Lilly and Cubs agree to 4-year, $40-million deal

[JustAnotherYanksFan]

The Cubs and Ted Lilly have reached a preliminary agreement on a four-year, $40 million contract, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal is reporting.
Well, this afternoon's reports weren't entirely accurate if this is the case, as Lilly supposedly preferred a four-year, $40 million contract from the Yankees to four years and $44 million from the Cubs. However, it seems likely that part of those reports were true, and the Yankees simply decided it wasn't worth it, especially with Andy Pettitte potentially on the horizon. Dec. 6 - 8:08 pm et
Source: FOXSports.com

[Amazinz]

OK everyone is going to rag on this signing (I think) but I think it's a good one. Lilly will do well in the NL.

[raiders_umpire]

Lilly will do OK in the NL, but wow $10 million a year.

[noseeum]

Really bad year for the Cubs to suddenly decide to open their wallets. They still don't look like a playoff team, but they sure did spend like one.

[JustAnotherYanksFan]

OK everyone is going to rag on this signing (I think) but I think it's a good one. Lilly will do well in the NL.

I actually agree. If the Cubs want to contend (and it's clear that that's their intention), then they can't be half-assed about it. Lilly put up a 4.31 ERA and 4.06 ERA in the AL East his last two healthy years (he was never really right in '05). Stick him in the NL Central, and he should be able to put up an ERA around 3.75 to 4.00.

Also, I think it's a good move on the Cubs' part to have signed Lilly rather than Meche (assuming that they don't now go and sign Meche, which certainly isn't a given). People have been lumping Lilly and Meche into the same category this off-season, but Lilly has been a significantly better pitcher the past few years (again, I'm not really focusing on Lilly's '05 here). I just hope this doesn't mean that the Yankees sign Meche.

[Havok1517]

Really bad year for the Cubs to suddenly decide to open their wallets. They still don't look like a playoff team, but they sure did spend like one.

Yeah, they should have waited until next year but they are trying to sell the team.

[ayebatter]

OK everyone is going to rag on this signing (I think) but I think it's a good one. Lilly will do well in the NL.

Ya, he should face the pitchers spot about 100 times next yr.

[Pogotheostrich]

As a Cardinal fan I love this signing. A career ERA of 4.56 and he has never topped 200 innings. And for only $10 million a year.

[noseeum]

Individually, each deal they've signed is not criminal, but the sum total is ugly, IMO.

[WittyC]

I'm not too sweet on this deal, as I would rather have seen the Cubs spend half the cash on Ohka or Radke... but at least it's another arm.