Little Sees Much to Like About Billingsley

Grady Little knows better but couldn’t help himself. He understands the plan laid out by the front office, that top pitching prospect Chad Billingsley should begin the season at triple A.

He knows Jae Seo was acquired from the New York Mets to become the fifth starter, that D.J. Houlton is waiting in the wings should Seo fail, and that veterans Aaron Sele and Brian Meadows were brought into camp in case both fail.

All to protect Billingsley, 21, from being rushed.

Yet when Little was asked Saturday whether the former first-round draft pick can make the rotation out of spring training, he didn’t temper his enthusiasm.

“It’s hard to say no at this time,” he said.

A day earlier the manager expounded on Billingsley’s qualities.

“I don’t think this guy is going to be a good pitcher; I think he’s going to be a great pitcher,” Little said, proceeding to list the reasons: “The body style. The look on his face when he’s on the mound. The way he walks around in a major league clubhouse. And his stuff.”

The last starter the Dodgers rushed to the big leagues was Edwin Jackson, who struggled the last two years, became a walking, talking cautionary tale, and was traded in January.

Little knows this too. But he can’t help himself.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Billingsley was a factor on this big league team in 2006,” he said. “He’s a guy we will be sure we make all the right decisions with. I want to make sure his upward progression stays upward.”

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Outfielder Ricky Ledee is a proven major leaguer coming off a solid season. So why was he filled with dread when Ned Colletti was hired as Dodger general manager?

The answer could be found on the back of his bubblegum card.

Late in the 2004 season, Ledee was traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the San Francisco Giants. He was batting .285 at the time of the trade but went six for 53 with the Giants, an anemic .113.

Ledee assumed that Colletti -- the Giant assistant GM at the time -- would remember only that short stint. However, Colletti pulled Ledee aside a few days ago and assured him that he was valued in his role as a reserve outfielder and late-inning, left-handed pinch-hitter.

He also remembered that Ledee batted .308 against the Giants last season.

“He wore us out,” Colletti said. “Every time he came up it seemed like he had a 12-pitch at-bat.”

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Left-handed reliever Hong-Chih Kuo is not the only Dodger who will leave today to begin workouts with Chinese Taipei in preparation for the World Baseball Classic. Shortstop Chin-Lung Hu, who batted .313 for Class-A Vero Beach last season, is also on the team.... A day after saying Billingsley would start for the team of former Jacksonville players in the intrasquad game Tuesday at Jacksonville, Little said Houlton would start for the Dodger team.... Little said touted prospect Joel Guzman would be moved from shortstop after the intrasquad game and begin working out at first base, third base and the outfield.