The mystery of George Sherrill impersonation is revealed at last: he has a bad back

So that’s what the problem was.

George "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" Sherrill had a bad back.

Silly me, all that talk about his mechanics being off. Should have recognized his delivery was out of whack because of a mid-back tightness. Must be tough to find a good masseuse these days.

Funny how his injury was revealed the same day the Dodgers activated shortstop Rafael Furcal and needed to create roster space. I’m sure it was a coincidence. Kinda like Charlie Haeger and his plantar fasciitis.

Anyone who had never seen Sherrill pitch until this season would probably wonder what he was doing on the roster in the first place.

Anyone who had seen him pitch last season knows this Sherrill actually crawled out of a pod.

Understand, after Sherrill came to the Dodgers last July 30, he was absolutely lights out. Really, he was incredible. He posted an amazing 0.65 ERA in 30 games with the Dodgers.

He was automatic. The perfect left-handed complement to closer Jonathan Broxton. The finishing touch to an already excellent bullpen.

And then spring came, and he was gone. Vanished from planet Earth. Replaced by his perfect twin, only one who couldn’t pitch.

How can anyone go from a 0.65 ERA to his current 7.36? Is that even possible? OK, apparently. Maybe he was throwing with his right arm and we didn’t notice.

Manager Joe Torre was constantly asked if there was anything physically wrong with Sherrill, but each time he denied it, saying it was simply a matter of mechanics. Then there were video sessions with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and trying to find flaws watching opponents on TV.

Yet every time Sherrill would put together a couple of promising outings, he would take a step back again. Those back injuries are the darnest things.

No doubt the Dodgers figure a couple of weeks of just trying to hone his delivery can’t hurt.

And though his exit leaves the Dodgers with an 11-man pitching staff, they won’t need a fifth starter until Friday in Colorado. By then maybe Nick Green ’fesses up to an ankle sprain or something.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Dodgers Web doings: Padres actually have believers

All you Padres fans who have your panties in a snit because I wrote earlier that I’m far from a believer, take heart.

Yahoo sports.com’s Tim Brown said Tampa Bay Manager Joe Maddon is rooting for the Padres to win the National League pennant so he can meet his old friend, San Diego Manager Bud Black, in the World Series.

And Brown does believe, apparently. In his latest rankings of all major-league clubs, he has the Padres at No. 5, just behind the Phillies (his highest ranked N.L. team).

Tampa Bay is his No.1, and if you’re wondering, the Dodgers are at 17.

Also on the Padres, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney discusses how this team of no-names has had baseball’s third-best record since July 27.

Sticking to the Padres, San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Tim Sullivan bemoans the poor offensive production of their outfield and says Jermaine Dye would like to play in San Diego.

And finally to finish off the Padres thread, True Blue L.A.’s Michael White breaks them down in advance of this weekend’s series.

Also on the Web:

-- ESPN.Los Angeles’ Tony Jackson said for left-hander Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers starter Saturday, it’s either feast or famine. Expectations are either off the charts, or the disappointment is.

-- Ken Gurnick of Dodgers.com profiles rising star Andre Ethier, and quotes Diamondbacks coach Kirk Gibson saying he expects Ethier will continue to be a clutch player.

-- The L.A. Daily News’ Doug Padilla thinks the Dodgers’ recent improved play can be directly linked to the return of Manny Ramirez.

-- MikeSciociasTragicIllness doesn’t think Joe Torre should be complaining about his pitchers’ failure to go seven innings when he often comes with a quick hook.

-- Riverside Press-Enterprise’s Michael Becker offers a feature on the curious rise of right-hander John Ely.

-- LADodgerTalk has come around on its thinking of utility player Jamey Carroll.

-- And, as they say, last but not least, here at The Times, Kevin Baxter and Baxter Holmes, clearly joined at the hip, take a look at the role of a major-league pitching coach with the Dodgers' Rick Honeycutt and the Angels' Mike Butcher.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Dodgers get encouraging outing from Chad Billingsley

Chad Billingsley, take a bow. It’s deserved, and very much needed. For both Billingsley and the Dodgers.

The strange case of Chad Billingsley -- an All-Star the first half last season, a lost-looking pitcher ever since -- took another turn Sunday in Washington, D.C., when he looked dramatically improved over his previous start.

That would be when he lasted only three innings in Cincinnati, leaving with a 7.07 ERA and everyone wondering how long the Dodgers could continue with him in the rotation.

Were his problems physical, mechanical, mental, a little of each?

But Sunday against the Nationals, he seemed like a different pitcher.

He went strong six innings, allowing one run on four hits and two walks (one intentional), striking out five.

Billingsley looked like a different pitcher or, at least, very different from the last Billingsley seen. He had command, threw strikes (55 in 86 pitches) and appeared much more confident.

The only run he allowed Sunday came in the first on a single, walk, sacrifice bunt and fielder’s choice.

He retired 15 of 17 Nationals until Cristian Guzman doubled in the sixth on another ball Matt Kemp probably could have caught in center. After intentionally walking Adam Dunn, he got Josh Willingham to bounce out.

Billingsley, a quiet and private type, was all but given a hero’s welcome in the dugout. His day was done, and, first, manager Joe Torre went over to him on the bench to apparently offer encouragement and congratulations, and then pitching coach Rick Honeycutt.

With opening-day starter Vicente Padilla placed on the disabled list and fifth-starter Charlie Haeger still not impressing, Billingsley’s performance was a much-needed boost to the struggling rotation.

-- Steve Dilbeck