Chicago Cubs Baseball

I doubt when members of the Who were penning the song, “Pictures of Lilly,” they had Theodore Roosevelt Lilly in mind. Then again, I wonder how many of us in Cubdom had heard of Ted Lilly the pitcher before his arrival to the Chicago Cubs?

But in two seasons, spanning less than a year, Lilly the pitcher has left us with a pair of indelible impressions that in essence sum up the frustrations - and the hope - of Chicago Cubs baseball.

The first, and most unforgettable, the image of Lilly slamming his glove into the Chase Field turf after surrendering a home run to Arizona’s Chris Young in the second game of the NLDS.

Cub fans grimaced at, and with, the sight.

For that game, that moment, symbolized much more than the impending end to the Cubs 2007 World Series run. Most of all it showed the desperation and the pressure Chicago Cub players felt to win.

Then there was the Lilly of yesterday - and possibly of all of the tomorrows that this season will bring. In facing the D’Backs for the first time since that 8-4 loss last October, Lilly responded with his arm, his bat and with all the determination of a champion.

Just as the NLDS loss showed the vulnerability of Lilly’s character, yesterday’s performance re-established his resolve. Lilly’s seven-inning, three-hit effort propelled the Cubs to a much-needed win, but in the process possibly exorcised the Ghosts of Diamondbacks past.

To think yesterday’s showing wasn’t crucial to his present and future success would be to wholly and solely miss the point. Lilly may have said publicly last year’s meltdown didn’t effect this year’s efforts, but I believe privately he gave a different answer.

“Maybe a little bit,” Lilly said whether he thought back to last year’s NLDS performance. “I don’t want to admit it too much. You sort of let it go, but you don’t forget. And at the same time not try to come out of your game and do anything crazy.”

The only thing Lilly did “crazy” yesterday was shrug off the slag of a lackluster 2008 start.

There still may be ghosts lingering in Lilly’s closet. But for now, they’re hiding behind the curtain. And they just may stay there if Lilly continues to execute his pitches as he did yesterday.