MESA, Ariz. — After yet another setback in what has been a rough offseason, Ted Lilly goes into the final year of his contract not knowing exactly when he’ll be ready to pitch for the Cubs.
Already recovering from shoulder surgery and a knee injury, Lilly missed most of this week with a 103-degree fever and flulike symptoms.
“I haven’t been on my feet much at all in the last five days,” the left-hander said Friday, when he returned to camp and did some light throwing. “I was in bed for 18 hours a day.”
Manager Lou Piniella and general manager Jim Hendry had been saying Lilly would miss the season’s first few weeks. Lilly had hoped to prove them wrong, insisting he could be ready by opening day, but he now realizes that’s unlikely.
“I’m just going to get back as soon as I can. I don’t know what that day is going to be,” he said. “I don’t want to start the season on the disabled list. I don’t feel good about that.”
Battle begins for No. 5 spot
TAMPA, Fla. — Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, the front-runners for the Yankees’ fifth starter spot, threw batting practice for the first time.
Alfredo Aceves, Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre also are under consideration to join CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte and Javier Vazquez in the rotation.
Hughes threw 31 pitches, and Chamberlain made 33.
“We don’t want them to try to do too much right now,” manager Joe Girardi said. “They’re just preparing for their starts. You want to see them working on pitches that maybe they need work on. Command. If there’s anything that we have to adjust a little bit and try to do that before they get into the game.”
Chamberlain went 9-6 last season in 32 games — 31 starts. All 10 of his postseason appearances came as a reliever.
“I knew from Day 1 it was going to be a competition,” Chamberlain said. “What I do today will dictate what I do tomorrow, in April and hopefully down the road.”
Hughes had an 8-3 record, coming out of the bullpen in 44 of his 51 games last year.
Footnotes.
Austin Jackson, who has never played in a major-league game, is set to become the Tigers’ center fielder, and will start the exhibition season as their leadoff hitter.
• A leading candidate to start at second base on opening day for the Dodgers, Ronnie Belliard must adhere to a weight clause if he wants to activate his $825,000 one-year deal. He needs to lose two pounds to reach the 209-pound target.
• Reds utilityman Chris Burke broke a knuckle on his right ring finger during a drill Thursday and is expected to be able to resume baseball activity in about three weeks.
• Court records show Liz Watson, Barry Bonds’ wife of 12 years, has filed for divorce in Los Angeles.
