Ted Lilly's Contract With Dodgers Is Heavily Back-Loaded

The details of Ted Lilly's three-year, $33 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers have emerged, and the contract is heavily back-loaded. In addition to receiving a full no-trade clause for the first two years of the contract, Lilly will receive a $3.5 million signing bonus that is spread over the life of the contract. Beth Harris of the Associated Press has the details:

• 2011: $7.5 million ($7 million salary, plus $500,000 signing bonus)
• 2012: $12 million ($10.5 million salary, plus $1.5 million signing bonus)
• 2013: $13.5 million ($12 million salary, plus $1.5 million signing bonus)

Harris also notes that the signing bonus installments will be paid on April 1 of 2011, 2012, and 2013. The SB Nation blog True Blue LA estimates the 2011 Dodgers payroll at roughly $94.3 million, with a few more holes left to fill, namely at least one more starting pitcher and a starting outfielder. The total Dodger payroll in 2010 was $99.7 million.

Lilly went 10-12 with a 3.62 ERA in 2010 with both the Cubs and Dodgers. He turns 35 on January 4.

For more Dodgers news and information, be sure to read True Blue LA.

Ted Lilly's Contract Is Worth $33 Million Over Three Years

The three-year contract that Ted Lilly signed with the Dodgers, which became official today, is worth $33 million over three years, as confirmed by both Ken Gurnick of MLB.com and Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated.

There is no word yet on how the money is distributed, but before this deal the Dodgers' payroll, with some assumptions, was estimated to be roughly $87 million in 2011.

Lilly made $12 million in each of the last two seasons as part of a four-year, $40 million contract he signed with the Chicago Cubs prior to the 2007 season.

For more information on the Ted Lilly deal, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.

Dodgers Finalize Three-Year Contract With Ted Lilly

The Dodgers have made official the signing of starting Ted Lilly to a three-year contract, the team announced today. No financial terms were released.

Lilly, who turns 35 on January 4, was 10-12 with a 3.62 ERA with the Cubs and Dodgers this season. The Dodgers acquired Lilly from the Cubs in a trade deadline deal on July 31, and Lilly went 7-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts as a Dodger. "Ted helped stabilize our rotation both in terms of his pitching ability and his leadership," said general manager Ned Colletti. "He gave us everything we were looking for in a veteran pitcher down the stretch last season." 

Lilly made $12 million in 2010, in the final year of a four-year, $40 million contract he signed with the Cubs before the 2007 season.

Lilly was drafted by the Dodgers in the 23rd round in 1996, but before he could pitch for the big league club he was traded, in 1998, to the Montreal Expos, in a deal that brought, among others, Mark Grudzielanek and Carlos Perez to the Dodgers.

For more Dodgers news and information, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.

Ted Lilly Close To Returning To Dodgers

The Dodgers have a few glaring holes in starting pitching this offseason, but it appears one of them will be filled by Ted Lilly. Lilly, who was 7-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts with the Dodgers this season, is close to returning to the club, per Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times:

Source: Ted Lilly has agreed to terms of a new deal with the #Dodgers. Physical scheduled for next week.

Earlier Saturday night, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports tweeted the following:

Source: #Dodgers, Lilly close on 3-year contract. Announcement could come as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

So, it appears Lilly will be back on a three-year contract, through 2013. Terms are as of yet unknown, but with Lilly the Dodgers have three established starting pitchers under contract, along with Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley.

Lilly was acquired with second baseman Ryan Theriot and $2.5 million from the Cubs for Blake DeWitt, Brett Wallach, and Kyle Smit at the July 31 trading deadline.

Lilly was projected to be a Type A free agent this winter, meaning if the Dodgers offered him arbitration they would have received draft pick compensation had he signed elsewhere. That point appears moot now.

Lilly just completed the final season of a four-year, $40 million contract that he signed with the Cubs before the 2007 season.

For more Dodgers news and information, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.