This one really hurts, guys. Gonna miss the ballgame attitude, that flat swing, and the guy's heart.
Ted Lilly was just one of those old school team guys, and there just aren't alot of them around any more.
If anyone can explain to me how this made the Cubs better, other than now having some cash to help dump Kosuke or anything similarly lame, please let me know. (Semi-related trivia: Quick - who were the 3 pitchers the Cubs got for Mark DeRosa?)
Anyway, here was Ted:
2007, my first illustration of him. The story goes like this: Lou Piniella walks to the mound with his zipper down. Ted tells him as much. Lou doesn't believe it til he looks down. Priceless.
This was from a 12-3 Ted victory over the Cardinals in September of '07. It was clear he was the bulldog by now, and this was the first of the splatter around Ted. Kind of a theme with him.
This next one is from 2008, when Ted went 7 innings, gave up 3 hits, and knocked in the winning run against the Diamondbacks. Please note that sometimes when I'm drawing I take a picture of someone's head and put it on another body to make the idea work. That's why Ted's appears to be batting righty here.
Ted no-hit the Astros thru 6 in September - the series that was played in Milwaukee because of that hurricane in Houston.
You all remember when Terrible Ted took out Yadier Molina at home plate? This was the play that earned Ted his Cubby Blue nickname, shortened to just Terrible Ted most of the time.
A portrait of Ted just before the '08 playoffs began.
You might not remember, but Terrible Ted had a no no going thru 7 and 2/3rds at the '09 home opener.
From when Sutter and I first met Ted's agent, Larry O'Brien. I so hope we can still catch a game now and then...
Ted's 100th win. 8 innings, 4 hits. Against the Cards. Sweet.
And this one is my fave, and the one we gave Ted. I still can't believe I had a beer at his house and didn't even think to ask if I could see it. But you know, for SURE it's somewhere really important. Maybe the guest bathroom...
And this is from when he came back from surgery this year...
I'm gonna miss Ted on the field and in my blog. A great Cub.
And Ted, if you happen to look at this, please know that we all wish you the best of luck in Dodger Blue. Now, go get a ring.
ps: answer to trivia: Jeff Stevens, RHP Chris Archer and LHP John Gaub.
psps: I'll have something for Ryan Theriot soon...
