Chad Billingsley, with his elbow basically hanging by a thread and ready to explode at any moment, has been placed on the 15-day DL with right elbow pain. The move is retroactive to April 16 and it marks his second stint on the DL in the young season.

#Dodgers place RHP Chad Billingsley on 15-day DL (right elbow pain) retroactive to 4/16 and recall RHP Stephen Fife to make today’s start.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 21, 2013

Billingsley underwent a MRI exam yesterday. Results still haven’t been reviewed by #DrNealElAttrache.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) April 21, 2013

Billingsley said the feeling in his elbow isn’t the same as last year.This elbow pain didn’t happen on 1 pitch like last year

— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) April 21, 2013

While it was an admirable attempt to help the team, at least in theory, he really should have gotten Tommy John surgery last August/September.

Stephen Fife was recalled to replace Bills and started Sunday in his place.

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Hanley Ramirez continues to progress with his rehab, though Don Mattingly doesn’t foresee a rehab assignment for another week or so.

Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez took live early batting practice at Camden Yards before Friday night’s game and hit with power, but manager Don Mattingly said a Minor League rehab assignment is still at least a week away.

“It’s still a little sore in the joint, three weeks without moving it,” said Ramirez, who appeared ginger on his throws to first base.

“What he’s been able to do has shocked all of us,” said Mattingly. “Taking BP, his swing is like normal. Is he able to do that without the brace? There’s still healing to be done. It seems his throwing, he still has trouble with the feel making all his throws. He asked if he could DH tonight and I couldn’t hardly argue. I wouldn’t mind it.”

The Dodgers are pleased with the power Ramirez has shown in BP, and the fact that he’s healing ahead of schedule bodes well for a team with offensive vortexes at both 3B and SS.

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Chris Capuano hit the 15-day DL with a left calf strain suffered during the Carlos Quentin/Zack Greinke incident two Thursdays ago.

#Dodgers place LHP Chris Capuano on 15-day DL (left calf strain); recall C Tim Federowicz from @abqtopes.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 17, 2013

Capuano received treatment between the original injury and his spot-start on Tuesday, before re-injuring it during the game while running to cover first base.

The left calf strain that put Dodgers pitcher Chris Capuano on the disabled list on Wednesday originally surfaced on Thursday night during the benches-clearing incident in San Diego that sidelined Zack Greinke.

Capuano said he felt tightness before that game and felt it worsen while sprinting in from the bullpen during the fracas that was triggered when Greinke hit Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin with a pitch.

Capuano said he thought the injury had responded enough to four days of treatment to allow him to start Tuesday night in Greinke’s place, only for the muscle to partially tear when he sprinted off the mound to cover first base in the second inning.

Chris had an MRI and received an injection of platelet-rich plasma in the affected area on Thursday.

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Where is Yasiel Puig? On the DL.

The answer to why Dodgers outfield prospect Yasiel Puig didn’t play for Double-A Chattanooga on Friday night was the simplest of sorts. No, he wasn’t en route to Baltimore to join the Dodgers. Instead, Puig was placed on the seven-day disabled list with a sprained left thumb, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

While this should serve to blunt the madness surrounding his name, he desperately needs the plate appearances.

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Down on the farm, five Dodgers got healthy and three more hit the DL.

RHP Matt Shelton, C Pratt Maynard, and OF Devin Shines were placed on the 7-day DL, while RHP Steve Ames, RHP Juan Noriega, C Jan Vazquez, SS Ozzie Martinez, and OF Pat Stover were reinstated from the DL.

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Greg Zakwin is the founder of the site Plaschke Thy Sweater Is Argyle. Follow him on Twitter @ArgyledPlaschke.

Pitching was the story this week with the Dodgers minor-league system, despite giving up more runs than scored at all but one level. Some strong performances by Chris Reed, Garrett Gould, and Ethan Martin weren’t enough to make the cut.

The Isotopes checked in with the best record at 3-3, while the Lookouts scored the most runs this week with 40.

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Albuquerque Isotopes (3-3)

Runs Scored: 22
Runs Allowed: 26

Player Of The Week

Tim Federowicz – C

It was a quiet week offensively for Albuquerque, but everyone’s favorite backup catcher topped this week’s offensive performer list. Federowicz went 7-for-19 (.368) with two doubles, three RBI, and three runs scored. Federowicz has a nice triple slash through 21 games with the Isotopes: .299/.360/.468.

Pitcher Of The Week

Will Savage – RHP

Savage started two games this week and posted quality starts in both, leading to a solid week — and not just by Pacific Coast League standards: 1-0 W-L, 12 IP, 8 H, 4 R (earned), 2 BB, 5 K. He isn’t much of a prospect at this point as a 27-year-old, but he has thrown well with the ‘Topes so far. The two starts were the first for him this season.

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Chattanooga Lookouts (3-4)

Runs Scored: 40
Runs Allowed: 39

Player Of The Week

Rafael Ynoa – 2B

Ynoa led the Lookouts offense this week, going 8-for-24 (.333) with a double, two RBI, two runs scored, a walk, and two stolen bases. The 24-year-old came into the week riding a 4-for-5 day on April 22nd, so he was definitely on a hot streak. His line stands at .299/.347/.373 for the season.

Pitcher Of The Week

Matt Magill – RHP

Magill made two starts for the Lookouts this week and won them both. His line for the week: 14 IP, 11 H, 2 R (earned), 5 BB, 13 K. Magill’s stuff has always been a question because of his fringe-average fastball, but his off-speed stuff is keeping Southern League hitters off-balance. His 10.73 K/9 is best on the team and trails only James Paxton (Seattle) and Trevor Bauer (Arizona) among starting pitchers with 20 or more innings pitched.

