DODGERS FYI: Chad Billingsley reportedly signs three-year extension

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from experts.

The information about presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

Chad Billingsley was dressing at his Dodger Stadium locker Monday when a passerby said, "Congratulations."

Billingsley smiled, but the soft-spoken right-hander said nothing.

The starting pitcher had reached tentative agreement with the Dodgers on a three-year contract extension worth between $35 million and $36 million, with a possible option for a fourth year, two people familiar with the talks said earlier in the day.

Billingsley, 26, would confirm only that he was in contract negotiations that began during spring training, but he would not discuss any specific terms.

The Dodgers also declined to comment on the report from the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been signed.

But Billingsley said he hoped to extend his career with the Dodgers. He was the Dodgers' first-round draft pick in 2003, and he went 12-11 with a 3.57 earned-run average last year in his fourth full season with the club. He has a career mark of 59-41.

"I started my career here in 2003 and love what this organization stands for," he said.

Billingsley and the Dodgers avoided a salary arbitration hearing in January when Billingsley signed a one-year, $6.275-million contract. He was eligible for arbitration for the second time; he was paid $3.85 million in 2010.

The extension, if finalized, would at least run through 2014 and have the effect of postponing Billingsley's entrance into free agency by two years.

Billingsley is scheduled to start the Dodgers' second game of the season, on Friday, against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.

Gwynn and Gibbons

The Dodgers are looking at starting left-handed batter Tony Gwynn Jr. in left field against Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum on opening day Thursday, Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly said.

Jay Gibbons, another contender for the left-field job, might open the season on the disabled list because he's still having problems with his vision and contact lenses, Mattingly said.

"Just because we haven't really set our roster yet, I don't really want to talk about it too much, but the way I look at it right now [I'm] probably thinking in terms of T. Gwynn" on opening day, Mattingly said.

"He's had a good camp, got experience," Mattingly said of Gwynn, 28, who entered Monday's exhibition game against the Angels batting .283 (13 for 46).

Gwynn, who played for the San Diego Padres last year and is the son of Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, said "I'd be ecstatic" to play opening day.

"All along I came into the spring with just wanting to work, and work on my swing, to get to a point where they could entertain the fact" of him playing in the season opener, Gwynn said. "Plus, being a Los Angeles Dodger, it means something to you."

Gibbons, meanwhile, is "still having trouble" with his vision despite briefly leaving spring training earlier this month to adjust his contact lenses in hopes of improving his eyesight, Mattingly said, adding that Gibbons was scheduled to see another specialist Tuesday.

In the meantime, it would be tough for him to start the season because "he's not seeing the baseball the way he needs to," Mattingly said. "At this point he's having trouble picking up [the ball's] spin and dip and all those things."

Don't limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about . The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what's important.

Ted Lilly is a little shaky in final tuneup for Dodgers

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with .

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about . But don't be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

The plan was for Ted Lilly to strike that optimal chord in his last spring tuneup before the left-handed pitcher starts the Dodgers' third game of the season.

Instead, Lilly was way off key Monday night as the Angels defeated the Dodgers, 5-4, at Dodger Stadium in the opening game of the teams' two-game Freeway Series.

Lilly walked five Angels in four innings of work, threw a wild pitch to another, and the Torrance native gave up two earned runs and four hits, lifting his spring earned-run average to 6.19.

Of Lilly's 80 pitches, 37 were balls.

Indeed, walks to Maicer Izturis and Peter Bourjos to lead off the first and second innings, respectively, led to both Angels scoring and set the tone for Lilly's wobbly outing.

Angels starter Ervin Santana, by contrast, also gave up two runs in five innings but one was unearned and he yielded only three hits. The right-hander also struck out five and walked two.

"It was very frustrating," Lilly said. "[I] tried a couple of different things mechanically and just had a hard time getting the ball out of my hand and rotating the ball correctly. I couldn't figure it out."

The Dodgers handed their closer Jonathan Broxton a 4-3 lead in the ninth inning.

But the Angels scored two unearned runs against Broxton, who wasn't helped by second baseman Ivan De Jesus Jr.'s fielding error on a grounder hit by Alexi Amarista. Hank Conger's sacrifice fly brought in the go-ahead run.

Behind Lilly was what might well be the Dodgers' starting lineup on opening day Thursday, except Clayton Kershaw will be on the mound to face the San Francisco Giants.

The lineup included Tony Gwynn Jr. in left field, Juan Uribe at third base in place of injured Casey Blake and Jamey Carroll at second base, Uribe's normal position.

Dodgers right-hander Chad Billingsley — who has reached tentative agreement on a three-year contract extension worth $35-$36 million, according to sources familiar with the deal — is scheduled to start for the Dodgers on Friday, followed by Lilly.

The fourth member of the Dodgers' rotation is Hiroki Kuroda, who plans to have his final spring outing Tuesday night when the Angels host the Dodgers at Angel Stadium.

"Tonight was rough," Lilly said of his showing. "I need to get prepared to make sure that I'm ready to give us a good solid chance to win on Saturday."

The night wasn't much easier for two other relievers, the Dodgers' Kenley Jansen and the Angels' hoped-for closer Fernando Rodney.

Jansen walked Howie Kendrick with the bases loaded in the sixth inning — Jansen's third walk of the inning — that gave the Angels a 3-2 lead.

But the Dodgers took a 4-3 lead in their half of the sixth inning against Rodney on a run-scoring double by Uribe and a single by catcher Rod Barajas that scored another run, raising Rodney's ERA to 5.40.

After both teams scored one run in the first inning, the Angels added a run in the second inning when Bourjos walked, moved to second base on Lilly's wild pitch, stole third base and scored on Izturis' single.

In the third inning, the Dodgers' Rafael Furcal and Gwynn singled and Furcal tagged up and moved to third base on Andre Ethier's fly ball out. Furcal scored when Gwynn took off for second base and drew an errant throw from catcher Bobby Wilson.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of . Share your new understanding about with others. They'll thank you for it.