Chad Billingsley may miss the entire 2013 season due to a slightly torn UCL in his right elbow, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. Billingsley will try to rehab the injury without Tommy John surgery, but if he needs to go under the knife, it will cost him all of 2013 no matter if he undergoes the procedure now or in the spring. Since signing a three-year, $35MM extension in March 2011 that covers the 2012-14 seasons, Billingsley has posted a 3.92 ERA, 2.17 K/BB ratio and 7.5 K/9 in 57 starts. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/09/dodgers-notes-colletti-billingsley-kasten.html
just a shame dude was suddenly on fire and then this? shit happens, I guess if surgery is inevitable, I say do it asap instead of waiting 'til spring
And to think. The moment the trainers came out and took Bills out of the game...Bills walked off the field making possibly his last pitch for over a year...nobody in the stadium gave a shit. They were screaming for a beach ball.
The thought process, from what I've heard, is that getting a surgery done today or three weeks from now doesn't make a difference because either way he is going to miss all of 2013, so it's a rare opportunity to be able to try other treatments for a bit to see if that heals the slight tear. If this was done in May, they would have advised him sooner to have the Tommy John. Hopefully the other treatments help heal it, but those chances are rather slim Anyways, no way around it it sucks. Losing your #2 during a prime year to the knife, a year after losing Rubby, hurts. Just sad, I wish this happened to shit players, why do our injuries have to happen to the good ones?
I get that but doesn't waiting 2-3 months mean it's going to take 2-3 months longer to heal? even if he misses all of next season, I'd rather have him rehabbing and ready for 2014 sooner rather than later
This sucks for the Dodgers and for Bills.. I don't know why every team wants to wait and see if it is going to get better.. I think they are idiots, just get the procedure done that way it doesn't cost him more time then what it should..
I truly believe this will make us get Greinke. I would've preferred Hamels, but Greinke is a great No. 2.
I really don't see a problem in waiting. If there is a 10% chance you can avoid the surgery and be fine, and the downside is only being pushed in the offseason of 2013, then you go for it. It doesn't make a difference really to be ready to go in November or to be ready in February. Plus, even if he is pushed back a bit and is not ready til a month until 2014 season, it's not like he is going to pitch all of that season a year after Tommy John, so starting the year a bit late doesn't take away any innings from him and means he pitches later in September. Just saying, it sucks ass to lose him for a year but I like that they are exploring the off chance that other procedures could heal him cause the risk of that not working out and pushing back the TJ isn't that large at this point of time compared to if this was happening in May.
My worry would be that the alternate treatment works, but then he reinjures it 2 months into next year and is out for 2014.
But who knows, if the alternate treatment works, maybe he can pitch in 2013 and 2014, and have the treatment named after him. Future players can choose between Tommy John Surgery or the Ballslessly Treatment.
