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.

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

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Besides the fact that Raptors actually had feathers, is it just me or is the logo creepy as hell?

Anyway, I’ll continue my off-season recap of the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league affiliates today, moving on to the pitchers of the Ogden Raptors.

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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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Ryan O’Sullivan – RHP – 20

Ryan O’ Sullivan Statistics

A fourth round pick of the Dodgers in the 2011 Draft out of Oklahoma City University, Ryan O’Sullivan only ended up at the school because of academic problems that forced him to transfer from San Diego State. Additionally, he missed essentially all of 2010 at San Diego State with an elbow injury.

In his professional debut, he posted a 6.48 ERA over 8.1 IP with 6 walks and 5 strikeouts, statistics that won’t turn any heads, but it’s his stuff that’s worth mentioning. Since high school, he has put on 15-20 pounds and upped his velocity from 88-90 to 91-93 and tuned his high-70s slurve to a low-80s power curve.

With the layoff, I’m unsure of his future as a starter, especially since he essentially missed two years of competition, but the potential seems to be there. Given that he missed all of 2010 and then showed up in 2011 academically ineligible, I would have to say that’s a concern as well.

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Yimi Garcia – RHP – 20

Yimi Garcia Statistics

In 52.1 IP for Ogden in 2011, primarily out of the bullpen, Yimi Garcia struck out 71 batters and walked just 19 for a K% of 31.8 and a BB% of 8.5. Better yet, his 3.10 ERA is actually an understatement of his performance, as his FIP sat at 2.68.

I assume he moves a level in 2012, earning a real test at full season ball.

—

Brandon Martinez – RHP – 20

Brandon Martinez Statistics

After two tough years in the Arizona League (ERA=9.86/5.25), Brandon Martinez seemed to take a step forward in 2011, posting a 4.07 ERA in Ogden. However, he did walk 13.4% of the batters he faced while striking out only 17.7%, both of which were about 5% worse than the league average. His FIP of 4.57 was .59 worse than league average as well, so it’s far too early to call this any type of actual progression in performance.

Of course, the upside with him is that he sits in the low-90s with three pitches and has projectability to his fastball. I still don’t like his footwork at footstrike, where he basically works against himself by straightening his front leg instead of driving through the pitch. If he could correct that, I think his balance gets better as well, and he would see better control and additional velocity.

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Gustavo Gomez – RHP – 20

Gustavo Gomez Statistics

After struggling in full season A-ball to begin the year, Gustavo Gomez found immediate success in Ogden, winning June’s Dodger Pride Award.

Unfortunately, he faded shortly after, posting a 4.87 ERA and a 4.58 FIP for 2011. The upside is that he struck out 28.8% of the batters he faced, though he struggled with command, walking 12.8%.

Gomez certainly has the arm to do better, touching 94 and sitting in the low-90s, but like with most hard throwers, his ultimate success and role will depend on the development of his secondary pitches and his command.

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Derek Cone – RHP – 21

Derek Cone Statistics

Pitching in the Arizona League, Pioneer League, and Midwest League in 2011, Derek Cone was rather average at all levels (4.50/5.03/5.68). Spending most of his time in Rookie-ball, he managed to post a 4.34 FIP there due to striking out 27.0% of batters. His 10.9% walk rate will have to come down, but that might come with experience, especially given his frame.

At 6’5″ and lanky, there’s enough projectability to assume that his high-80s fastball will end up in the low-90s eventually.

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Raydel Sanchez – RHP – 21

Raydel Sanchez Statistics

Raydel Sanchez defected from Cuba in 2008 during a tournament in Canada and the Dodgers signed him for $125,000 in 2011.

Sanchez was impressive in his professional debut, leading Ogden in innings pitched (75.3), striking out 22.8% of batters, and walking a miniscule 4.7%. The 4.66 ERA doesn’t look impressive, but the 3.81 FIP is a better reflection of his performance.

He’s not exactly young, so I’m guessing the Dodgers will move him to full season ball on the strength of his 2011.

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Matt Shelton – RHP – 22

Matt Shelton Statistics

The 2011 24th round draft pick out of Sam Houston State made a solid professional debut. In 26.1 IP in relief, Shelton posted a 2.05 ERA and a 3.01 FIP. He struck out 26.5% of batters he faced and walked 7.1%, both well clear of the league average. Perhaps one of the better signs though is his 51.5% ground ball rate.

Shelton did what he was supposed to do as a college pitcher in Rookie-ball and set himself up as a player to watch as he moves to full season ball in 2012.