jeff Kent motorcycle situation here.
Thanks for the pickup.
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | November 22, 2008 at 07:03 PM
BD / BK,
The ice was the 1st thing i thought of when I read Bk's post...Thanks for th confirmation BD
Posted by: K T | November 22, 2008 at 07:22 PM
BK,
Thanks for the clarification. And your job of reporting was no worse than my use of the word "trip" instead of "slip" in my second post.
Maybe Bills should move closer to LA, and away from the ice. Then again, if he lived in a warmer clime he might have been out on a motorcycle.
Posted by: Brooklyn Dodger | November 22, 2008 at 08:26 PM
No respect for Beimel after his little stunt during the 2006 playoffs. Sorry, Joe.
Posted by: DBrim | November 22, 2008 at 08:51 PM
Brooklyn Dodger
I agree with you. Can you believe that? I think the Dodgers need some pitching. With Chad slipping on snow or ice, it has changed the effort the Dodgers need to take. I love Manny, but pitching is essential. GO for CC and we will worry about hitting later.
Package
Posted by: Package | November 22, 2008 at 09:01 PM
Only Ned knows why....
Posted by: benzojones | November 22, 2008 at 09:55 PM
Sad to hear billz broke his leg. What scares me is that his legs are like tree trunks... that must have been a really hard fall. Get well Billz!
Posted by: poppinfresh | November 23, 2008 at 05:14 AM
Package,
I can believe it. In the end we're both big time Dodger fans seeking the same thing, namely championships. We just don't always agree on the way to get there. Then again, sometimes we do. And the important thing is that, in all of our disagreements we keep it civil. As much as we love the Dodgers, we're not fans in the fanatical sense, because we both know that there truly are more important things than the Dodgers--did I really say that? (:
Posted by: Brooklyn Dodger | November 23, 2008 at 06:08 AM
I also agree that this injury needs to change the Dodgers approach this off season. Their record on predicting the timetable for a player to return from injury has been unrealistic to say the least. Remember when they thought Jason Schmidt might be ready for the START of last season ? He never pitched at all. When Furcal went out, it was supposed to be a couple weeks. That turned out to be 5 months.
They ought to plan on a set back/slow recovery here and act accordingly, in my mind.
McDonald in the starting rotation to start the season is looking more and more like a real possibility here.
Posted by: OhioVic | November 23, 2008 at 07:37 AM
CC moves ahead of Manny now with Bills in the shelf for a while. With the economy dumping every day, players wold be best suited to sign sooner rather than later because it's only going to get worse.
Posted by: Blue Gal | November 23, 2008 at 08:17 AM
Blue Gal,
I find it fascinating that many view athlete contracts as "recession-proof." I'm with you; it totally stands to reason that if people have less disposable income, they will spend less on sports (and other distractions), and pro athlete contracts should come down in tandem. But I keep reading that this isn't a consideration in putting together offers...
Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.
Posted by: VA Blueblood | November 23, 2008 at 11:31 AM
To win still requires both effective pitching and hitting. This injury to Bills complicates an already difficult situation the Dodgers are in by losing Lowe and perhaps Manny.
Posted by: Joe the Plumber | November 23, 2008 at 11:47 AM
After this incident with Billz and not really knowing what his turn around time will actually will be, as of right now the Blue's season next year doesn't look promising. The fact that there are so many holes to fill and the public pressure to sign Manny. I don't see a repeat to the NLCS, maybe even the post season. 2-3 SP holes to fill depending how Billz comes back, bullpen issues, infield spots (SS&3rd), the debacle of the outfield??? I guess it's just wait and see for now.
Posted by: Matsuda | November 23, 2008 at 12:38 PM
is there any truth to the rumor that Penny fell and broke his ego?
can anyone verify that?
Posted by: benzojones | November 23, 2008 at 07:23 PM
makes the signing of "CC" ALL THE MORE IMPERATIVE!!!!
unless manny can go 6+ innings every 4th day, too?
Posted by: PitchingaDeal | November 23, 2008 at 10:03 PM
NOW can we stop the nonsense with Manny and go sign CC Sabathia? Sabathia's price probably just got a lot higher, but it's even more important that they sign him now. Otherwise, you're looking at Hiroki Kuroda as your opening day starter. Not a pretty picture.
Posted by: SaMo | November 23, 2008 at 11:15 PM
Hope this makes you LOL...
http://infiniteetc.blogspot.com/2008/11/chad-billingsleys-thighs-in-jeopardy.html
Posted by: BoxedMike | November 24, 2008 at 12:39 AM
The one guy they absolutly have to resign is Furcal and it looks they will let him leave.Best leadoff hitter ,good glove and great in clubhouse
Posted by: edward mrbs | November 24, 2008 at 09:43 AM
Boxed Mike: The fibula is in your calf, not your thigh. It would take all the king's horses and all the king's men to break Billz femur, the bone in his massive man-thigh.
Posted by: SaMo | November 24, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Folks, stop dreaming about Sabathia and remember how he choked in the post-season. And remember Schmidt, Penny, Kevin Brown, etc. ad infinitem. There is no pitcher these days north of 25 worth a long-term contract. They're too brittle. But rest assured--Manny's coming. No one can afford Manny over three years, even if they want to chance his legs at 37. Fact is, we're the only team will give him more than he's ever made for two years, with third year option ($50 M plus third year at $15 M). Manny knows it; he also knows he's got real chemistry in L.A. and that don't translate.
Finally, deal Billingsley and Broxton for Peavy and Kahlil Green and get it over with. We need players who can take the heat of the post-season.
Bottom Line
Posted by: Bottom Line | November 24, 2008 at 02:34 PM
Billz' trade value isn't too high with a broken leg right now. And Broxton's isn't either what with that Diabetic coma he's about to lapse into after a big Thanksgiving dinner.
Posted by: SaMo | November 24, 2008 at 02:52 PM
Isn't it coincidental that an accident taking place in Reading, PA (home of the Phillies AA team), could lead to the Dodgers deciding to go after starting pitching rather than Manny.
After the Phillies were pestered by Manny throughout the NLCS, they indirectly retaliated with a wintery mix of ice and freezing rain that may land Manny in Anaheim or the Bronx.
Check out the full article at ...
thecheesewhizard.blogspot.com
Posted by: The Cheese | November 24, 2008 at 05:50 PM