DBacks @ Dodgers June 13, 2014: Welcome back A.J. & Hanley, RIP Chad

dodger_stadium_side-viewIt seems like the last few game threads I’ve written have involved certain players coming back from injury or a day off, and today is no different.

The Dodgers activated A.J. Ellis from the 15-day disabled list an optioned Tim Federowicz, also known as the second-worst hitter in baseball (.131/.169/.230), to Triple-A Albuquerque. You remember when Ellis sprained his ankle celebrating Josh Becektt’s no-hitter, right? Well, he and his .170/.350/.213 triple slash returns. He has an on-base percentage 180 points better than his batting average. Damn. Now, if only he could turn some of those ground and fly outs into hits, he’d be in business.

Hanley Ramirez returns from a, technically, 1-game absence due to a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder. He received a cortisone shot on Wednesday and was deemed clear for action by the Dodgers’ medical staff (for whatever that’s worth). For all of Ramirez’s struggles, he’s still a Top 11 shortstop in baseball. Not bad, but not what most are expecting, especially after an amazing 2013 season at the plate.

D’Backs
Dodgers
7:10pm PT
Los Angeles, CA
SS
Owings
2B
Gordon
RF
Parra
SS
Ramirez
1B
Goldschmidt
RF
Puig
2B
Hill
1B
Gonzalez
3B
Prado
LF
Kemp
LF
Ross
CF
Ethier
C
Gosewich
C
Ellis
CF
Peralta
3B
Figgins
P
Anderson (R)
P
Kershaw (L)

The Dodgers signed a bunch of post-10th-round picks today (round drafted in parenthesis):

Ryan Taylor (13)
Kelvin Ramos (14)
Joe Broussard (15)
Tyler Wampler (17)
Clint Freeman (18)
Brian Wolfe (20)
Ivan Vela (21)
Bubby Rossman (22)
Deion Ulmer (26)
Derrick Sylvester (31)

None of them signed for more than $100,000, so their bonuses won’t count against the Dodgers’ bonus pool.

And now for the bad news about Chad Billingsley

Sigh. While it might not be related to his recovery from Tommy John surgery, I find it hard to believe that it didn’t have some bearing on what’s happened to him in his road to recovery. He’s set to visit Dr. Neal ElAttrache to discuss treatment options. Here’s an option: Just get the damn surgery. Remember what happened last time you tried to “rehab” through an elbow injury?

I know, it’s easy for a dumb blogger to say, but what are the benefits of rehabbing vs. surgery, aside from, obviously, not having to have surgery?

I’m going to write a longer, more “ranty” post (hopefully for tomorrow morning) about this. But I’ll leave you with this:

“It seems Billingsley is ahead of (my) schedule, and some folks in the organization think Billingsley could be back sometime in May or June. I’ve always been a big Billingsley fan, and I just don’t want to see him do anything to jeopardize his career.”

RIP, Chad. You may have very well already thrown your final pitch as a Los Angeles Dodger.

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About Dustin Nosler

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Dustin Nosler began writing about the Dodgers in July 2009 at his blog, Feelin' Kinda Blue. He co-hosted a weekly podcast with Jared Massey called Dugout Blues. He was a contributor/editor at The Hardball Times and True Blue LA. He graduated from California State University, Sacramento, with his bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in digital media. While at CSUS, he worked for the student-run newspaper The State Hornet for three years, culminating with a 1-year term as editor-in-chief. He resides in Stockton, Calif.