He officially became a player I will not complain about when he struggles, because he has earned it; much like Manny Ramirez, Andre Ethier, etc...
The Dodgers needed an ace, someone to step up and answer the bell when it rang if the club needed a stopper.
He is certainly it.
The Dodger Express came rolling into Houston on an eight-game tear and lost a pair of very winnable games to a mediocre team, and on Thursday night they needed someone to stand up and deliver.
Billingsley certainly did that, tossing 7 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just five base runners and striking out five. Billingsley is now 4-0, with a 2.05 ERA.
His first four decisions of 2009 are a complete 180 from last season's when he went 0-4 with a 6.53 ERA.
Plain and simply put, the Dodgers needed someone to put an end to this small two-game losing streak and Billingsley was everything the Dodgers needed, and more.
On a night when the Dodger offense stranded runners and did not have a lot of good swings, and they needed the pitching to step up; which it did.
Jonathan Broxton came through with his second five-out save in less than a week, and he has been lights-out this season as well.
He made it interesting, but his stuff has just been electric this season, and I feel confident whenever he is on the mound.
Eric Stults will look to keep it going at Coors Field on Friday night. This will be a very, very tough challenge for the touchy-feely lefty.
I too questioned his "ace" status going into the season, not because I dont think he has the stuff but because I felt he needed to duplicate last year to earn it...I now think that Chad Billingsly is our ACE! I'll take him over Hamels/Lincicum?Cain pretty much any young pitcher. Chad is home grown and a stud!
Careful. You can't say you'd take Billingsley over Lincecum yet. Lincecum is the reigning CY winner and still has the best stuff in baseball.
SFG I'll take Bills start to the season over lincecum's, and because Bills is a Dodger and lincecum is a giant, yes I WOULD TAKE BILLS OVER lincecum ANY DAY!!
hard to go against lincecum against anyone right now, but bills is right there.