Getting to know the boys of spring

From phoenix

Some thoughts between naps, feedings and calling for some someone to change their diapers on Torii Hunter, Chad Billingsley, Jonathan Broxton, Jason Repko and Mike Scioscia.

THE GREAT thing about spring training and visiting the 3-month old twins here, it prepares you to deal with some of the Dodgers.

Take Twin No. 2, a real chubba-bubba, no way can you get peep out of her. Think Broxton — you can get more out of the chair that sits in front of his locker than Broxton, the chair at least moaning every time he sits in it.

As for Twin No. 1, nothing makes her happy. She looks as if she’s going to cry all the time, and more often than not, she does.

You’re way ahead of me, yes, Billingsley.

Billingsley walks around as if he’s just been laid off, head down, shoulders slumped, so pathetic, or like he just learned someone ran over his cat.

“I don’t own a cat,” he says, and when I ask about a dog, he won’t tell me its name, a look on his face as if he can picture it being squished.

That’s the thing about Billingsley’s body language, it makes him appear as if he knows he’s going to get knocked out of his next start. Four days before he makes it.

When he does lose, he beats himself up worse than the opposing team. He always seems on the verge of tears.

When I mention this to him, he disagrees. He says there is nothing wrong with his body language, nothing wrong with him at all, and if only he was so feisty when taking the mound.

Here’s the deal, the Dodgers are trying to figure out who will play second base. The answer easy: Blake DeWitt.

They don’t know what they’re going to get out of Manny Ramirez — a bad attitude a good bet — and they wonder if Russell Martin will ever be Russell Martin again.

But beyond all that, no player means more to the Dodgers this season, as well as seasons to come, than Billingsley.

The drop-off from Clayton Kershaw to Hiroki Kuroda (an injury waiting to happen) and Vicente Padilla (history of trouble), is probably the difference maker in winning a division title.

If Billingsley remains a sad sack, so do the Dodgers, pitching almost everything according to Manager Joe Torre and right now the Dodgers stand only two deep in potential with Kershaw and Billingsley.

A year ago the sad sack was coming off a broken leg and hearing whispers in the clubhouse that he wasn’t one of them because he refused to pitch inside with purpose and would not protect his teammates.

He ended last season a wreck, packed off to the bullpen when the playoffs began, once upon a time the team’s ace.

He says he didn’t have the time to get as prepared as he would have liked because of his broken leg. He says his head was spinning later when nothing seemed to work. He says this year will be different — even hitting a batter Saturday.

Here’s hoping he is different, the “pit bull” as Tom Lasorda called him before realizing that’s not the most appealing nickname, a confident Billingsley acting for a change as if he really belongs here.

At the very least, here’s hoping his dog stays healthy.

SOME PLAYERS leave the game and don’t leave much behind other than their name in the box scores. That seems to be Broxton’s approach.

He will throw hard when called upon, will probably be around as long as his fastball remains fast, and will make a good buck. He’s not a bad guy, maybe not very outgoing or personable, but more than anything, just an athlete.

As a general rule, athletes probably should be seen displaying their God-given talents, and not heard. Like so many other athletes, Broxton will just disappear someday, maybe some recalling how hard he threw or a game he saved.

But then there’s someone like Hunter, and almost anyone who gets the chance to meet him is better off for it.

He’s more than baseball, he’s inspirational and community-minded with so many examples off the field where he has already left his mark.

Hunter is more gold than Gold Glove. He has a lifetime of experiences to offer, is willing to do so and excludes no one.

Now I’ve read what he was quoted as saying in USA Today, disappointed only that he said he had nothing to apologize for, but then indicated he had used the wrong word. It was a contradictory message.

He says now he’s going to watch what he says to reporters, but if he said nothing wrong, it’s another contradictory message.

There’s probably more there between the spoken word and how it was presented, but that’s the problem when it comes to discussing race — there can be no discussion.

When the most important element in such a discussion is the emphasis placed on being politically correct, then it becomes more about nailing someone for saying something wrong or outrageous than an exchange of ideas or opinions.

If Hunter says something wrong, and you can count on it because he doesn’t always agree with Page 2, it should only invite a good argument or further discussion.

Anything more than that does a great disservice to someone who has already spent his fair share of time in the service of others. I’d hate it if he just became another athlete.

IT’S SUCH a pleasure to watch Repko play defense, gunning down a runner at the plate from left field, a great catch in center in another game.

Repko is so good it’s a great reminder to youngsters everywhere how hard it is to make it in the major leagues — because as much fun as it is to watch him, you’re probably running out of time to watch him play.

Unless you have a trip planned to Albuquerque.

THE PLAN is to move over to Tempe the next few days and take a look at the Angels, a daring escapade because it’s being done without Scioscia’s permission.

I’ll be curious to see if Scioscia has allowed any personality to creep into the Angels’ clubhouse.

You know what a control freak he can be, shipping off Gary Matthews Jr. as soon as it became apparent he was my favorite Angels player.

t.j.simers@latimes.com