He was also named Southern League Pitcher Of The Week, so I think I’m spot-on with this choice.

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Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (2-5)

Runs Scored: 21
Runs Allowed: 32

Player Of The Week

C.J. Retherford – 3B

Before you get excited, Retherford had a great week as a 26-year-old in High-A. Still, he went 8-for-22 (.364) with three doubles, two RBI, four runs scored, and three walks.

It was a rough week offensively, as the team averaged just three runs per game. With Leon Landry and Joc Pederson out, and guys like Jonathan Garcia and Austin Gallagher struggling (the former more than the latter), it’s going to be a long season for the Quakes at this rate.

Pitcher Of The Week

Andres Santiago – RHP

Santiago had himself a great game on Sunday, which, when coupled with his “meh” start from Tuesday, gives him the slight edge on Garrett Gould. Gould, while dominant in relief of an ineffective Ronald Belisario on Saturday (6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 12K), had a poor start on April 23rd (3 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 7 K), letting Santiago pass him.

Santiago, 22, went 6 2/3 innings on Sunday, allowed two hits and struck out 11. His line for the week is as follows: 1-1 W-L, 11 2/3 IP, 13 H, 5 R (earned), 1 BB, 18 K. He now owns a sparkling 2.22 ERA in 24 1/3 innings.

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Great Lakes Loons (3-4)

Runs Scored: 27
Runs Allowed: 37

Player Of The Week

Devin Shines – OF

Shines, the 5’9″ outfielder from Oklahoma State University, went 6-for-20 (.300) this week with a home run, four RBI, and a run scored. As you could probably already tell, it was a light week offensively throughout the Dodgers system, and Low-A was no exception. After today’s game, Shines’ triple slash is a respectable .277/.338/.462. In a pitcher’s league, that’s not too bad, but he is doing it as a 22-soon-to-be-23-year-old, so take it with a grain of salt.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jose Dominguez – RHP

This was a tough one between Dominguez and Arismendy Ozoria, who had a solid week himself. But Dominguez threw four scoreless innings, allowed no hits, two walks, and struck out four. He’s a favorite of Jared Massey at LA Dugout, who thinks he’s being stretched out to possibly go into the Loons’ rotation.

After today’s game (4 IP, 1 H, 6 K), Dominguez, 21, has a 1.83 ERA, a 10.5 K/9, a 1.92 ground ball to fly ball ratio, and a .130 opponents batting average on the season.

Dominican Summer League Dodgers: Pitchers
Dominican Summer League Dodgers: Hitters
Arizona League Dodgers: Pitchers

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There’s no Arizona League picture of suitable size, so you’re stuck with what’s actually a better alternative.

Anyway, today I continue my off-season recap of the minor league affiliates, moving on to the hitters of the Arizona League Dodgers after the pitchers were tackled last time around.

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I’ll be picking the prospects for the 2012 Prospective Prospect Profiles list from these reviews, so it might be worth reading. Or not.

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Chris O’Brien – C – 21

Chris O’Brien Statistics

The switch hitting catcher rode his breakout .410/.495/.643/1.138 season in 2011 for Wichita State to an 18th round draft selection by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Assigned to the Arizona League, he didn’t slow down much as a professional, hitting .291/.356/.470/.826 with a 29/16 K/BB ratio.

There were questions about his defense going into the draft, and he did end up playing DH 18 times out of the 41 games he started in the AZL. In the 23 games he did play catcher, he threw out a respectable 34% of runners, but made 3 errors and allowed 6 passed balls, which basically backs the scouting reports.

O’Brien will be promoted because of his skills at the plate, perhaps as far as A-ball, but his work behind the plate will ultimately determine his future.

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Devin Shines – OF – 22

Devin Shines Statistics

A 38th round pick in 2011 out of Oklahoma State, the center fielder hit .319/.401/.463/.864 in his professional debut, including 13 stolen bases in 17 attempts. He wasn’t free of pop either, as he totaled 14 doubles, 1 triple, and 4 home runs in his 243 plate appearances.

Shines will need to continue to impress in full season ball next year if he’s to make an impact on the Dodgers.

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Joe Winker – OF – 21

Joe Winker Statistics

The 2011 28th rounder out of Mercer University took the AZL by storm, putting up a .348/.416/.591/1.007 line over 192 plate appearances. Certainly an impressive professional debut, especially considering that his walk rate was solid (10.5%) and his strikeout rate was reasonable (18.8%). An especially hot June led to him receiving the month’s Dodger Pride Award.

I suppose his .452 BABIP is a cause for concern compared to the league average of .342, but it was at least partially deserved, as he hit 21.2% line drives compared to the league average of 14.0%.

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Alex Santana – 3B – 17

Alex Santana Statistics

A 2nd round draft pick in 2011, the 17-year-old Santana was the 11th youngest player in the AZL. Age is important context when considering his .238/.298/.339/.636 line, which wasn’t even the worst part about his statistics, as he put up a 30.2% strikeout rate in 202 plate appearances.

The scouting reports are what give reason for optimism, as Baseball America already has him as solid defensively, and most seem to believe he’ll develop good power as he matures. Every single report stresses the fact that he’s still raw, so patience will be the name of the game here.

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J.J. Ethel – C – 22

J.J. Ethel Statistics

Taken in the 49th round of the 2011 draft out of Louisville, Ethel spent most of his professional debut backing up O’Brien. When he did get his chances though, he made the most of them, posting a .303/.378/.515/.893 line in a mere 37 plate appearances.

He’s not likely to even be a relevant prospect, much less make an impact in the majors, but he has a balanced and quiet approach at the plate to go with a level swing. If he could involve his lower half better and not be so arm dominant, I think it would improve his chances as he moves levels.