BREAKING NEWS: Chad Billingsley is joining the Dodgers and will make his first start of the season for the Dodgers on Thursday in San Diego. Billingsley joins Andre Ethier, Russel Martin, Willy Aybar, Joel Guzman and Matt Kempt as rookies to all be called up to the club this year.

Let’s go Chad!!

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers may be calling up AA outfielder Matt Kemp sometime soon. After calling up Andre Ethier, Russell Martin, Willy Aybar and Jonathan Broxton (and all of them contributing greatly), why not?

"Emboldened by the success of recent call-ups Russell Martin, Andre Ethier and Willy Aybar, the Dodgers are seriously considering promoting power-hitting outfielder Matt Kemp from double-A Jacksonville.

Kemp, 21, is batting .343 with six home runs and 29 runs batted in with 10 stolen bases in 42 games. He has 30 strikeouts and 19 walks."

Here’s the link to the story.

Steve Henson of the Los Angeles Times writes today about Cesar Izturis‘ possible upcoming move from shortstop to the outfield when he returns from the disabled list in the upcoming weeks. The article talks about the Dodgers’ plan to move Izturis to the outfield and questions whether or not Cesar would be willing to make that move. Cesar himself questions the possibility.

He does have a tough decision. He’s an all-star, gold glove winning short stop, but he admits that he hasn’t even thought of the possibility of replacing Rafael Furcal at the SS position.
"It’s never crossed my mind that I would take his job," he said. "He’s there now."

Ned Colletti is quoted as saying, "We aren’t saying that as long as you are with the Dodgers, this is
your role. We’re saying that at this point in time, with this team, if
your arm is healthy, it might make sense."

A show down may be imminent, but I hope it doesn’t come to that.

Link: Izzy In, or Out? – Los Angeles Times.

Note: If you don’t want to sign up for an L.A. Times accout to view the article, just head over to bugmenot.com and type in latimes.com for an anonymous login.

Nothing doing much today as the Dodger have a day off. Nomar is playing in Las Vegas as I write this. Maybe a day off for the Dodgers to dwell on that horrible loss last night will help them get back on track.

In other news Derrek Lee is going to miss 8-10 weeks and be in a cast for maybe 6 weeks from that collision with Furcal last night. Ouch… that will hurt the Cubs big time. Super unfortunate thing to happen to their superstar first basemen.

Link: ESPN.com – MLB – Cubs ready to place Lee on DL with broken wrist.

Report from the farm:

Final Thurs. 4/20	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Las Vegas	2	0	0	2	0	1	0	1	0		6	13	0
Fresno	1	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0		4	9	0

Nomar Garciaparra started his rehab assignment tonight in Las Vegas and got 3 at bats as expected. He did pretty well, going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. He will play again tomorrow and is expected to play the full game.

Joel Guzman was 2-for-5. He’s hitting .317  for Las Vegas.
Andre Ethier was 2-for-5 with a triple. He’s hitting .431 for Las Vegas.
Russell Martin was 0-for-3 with 2 walks, 1 RBI, and a run scored. He’s hitting .262 for Las Vegas.
Jonathan Broxton pitched 2 more solid innings. He didn’t allow a run or a hit, walked one and struck out two. He earned his 3rd save of the season and still hasn’t given up a run all season.

Final Thurs. 4/20	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Jacksonville	0	0	0	0	1	3	1	0	0		5	7	2
Carolina	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	0		4	9	3

Andy LaRoche was 0-for-4 and is hitting .235 Jacksonville.
Matt Kemp was 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, and walk. He’s hitting .295 for Jacksonville.

4/20 Prospect Batting Totals:  5-for-22, triple, double, 2 RBI.

So Nomar Garciaparra is in Las Vegas to complete a 2-day rehab assignment. He is expected to join the major league club on Saturday. He is expected to get 3 at bats in tonight’s game and play a full game on Friday. Maybe he can give Joel Guzman some tips on how not to get injured.

You can follow the game live at 7:05pm.

Izturis on the way back:

"Cesar Izturis said his surgically
repaired right elbow has shown some improvement recently, but he wants
to get 10 consecutive days of infield throws in before setting a
timetable for a return to the field.

"I think (the pain) was because of the cold weather, at least that’s what the doctors are telling me," Izturis said.

Izturis is expected to continue his rehab in the minor leagues before returning."

Link: LA Daily News – Sports.

ESPN is reporting that we may see a future hall-of-famer in Dodger blue next year… now wouldn’t THAT be cool?!

Link: ESPN.com – MLB – MLB Rumor Central: West bound?.

West bound?
Apr 18 – If Greg Maddux doesn’t pitch for the Cubs next year, the Dodgers are a possibility, the Daily Herald reports. New Dodgers GM Ned Colletti was with the Cubs when Maddux was there the first time (1986-92), and in San Francisco in 2004 when the Giants made Maddux a better offer than the deal he signed to return to the North Side.

Maddux is making $9 million this year, and his contract expires at season’s end.

Injury Updates:

In other news, Nomar Garciaparra took his second round of batting practice yesterday at Dodger Stadium and is closer to rejoining the club. When asked if Garciaparra would have to endure a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the ballclub, Grady Little said, "It’s a strong consideration right now."

Jayson Werth is still in a lot of pain from his wrist surgery five-months ago and there’s no time table on his return. "Is there a word beyond frustration?" Werth said. "If so, that’s the word to use to express how I feel."

Yhency Brazoban had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on Tuesday. He’s expected to miss at least a year.