Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi, who broke the bank last winter when he signed pitchers A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan for a combined $102 million US, is apparently ready to open the vault for Ted Lilly.

Ricciardi has made a competitive offer to the left-handed starter — believed to match a reported four-year deal worth $40 million by the Chicago Cubs, according to Lilly's agent, Larry O'Brien.

Left-hander Ted Lilly won 15 games with the Blue Jays last season.
(Kathy Willens/Associated Press)

O'Brien said contract talks are in the preliminary stages and that he'll spend Tuesday in talks with other interested teams at Major League Baseball's winter meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners are also said to be courting Lilly, who has a career record of 59-58 with a 4.60 earned-run average.

Lilly, 30, was 15-13 with a 4.31 ERA in 32 starts last season, but might have been best remembered for his on-field confrontation with Blue Jays manager John Gibbons.

Lilly and Gibbons exchanged heated words — and reportedly punches — in the third inning of a 12-10 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Aug. 21.

At the time, some people thought Lilly would soon follow infielder-designated hitter Shea Hillenbrand out of town.

Hillendbrand was designated for assignment on July 19 night after a series of events that led to a confrontation with Gibbons.

Toronto is also interested in free-agent pitcher Gil Meche, an 11-game winner with Seattle in 2006.

Ricciardi and the Blue Jays brass reportedly met Monday with Greg Landry, who represents the 28-year-old right-hander.

The Cubs are also interested in Meche, as are the Kansas City Royals.

Some view Chicago as the front-runners in part because of his connection to new manager Lou Piniella from their time in Seattle.

Meche, who sports a career ERA of 4.65, is reportedly asking for $40 million over four years.

With files from the Canadian Press