When news came late Thursday afternoon that former Dodger right-hander Chad Billingsley had agreed to a one-year/$1.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, it seemed to put a depressing mood over the Twittersphere. But even though nearly all of the tweets had a somewhat melancholy feel to them, there was one constant to them all – Billingsley needs to convince everyone that he can stay healthy.

There was a common denominator among all of the tweets regarding Chad Billingsley on Thursday afternoon.

As expected, Billingsley’s deal with the Phillies is extremely incentive-laden. In fact, MLB Trade Rumors is reporting that he could earn an additional $6.5 million in incentives – if he can stay healthy.

It has been painful for Dodger fans to watch the popular 30-year-old Defiance, Ohio native over the past three seasons, during which he had two elbow surgeries, pitched only 161.2 innings, spent more than half of his 36-month contract on the disabled list and missed the entire 2014 season – for which he received $38 million ($35 million plus a $3 million buyout). This figures out to be $235,732 per inning pitched.

Needless to say, no one was surprised when the Dodgers front office declined Billingsley’s $14 million club option for 2015. It would have been ludicrous for them to pick up the option with Chad’s untested, twice-repaired right elbow with every indication that the former 2003 first round draft pick would most likely end up in the Dodgers bullpen. Keep in mind that as of this moment, the Dodgers already have a bullpen payroll of over $25 million – not counting the $9.5 million they owe Brian Wilson to not pitch and the MLB minimum salaries owed to guys like Pedro Baez, Carlos Frias, Joe Wieland and others.

After only one rehab start with the Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on June 8, 2014, Billingsley was shut down and underwent a second elbow surgery three weeks later.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

There is little doubt that the Dodgers would have loved to have brought Billingsley back in 2015 under a low salary/high incentive-based non-roster contract, which many Dodger fans thought might happen – especially as the off-season entered its final month. But there is absolutely zero doubt that Billingsley wanted a guaranteed MLB contract and not a minor league contract – this in spite of the fact that should the Phillies not trade Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, he will probably end up in their bullpen. As it stands right now, the Phillies five-man rotation will most likely be Hamels, Lee, Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams and David Buchanan.

So why, then, did Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. sign Billingsley?

“He’s a bounce-back candidate,” said Amaro. “We’re cautiously optimistic that it’s a good risk. If healthy and if he bounces back close to where he has been in the past, he’s a very solid middle-to-upper-rotation-type pitcher.”

And even though Billingsley passed his physical with flying colors on Thursday, the Phillies plan to be extremely careful with him.

“We’re going to make sure that we take our time with him,” Amaro said. “We want to make sure he’s healthy when he’s pitching in Philadelphia. We’re not going to rush him. If he continues in a straight line, we’re hopeful that by late April or early May he’s ready to pitch for us.”

Although Bills is now a member of one of the Dodgers least-favorite teams, it’s hard for Dodger fans to not wish him well.

…except when the Phillies are playing the Dodgers, of course.