"Chad Billingsley sounded like a new man.

He was smiling. He wasn't mumbling.

"It's a different story in the playoffs," he said. "It's a new season. You get a new life. The regular season's over. It's postseason, it's October. The whole playoff atmosphere is exciting."

Billingsley was named the fourth and final member of the Dodgers' rotation in the National League division series that starts tonight against St. Louis. Vicente Padilla will start Game 3.

Billingsley on Monday threw 82 pitches in a simulated game at the Dodgers' spring training complex in Arizona.

While he remains winless since Aug. 18 -- he beat the Cardinals that day -- Billingsley said he was encouraged by his last two starts. He gave up five earned runs in 12 innings in those games."