Ted Lilly
| IP | 1982 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.146 |
| WHIP | 1.255 |
| BB/9 | 3.002 |
| SO/9 | 7.633 |
- Full name Theodore Roosevelt Lilly
- Born 01/04/1976 in Torrance, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Fresno City College
- Debut 05/14/1999
- Drafted in the 23rd round (688th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1996.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Lilly has been involved in two trades as a pro, and both teams that got rid of him regret the deals. In 1998, during Tommy Lasorda's ill-fated reign as Dodgers GM, he traded Lilly to the Expos. Last spring, Montreal sent him to New York for Hideki Irabu. After offseason surgery to clean up the labrum in his shoulder, Lilly turned in a decent season in Triple-A. He can reach the low 90s with a four-seam fastball, though it tends to get pounded when he leaves it up in the strike zone. His curveball is his best pitch, and his changeup is solid. Lilly would do well to refine a two-seam fastball that would have more life than his four-seamer. With his curve he should dominate lefthanders, but they have hit .335 off him in Triple-A. Lilly was used as a reliever when he was promoted to New York in 2000, but he could factor into the race for a rotation spot this spring, albeit as a longshot behind Adrian Hernandez and Randy Keisler. -
Background: Lilly came to the Expos as part of the same trade that netted Bergeron, Wilton Guerrero and outfielder/first baseman Jon Tucker. He was the Dodgers No. 5 prospect last offseason. Strengths: Though he does not have an intimidating presence, Lilly has power pitcher's stuff and has struck out 403 hitters in 370 minor league innings. His low 90s fastball has exceptional life in the strike zone and he throws a hard two-plane curveball as his strikeout pitch. Weaknesses: Lilly is still developing his changeup. He was pushed quickly through the Dodgers system and struggled a little in his first exposure to Triple-A hitters, a sign that he still needs refinement. The Future: Lilly bears a strong resemblance to former Expos lefthander Jeff Fassero, and Montreal wouldn't mind seeing the same results. Even after a solid winter in Puerto Rico, odds are he'll be at Triple-A Ottawa to start the year.
