Ted Lilly is a Great Pitcher, Person

Randy Wells has probably been the best starter for the Chicago Cubs this year, but there’s no doubt that Ted Lilly has been the anchor of the rotation. So the fact that his teammates nominated him for an award is no surprise.

But the cool thing is that this award is for performance on the field and for being a really awesome guy off the field.

Lilly’s teammates put him up for the Roberto Clemente award, which entertains one nominee from each team, with a focus on excellent baseball performance combined with devoted community work.

In his three seasons in the organization, Lilly has been active in the community. He works closely with Cubs Care and Chicago Cubs designated charities that support youth sports, children with special needs, victims of domestic violence and additional charities in the Lakeview/Wrigleyville community. His efforts have included visiting with patients at Children’s Memorial Hospital & University of Chicago Comer’s Children’s Hospital, helping to raise funds for the Sheil Park Playlot Renovation and visiting with children from the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Illinois.

Lilly is also active in raising awareness and attending fundraising events for P.A.W.S. Chicago, the city’s largest no-kill humane organization focused on alleviating Chicago’s pet homelessness problem.

Additionally, Lilly has also sponsored an RBI team through the Union League Boys and Girls Club since 2007. RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities) Baseball is a youth outreach program designed to increase participation and interest in baseball and academics with inner-city youths. Lilly also has funded a charitable ticket program for disadvantaged youth. Throughout the season, he purchases approximately 500 tickets and provides $10 in Cubs Dollars to each of his guests so that they can enjoy lunch at the ballpark. Lilly invites the young people out to a game and meets with them during batting practice. Daily Herald.

Fans get the final say, as the vote takes place at chevy.com/clemente.

written by

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

more cubs news

Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

Latest News

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

In their season opener on Friday, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks take on Nolan Jones and the Colorado Rockies, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.Keep reading to find out how to watch the Arizona-Colorado...

Guardians vs. Athletics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

Logan Allen will take the mound for the Cleveland Guardians when they square off against starter Ross Stripling and the Oakland Athletics in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Find out how to watch the...

How to Watch Mariners vs. Red Sox: Live Stream or on TV

In their season opener on Friday, Julio Rodriguez and the Seattle Mariners play Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at T-Mobile Park.Keep reading to see how to watch the Seattle-Boston matchup...

How to Watch Padres vs. Giants: Live Stream or on TV

On Friday, the San Diego Padres (2-1) take on Jorge Soler and the San Francisco Giants (0-1), with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at PETCO Park.Keep reading to find out how to watch the San Diego-San Francisco matchup...

How to Watch Dodgers vs. Cardinals: Live Stream or on TV

The Los Angeles Dodgers (2-1) host Paul Goldschmidt and the St. Louis Cardinals (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 10:10 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the Los Angeles-St. Louis matchup below.When is Dodgers vs. Cardinals and...

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

Astros vs. Yankees: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The New York Yankees (1-0), led by Juan Soto, visit Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros (0-1) at 8:10 PM ET on Friday.Find out how to watch the Houston-New York matchup below.When is Astros vs. Yankees and when does it...

How to Watch Rays vs. Blue Jays: Live Stream or on TV

The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) visit Yandy Diaz and the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 6:50 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the Tampa Bay-Toronto matchup below.When is Rays vs. Blue Jays and...

Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

more cubs news