| Chad Billingsley | |
|---|---|
 Billingsley with the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1984-07-29)July 29, 1984 (age 41) 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 record | 83–64 |
| Earned run average | 3.72 |
| Strikeouts | 1,052 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Medals | |
Chad Ryan Billingsley (born July 29, 1984) is anAmerican former professionalbaseball right-handedstarting pitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theLos Angeles Dodgers from2006 through2013 andPhiladelphia Phillies in2015. He was aNational League (NL)All-Star in2009.
Billingsley attendedDefiance High School inDefiance, Ohio, and played for the school's baseball team. Billingsley was a high school teammate of Major League pitcherJon Niese.[1] He was named to theRawlings All-American first team in his junior year as autility player and as a pitcher in his senior year. As a senior in 2003, Billinglsey posted a 1.21earned-run average and 138strikeouts in 69innings. He also had a .383batting average with 93runs batted in and 24home runs as a senior. Billingsley finished high school with a state-record 502 strikeouts.[2]
He also playedAmerican 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 forTeam USA, which won the bronze medal in the2002 World Junior Baseball Championship inSherbrooke,Quebec.[citation needed]
He committed to attend theUniversity of South Carolina.[2]
TheLos Angeles Dodgers selected Billingsley in the first round, with the 24th overall selection, in the2003 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Dodgers, receiving asigning bonus of $1.375 million.[citation needed]
Billingsley pitched in 2003 for theOgden Raptors of theRookie-levelPioneer League, compiling a record of 5–4 with a 2.83 ERA. He went 7–4 with a 2.35 ERA for theVero Beach Dodgers of theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League in 2004, before being promoted to theJacksonville Suns of theClass AASouthern League, where he pitched through 2005. He was 13–6 with a 3.51 ERA for Jacksonville in 2005. He started 2006 with theLas Vegas 51s of theClass AAAPacific Coast League before being promoted to the Dodgers. According toBaseball America,[4] Billingsley was the number oneprospect in the Dodgers organization prior to being recalled to the major league roster in June 2006.[5]
Billingsley made his Major League Baseball debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 15, 2006, against theSan Diego Padres atPetco Park inSan Diego, California. In his debut, Billingsley started on themound, pitched5+1⁄3innings and surrendered 6hits and 2runs while striking out three. He even knocked in two runs in his first officialat-bat (hit by pitch in his firstplate 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 thewin). Billingsley remained in the starting rotation for the rest of the season, but started 2007 in thebullpen. He pitched well in relief and was returned to the starting rotation on June 21 after season-ending surgery placedJason Schmidt on thedisabled list.[6]
In 2008, Billingsley elevated to one of the top pitchers in theNational League while demonstrating his potential as anace. 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 aWHIP of 1.34 in 200.2 innings pitched. Billingsley pitched his first careercomplete gameshutout against theSan Francisco Giants on July 30, 2008, allowing five hits and recording eight strikeouts without allowing a walk. On September 6, Billingsley facedArizona aceBrandon Webb and helped to hold him off long enough for aManny 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 strong6+2⁄3 innings, while allowing just one run against theChicago Cubs. The Dodgers won the game 10–3. However, in his next two starts, Billingsley was not nearly as effective. Lasting only2+1⁄3 innings, Billingsley was torched for 8 runs (7 earned) in an 8–5 loss to thePhiladelphia Phillies in Game 2 and2+2⁄3 innings, while giving up 3earned runs, in Game 5 of the2008 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 hisSouth 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.
In 2009, Billingsley started well, winning his first five decisions and posted a 7-inning, 11-strikeout performance against theSan 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 theSan Diego Padres. He was selected to the2009 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 theSan 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 theArizona Diamondbacks on July 7, 2012, Billingsley recorded his 1,000th strikeout and in doing so, became the 12th Dodgers pitcher to reach the milestone.[9] Billingsley finished the 2012 season with a 10–9 record and 3.55 ERA in 25 starts. On September 5, 2012, it was announced that Billingsley had a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, the type that usually requiresTommy 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 withplatelet-rich plasma injections.[11] However, after just 2 starts in 2013 he felt pain in the elbow again. An MRI revealed that the tear had returned. Billingsley underwentTommy 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]
On January 29, 2015, Billingsley signed a one-year deal with thePhiladelphia Phillies.[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. He became a free agent following the season.
Billingsley was a versatile pitcher, throwing four pitches with regularity and another two infrequently. He led with afour-seam fastball at 90–93 mph and asinker at 90–92 mph. He featured acut fastball in the upper 80s, an occasionalslider in the mid 80s, achangeup in the mid-high 80s, and acurveball that is usually in the upper 70s. (Occasionally, he threw it as slowly as 65 mph, so that it resembled aneephus 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]
In January 2018, Billingsley was named head baseball coach atConrad Weiser High School inPennsylvania. Billingsley resigned from the position in June 2021 (can't be verified).[18]
