Entering play Friday, the Cubs are on pace to win 84 games this season, which would be an 18 game improvement over 2006. A big reason for that improvement has been the stability and effectiveness of the starting rotation. The Cubs are currently 2nd in the National League in runs allowed per game, at 4.17. Last year, they were 15th, at 5.15. That is a remarkable one year jump. There are a number of reasons for that jump; the starting rotation is a big one.

The Cubs have yet to hit a home run (or a triple) this season, but they did obtain their first victory of 2007 tonight. Ted Lilly was excellent, throwing 7 innings of 3 hit, 1 run ball, with 9 K's and just 1 BB. Bobby Howry and Ryan Dempster closed the deal in the 8th and 9th innings, just as it should be.

In his last two starts, going back to his final start in 2006, Lilly has now struck out 18 while walking just 1. Lilly had one other appearance in 2006 with at least 9 strikeouts and no more than 1 walk. That came in his second start of the year, in Fenway, when he struck out 10 and walked none. From September 1, 2006, Lilly has a 2.29 ERA in 43.2 innings. (Hat tip: Baseball-Reference.com's Play Index.)

At 1:37pm CT this afternoon, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reported that Ted Lilly had "crossed the Blue Jays off his list Wednesday and has narrowed his possible destinations to the Cubs and Yankees, his agent, Larry O'Brien, told ESPN.com at the winter meetings. O'Brien, who is seeking a four-year, $40 million deal, plans to meet with Yankees GM Brian Cashman on Wednesday night."

At 3:55pm, Jayson Stark reported that the Yankees were still "weighing whether they were even going to make Lilly an official offer."

Then, at 7:15pm, Tim Kurkjian reported: "Agent Larry O'Brien walked into the lobby and announced 'Ted Lilly's a Cub!'" While Jim Hendry was hooked up to an EKG machine in the hospital (hat tip: 1060west). The Yankees apparently "informed the 30-year-old Lilly on Wednesday night they would not bid for him, choosing to concentrate their efforts on Andy Pettitte." Which left the Cubs bidding against themselves, though of course they would have seen other teams enter the bidding if they had come down from their 4-year, $40M offer, which is what Lilly signed for, pending a physical. And contrary to ESPN's report, CBS Sportsline's Scott Miller reports that it was Lilly who canceled the meeting with the Yankees. However, Newsday's Jim Baumbach reports that Lilly's agent told the Yankees that if they matched the Cubs' offer, Lilly would play for New York; New York didn't want to commit within the time frame the agent gave them.

Here is what Lilly has done over the past three seasons with Toronto: