Billingsley Done; 1st Year Pro Paco Rodriguez Called Up

Chad Billingsley is officially done for the 2012 season.  Per a Dodgers press release, Chad has been transferred to the 60 day DL.

The Los Angeles Dodgers today transferred right-handed pitcher Chad Billingsley to the 60-day disabled list (right elbow pain) and selected the contract of left-handed reliever Steven Rodriguez from Double-A Chattanooga. Billingsley, who last pitched on Aug. 24 against the Marlins, went 10-9 with a 3.55 ERA in 25 starts this season, finishing the campaign on a six-game winning streak.

He had been one of our better pitchers going down the stretch, so losing him is gonna hurt- big time.  Worse yet, Bill Skaikin at the LA Times notes that he has a partially torn ligament in his right elbow and might have to have Tommy John Surgery.

Since this is the end of the season, she (Sue Falsone the Dodgers athletic trainer) said the Dodgers can afford to allow Billingsley several months to try to recover without surgery. If Billingsley has surgery, the rehabilitation period is about one year, so he would miss all of next season whether he has the operation next week or next spring.

Along with this move, the Dodgers bring up first year pro Steven Rodriguez from Chattanooga.  Also, from a Dodger press release:

Rodriguez, 21, has gone 1-0 with five saves and a 0.92 ERA (2 ER/19.2 IP) in 21 combined relief appearances with Single-A Great Lakes and Double-A Chattanooga in his first professional season after being selected by the Dodgers in the second round (82nd overall) of the June First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida. Since being promoted to Chattanooga on July 28, Rodriguez has limited opposing hitters to a .149 batting average (7-for-47) with 22 strikeouts in 13.2 innings. As a collegiate hurler, Rodriguez earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a junior in 2012 and pitched three seasons at Florida, compiling a 9-4 record with seven saves and a 2.19 ERA in 86 games (two starts). His career ERA was the lowest by a Gator since aluminum bats were introduced in 1974 and he ranks among the all-time Florida leaders in strikeouts per 9.0 innings (10.64, first), opponents’ batting average (.227, T-eighth) and relief appearances (86, seventh).

Below is his 2008 Upper Deck Team USA Baseball autographed card.

BTW, as JP Hoornstra of the Daily News notes, Steven actually goes by Paco- which fits perfectly well in a Hispanic bastion like Los Angeles.  Now, why was he called up so quickly?  Well, Paco happens to be a needed left-hander out of the pen.

"He wasn't a high school kid. He was a college kid who's pitched in some big games, has some angle for left-handers," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "That's what we're looking out of that -- somebody that can get a lefty out. Try to use him like that. It's another lefty out there, another weapon."

So, Paco Rodriguez... Welcome to the Show!

You should check out this video from MLB.com that was put together when Paco was drafted earlier this year.  Take note that an analyst mentioned that he might be the earliest of all draftees that year to join the big league club.  How prescient was that?

Video Link:

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *