That's right. The 26th President of the United States of America, Theodore Roosevelt, is imploring the Cubs to KEEP TED LILLY!
And in case you didn't know, Ted's Great Grandfather rode with Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders! He was a BAMF too, just like your current starting leftie stud. So you BETTER LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE, CUBS BRASS!
Here's what I think I know about the Cubs: they aren't gonna change all that much for 2011.
Every position player is pretty locked in, with Derrek Lee a wild card and maybe Ryan Theriot being the only obvious guy you could upgrade.
Aramis Ramirez is going to stay. Starlin Castro is going to start at short. Alfonso Soriano is here for years. Marlon Byrd is our center fielder. Soto is the catcher. Tyler Colvin has won the right field position. D Lee is up for speculation, and Theriot is making an attractive-to-other-teams 2.7 mil.
The issue is money, right? The Cubs need a little money to play with for 2011? And if you trade Ted you don't have to give him a new contract. So you save money, but you gotta replace him.
Is Zambrano still gonna be a Cub? Is Silva really expected to be as successful next year? Would you move Sean Marshall into the starting rotation when he's BRILLIANT - the best there is - at his Bridge Position? Are there rookies who are ready to start in the Bigs? Samardzija? Is Big G a real starter?
Right now for sure you've got Dempster, Wells, and Ted. But with all the question marks above, I don't get how they're not gonna turn around and spend more money on another starter.
For a much smaller example (and if my memory is correct), remember when they dumped extremely reliable and cool-tattooed backup catcher Henry Blanco for the much worse Paul Bako? And Bako got more money? And then he got beat out by Koyie Hill so they wasted money and talent every way possible?
I don't want that to happen on the much more important Ted scale.
Neither does Teddy Freaking Roosevelt!
Listen to The President!
KEEP TED LILLY!
Another good reason?
IT IS STATISTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE THAT CUB BATS WILL BE THIS LAME ON THE DAYS TED PITCHES NEXT YEAR!
What was it - 2 Cub hits while Ted was on the mound?
I cannot even bring myself to talk about losing to the Astros ever again this season.
Just... revolting.
Lastly, that guy who used to be a Cub? I've been going out of my way to not pay any attention to him whatsoever. But with his appearance on ESPN and the need for the Cubs to try and show he has any trade value at all (he's going to have to pitch), he's going to worm his way back into our brains very soon.
I now understand that management was so publicly demanding his personal apology to the players because they think it would A) help his trade value and B) he apparently can't think for himself.
Like a never-ending Rod Blagojevich saga, we'll be forced to watch.
