April 14, 2008
The Importance of Routine
Chad Billingsley seems to need a set schedule to pitch well.
"I couldn't really get into a routine before my first start," Billingsley said after striking out eight batters in five innings and losing, 1-0, to the Padres. "This start, I really worked on getting my timing back. Everything felt good. My timing was great, and that's all you really want. I'll just keep working and try to build off this."
Billingsley was supposed to make his first start of the season April 2 against San Francisco, but Manager Joe Torre scratched him just before game time because bad weather was in the forecast. Torre wound up bringing Billingsley out of the bullpen in that game, but he faced only four batters before a long rain delay and then didn't return.
Billingsley then made a two-inning relief appearance April 4 before his ill-fated first start against the Diamondbacks four days later, when he was torched for five runs on five hits over 2 1/3 innings.
But for Billingsley, that debacle amounted to hitting the reset button, because from there, he was able to get back into his normal between-start routine.
It strikes me that Joe Torre needs to be aware that Billingsley doesn't provide flexibility to the staff.
Posted by David Pinto at
08:48 AM
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