Ryan Dempsters Cubs future.

[CubColtPacer]

Not sure if this has been brought up in here or not, but would Demp be classified as a Type A Free agent if he keeps up near this pace?

 

I don't know how they handle players who change positions, so I can't be sure. If he keeps a nearly 150 ERA+ this year though, I think it's hard to imagine him not being Type A since he wasn't terrible as a reliever.

 

That was my thinking as well. If hes labled a Type A, Id love to get 2 picks for him, and odds are somebody will want to sign him quick if he hits the market.

 

This has actually been a point of (for lack of better terms) 'anticipated minor controversy' with the FA typing, because they have no prescribed formula to measure guys that shift from either starter to reliever or reliever to starter. It's the type of topic that will fill a writer's blog for a day or a 90 second spot on PTI.

 

The concern is on the side of the departing club getting short-changed because the typing looks at a 3-year spread, with one exceptional year not necessarily swaying the value. For starters there is consideration for number of starts or innings, and for closers the number of saves. A guy like Dempster isn't going to look great in either when considering 3-year averages because he doesn't have 3 years of either, though he certainly looks stellar in just per year averages.

 

But the typing doesn't want to use per year, because you're back to having one excellent year sway the value. Unfortunately for Dempster, his 2006 and 2007 closer numbers are not type A numbers. So the real question is; how much will 2008 starter numbers weigh, despite being 1/3 of the sample, given he will be signed as a starter by whomever picks him up?

 

Is it 3 years? I thought it was 2.

 

It is 2 seasons now. I can't remember if it was 3 under an older CBA or not.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

It is 2 seasons now. I can't remember if it was 3 under an older CBA or not.

I thought it was 2 under the last CBA as well

[nilodnayr]

It is 2 seasons now. I can't remember if it was 3 under an older CBA or not.

I thought it was 2 under the last CBA as well

 

Yup, me too.

 

There really should be clarity of how they do the rankings. It would open it up for some extreme scrutiny, especially from (gasp!) bloggers, but frankly, it really needs it.

[berniebrewer4life]

I still think the chances are somewhat slim that the Cubs keep Dempster.

I disagree. He loves playing for the Cubs, so I think he'd accept a reasonable contract. If Hendry wants him back he'll be back; Hendry always succeeds in re-signing the players he wants back.

 

I think it's possible, but if the cubs offer 10 million a year(over let's say 3 years), and another team offers 13-15 million over 4, i think he will most likely go to the other team. I imagine this is his last "big" contract chance(he's 31 IIRC), and he will want to make the most of it.

[NCCubFan]

That's a little too presumptuous. If he keeps this up and makes it to FA, he's going to love playing for whomever gives him the most money.

Not necessarily. Not everybody considers making the very most mone possible to be of primary importance. Many players are willing to take a bit less to play for a team they want to, and Dempster strikes me as being that type of player.

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

I just wanted to state a comment to all the doubters who downplay Dempster,is I TOLD YOU SO! Some Dempster-haters out there had the balls to actually think scrubby Sean Marshall should start every fifth day even though Depmster is one of the best pitchers out there. If you ask me Marshall is a decent bench man that may mature to a decent arm, but he will never reach the level that Dempster is, who is possibly one of the most underrated players in the league. Dempster is a great energetic player who is a 110% type of guy, and will always give it his all on every play. I just think that some people need to wake up and smell the coffee, and should actually think before they speak. Looking at the numbers now, they should realize how foolish they are, and if you still don't feel foolish about your comments earlier, then I would have to say you don't know anything about baseball, and you probably should just stick to following golf!

[nilodnayr]

I just wanted to state a comment to all the doubters who downplay Dempster,is I TOLD YOU SO! Some Dempster-haters out there had the balls to actually think scrubby Sean Marshall should start every fifth day even though Depmster is one of the best pitchers out there. If you ask me Marshall is a decent bench man that may mature to a decent arm, but he will never reach the level that Dempster is, who is possibly one of the most underrated players in the league. Dempster is a great energetic player who is a 110% type of guy, and will always give it his all on every play. I just think that some people need to wake up and smell the coffee, and should actually think before they speak. Looking at the numbers now, they should realize how foolish they are, and if you still don't feel foolish about your comments earlier, then I would have to say you don't know anything about baseball, and you probably should just stick to following golf!

 

I have a feeling you aren't going to be the last to copy and paste that, but congrats on being the first.