Random Dodger Tidbits

Over the last week, a few interesting updates surfaced from Vero Beach. None of which really warrant their own post, so I thought I'd gather some of them together.

• Chad Billingsley, once thought to be the leader for the Dodgers fifth starter position, will open the season from the bullpen. Dodgers management seems to be a little worried about teaming his give-it-all delivery with his tendency for high-pitch counts right from the get-go of the season.
• Mark Hendrickson is having the spring one would expect from a career 4.98 ERA, 1.46 WHIP pitcher; he's given up six runs in 6 2/3 innings. This mediocre-at-best showing coupled with his lack-luster performance last season seems to leave the race between Brett Tomko and Hung-Chih Kuo.
• Speaking of Kuo, he tested positive for a "MLB-banned substance" sometime before the Asian Games in Qatar. Kuo's agent and a Taiwanese Olympic official say the results are due to pain or cold medication, and Kuo is not expected to face disciplinary actions.

-Jacob Burch

Comments

[quintjs]

Pain medication, got it. I knew it had to be something like that, because the thought of a athlete actually purposely cheating is unfathomable.

[Robert Daeley]

Not pain medication: cold medication. Big difference.

[Jacob Burch]

The comments from Kevin Chen, an official for Taiwan's Olympic committee, said it was probably either from cold or pain medication(or both, in the case of Pseudoephedrines like sudafed (which got some hoo-rah-rah in the 04 olympics)

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070312&content_id=1839155&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=la&partnered=rss_la
Kuo's agent later blamed a ginseng-filled herbal cold remedy, which sounds a little less credible that i'd cause a positive test for any banned substance, but alas. I'll go ahead and edit the post to tack on "or cold"
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodgers13mar13,1,6413277.story?coll=la-headlines-sports&track=crosspromo

[ca!i sty!e]

Chad in the bullpen? Ahhh. I'd rather see him in Triple A getting starts. See Tomko in the pen and Kuo starting. Once Kuo's arm goes out, give the job to chad and keep tomko in the pen...Tomko needs those first 5-6 innings to finish his chalk paintings anyways.

[ca!i sty!e]

Hendrickson, I'd like him to be traded instantly.

[greenbaydude1232]

Just like the Twins...what idiots.

[dan1to]

Moving Billingsley to the pen is a great idea for now. The Dodgers have too many pitchers and will lose some players if they dont work out something soon. Tomko and Hendrickson are on the 25 man until they get traded. (which should happen in the season)

Kuo will get shipped to AAA and then Billingsley or Kuo will come up when Tomko and Hendrickson are gone.

If another starter goes down Tsao and Mays will hopefully be capable to handle what innings are left.

[dan1to]

Oh, i forgot to mention why Billinsgley to the pen is smart...
His high pitch count has not gotten him into the seventh inning yet. The pen work will keep him working on pitch efficiency while facing ML batters, which he has proved ready to face. This way, when he goes back to the Starting job, he will be able to get into the seventh or eighth having learned how to put batters away with fewer pitches.

His high-effort delivery can be better tweaked while in the pen.

If this does not work, he will be converted to a reliever... Hey, it worked for Gagne.