Ted Lilly eager to make his season debut for Dodgers

Ted Lilly eager to make his season debut for Dodgers

Dodgers left-hander Ted Lilly will pitch Saturday after missing one start because of neck pain that landed him on the disabled list.

Ted Lilly has waited for more than a week to make his season debut.

To him, it's felt substantially longer.

"It's not like I missed a ton of starts, but it feels like I missed a few," Lilly said.

He's missed one, to be exact. Lilly will make his season debut Saturday against the San Diego Padres.

"It's been fun watching us win," Lilly said. "At some point, we'd all like to be a part of what's going on."

A stiff neck threw off Lilly's throwing program in spring training, which, in turn, forced the left-hander to start the season on the disabled list. He said his neck is no longer bothering him.

"I don't have any excuses," he said.

His arm strength is where he wants it to be; he threw 83 pitches in a minor league rehabilitation game Sunday.

He wasn't satisfied with the results, however. He was pounded by the Angels' Class-A affiliate for seven runs, including six earned, in six innings.

He served up two home runs. Giving up home runs was a problem last season, when opponents hit 28 against him.

"The object is to keep the ball in the park," he said.

In the first year of his three-year, $33-million deal, Lilly was 12-14 with a 3.97 earned-run average last season.

His problem was consistency. He ended the season significantly better than he started it, winning five of his last six starts and posting a 2.09 ERA over his last 11 appearances. During the final two months, he limited opponents to a .169 average, which was lowest in the majors.

Decisions, decisions

Lilly's return will present a roster dilemma. Only three players have options that allow them to be sent to the minor leagues without clearing waivers: Javy Guerra, Kenley Jansen and Josh Lindblom.

Guerra and Jansen won't be sent down; Guerra is the closer and Jansen is the primary eighth-inning man.

That means Lindblom could be the odd man out, even though he's arguably been the top performer out of the bullpen. Lindblom hasn't give up a run in the five innings he's pitched over three appearances.

Scully update

Vin Scully's health continues to improve, but the Hall of Fame broadcaster is unlikely to call the Dodgers' game on Saturday unless the weather drastically improves. Scully hasn't called the Dodgers' first four home games because of a bad cold.

Scully is expected to return Sunday.

Are Dodgers watching Javy Guerra end any debate on team closer?

And on the fourth day, he rested. Though for a while there, the Dodgers had to be wondering if they shouldn’t tap Javy Guerra once again.

Guerra had pitched in three consecutive games, and although he had thrown only 34 pitches, Manager Don Mattingly decided it was time to give his young closer a day off.

Not that Guerra wasn’t game.

“You know what, the way we’re playing right now, I’d throw every day if I could,” Guerra said.

Instead, in the ninth inning with the Dodgers up by two Friday night, Mattingly went to Kenley Jansen, a harder-throwing right-hander many have hoped would replace Guerra as closer.

“I know a lot of people were clamoring to switch [Guerra] and Kenley early in the spring, but his saves have not been like top-steppers,” Mattingly said. “There are a lot of guys, they may get the save, but every time it seems like it’s second and third and it comes down to that last pitch. Javy’s pretty much been like these last three. Maybe a guy gets on, but they’ve been pretty clean.”

Friday night Jansen gave up a two-run homer to San Diego’s Chase Headley that tied the score in a game the Dodgers won in the bottom of the ninth on four walks.

“There’s a difference between pitching in the eighth and the ninth,” Mattingly said.

Guerra, 26, is all cool in the ninth, a right-hander who seems to welcome the pressure. He looks almost defiant on the mound.

And he’s had nothing but early success this season. Guerra leads the major leagues with five saves. In those five games he has given up one hit and one walk. He’s struck out five. Naturally, he sports a 0.00 earned-run average.

Not bad for the accidental closer, the guy the Dodgers went to last season when All-Stars Jonathan Broxton imploded and Hong-Chih Kuo battled anxiety, while Vicente Padilla was injured.

“He’s been pretty solid,” Mattingly said. “It’s hard for me to go away from success. You can say maybe one guy profiles [as a closer] and one guy doesn’t, but when a guy goes out there and keeps getting them, it’s hard for me to say what’s happened that he shouldn’t be the guy.”

Last season Guerra was called up from double-A Chattanooga on May 15. He made good on his first 10 save opportunities and 21 of 23 overall. His 91.3 save percentage is the fifth-best mark in Dodgers history. By the end of his rookie season, Guerra had made a believer out of Mattingly and himself.

“When you have success, it’s pretty good for your confidence,” Mattingly said. “It’s crossing barriers. Now you know you can do it, and it can either breed confidence or put too much pressure on yourself. And Javy’s been the kind of guy where it’s really bred confidence. He’s continued to work and has great stuff.”

Guerra had a solid spring training, but really nothing to foretell this kind of start to the regular season. Guerra said for the first time he was relaxed in spring, not worried about making the team and working on different pitches.

“And then there’s nothing like the lights turning on and you get your national anthem and actually go out there for a real game,” he said. “There’s nothing like that real feeling.”