Billingsley Progressing

Chad Billingsley's strained right groin has improved over the last several days enough that he extended in a bullpen session on Friday. The session was originally scheduled to be brief as reported earlier in the week by Joe Torre. Once the projected ace got started he turned a brief session into a normal session. Obviously this is great news out of the Dodgers camp, and Billingsley will throw a simulated game Sunday.

Billingsley reported Friday he will be ready for the Dodgers opening day start at Chavez Ravine. Billingsley continues to downplay the injury, while manager Joe Torre continues to exercise caution.

"I'm still concerned," Torre said before Billingsley's bullpen session. "You don't really know until they get into a game."

Billingsley led the Dodgers last season in virtually every pitching category minus IP even though he surpassed the 200 mark, and was quietly the ace of the rotation. He continues to show that he can be the true ace the dodgers have been searching for over a decade. He proved that he can be dominant after the stat line in 2008.

Billingsley is looking to improve on his 2008 stat line and cast himself as an elite pitcher in the NL. If he can duplicate or improve on his 2008 stats he will have solidified himself as the anchor the Dodgers organization and fans have been searching for. I myself don't see a strained groin getting in the way.