Billingsley Appears Close to Debut

Next up in the kid queue: Chad Billingsley.

The Dodgers are engaged in serious discussions about promoting the hard-throwing right-handed pitcher to make his debut either Thursday against the San Diego Padres or Friday against the Oakland Athletics, a high-level source said.

Billingsley, 21, is 6-3 with a 3.95 earned-run average at triple-A Las Vegas. He was a first-round pick in 2003 who has moved swiftly through the farm system. Some Dodgers officials are pleased by his recent progress in learning to change speeds and cut down on his pitch count, although not everyone in the front office is convinced Billingsley is ready.

A source said Billingsley would not come up for only one start; he would remain in the rotation as long as he pitched well.

The Dodgers sorely need a No. 5 starter. Neither Jae Seo nor Odalis Perez has been effective. Billingsley’s last start was Saturday, making him available as soon as Thursday.

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It is a near certainty that closer Eric Gagne will be placed on the disabled list Tuesday when second baseman Jeff Kent is activated. The Dodgers could replace Gagne with Kent, but that would mean dropping to 11 pitchers.

Another possibility is sending Joel Guzman back to triple A and bringing up Billingsley or one of several relief pitchers doing well at Las Vegas. Little said Guzman would be sent back to play every day. Guzman also would continue to play three positions: third base, left field and first base.

“We’re concerned about our needs” at the big-league level, Little said. “Our need right now is third base, but who knows what it will be in a week? He’s comfortable at all those positions.

“If he goes back, that will be the main reason. We don’t want him sitting on the bench.”

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The Dodgers have signed two of their three first-round picks in last week’s draft and are close to signing pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who was the seventh player taken, for a bonus of about $2.3 million.

Pitcher Bryan Morris, the 26th player chosen, received a bonus of $1.325 million and infielder Preston Mattingly, the 31st player chosen, received a bonus of $1 million.

Morris, who pitched one season at a junior college, and Kershaw, the top high school pitcher in the draft, will begin their careers with the Dodgers’ short-season Class-A team in Ogden, Utah. Mattingly, a shortstop in high school, will start with the team in the rookie Gulf Coast League.

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Right fielder J.D. Drew did not start because of the thigh bruise he suffered Saturday. It was the 10th time Drew has not been in the lineup.... Nomar Garciaparra’s 13-game hitting streak ended.