Report: Dempster agrees to terms on 11/18

[17 Seconds]

Asked about the loss on Tuesday, Dempster suggested the Cubs were not prepared for the postseason, a stunning concept considering they were swept by Arizona only one year earlier.

 

"I think maybe we underestimated how prepared you have to be, how ready you have to be, especially in a five-game series," Dempster said. "It's like a short heavyweight bout. Ding, the bell is ringing, you've got to go."

 

The Cubs were knocked out quickly. Dempster also suggested the players were overconfident because of their great home record at Wrigley Field throughout the season.

 

"It almost felt like it was just going to be a given that we win Games 1 and 2 and move on and go from there," he said. "You've still got to play the games. You've got to put the uniform on and go out there and compete. If anything, we've learned that."

 

What the hell?

 

It's just a bunch of player-speak nonsense.

 

They went out, played baseball, and lost. Now they have to come up with things to justify it and to "explain" it to the press.

 

But saying that they felt like games 1 and 2 were guaranteed victories? Come on... that's a bad quote

[UMFan83]

Asked about the loss on Tuesday, Dempster suggested the Cubs were not prepared for the postseason, a stunning concept considering they were swept by Arizona only one year earlier.

 

"I think maybe we underestimated how prepared you have to be, how ready you have to be, especially in a five-game series," Dempster said. "It's like a short heavyweight bout. Ding, the bell is ringing, you've got to go."

 

The Cubs were knocked out quickly. Dempster also suggested the players were overconfident because of their great home record at Wrigley Field throughout the season.

 

"It almost felt like it was just going to be a given that we win Games 1 and 2 and move on and go from there," he said. "You've still got to play the games. You've got to put the uniform on and go out there and compete. If anything, we've learned that."

 

What the hell?

 

It's just a bunch of player-speak nonsense.

 

They went out, played baseball, and lost. Now they have to come up with things to justify it and to "explain" it to the press.

 

But saying that they felt like games 1 and 2 were guaranteed victories? Come on... that's a bad quote

 

Exactly. If that's his excuse, its a pretty dumb one. And if its the truth, then they were way too cocky and that angers me.

[David]

Like I said, it's nonsense.

 

I hate how people need an explanation for everything that happens in sports.

 

It was about as lame a way as you could come up with explaining that series, but, then again, I would've thought any explanation or excuse giving was lame.

[hotshot13422]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3710712

 

4 year, 52 million

[Mike Aller]

I'm really confused that people are upset about the option since it's been reported as a 4 year deal the whole time.

I was wondering the same thing. It's a 4-year deal unless he pitches great. In that case you got him for a very cheap price for 3 years. Also, it's obvious extra incentive for him to sign for less.

[Outshined_One]

What a surprise, a backloaded contract. Our payroll is going to be like $450M for 11 players in like 5 years.

 

Backloading is way smarter than frontloading.

 

Explain

 

Essentially, it's much better for the team to be able to pay a 5 year $50 contract with payments of $1m, $1m, $1m, $1m, $46m than 10/10/10/10/10.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_value_of_money

 

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/timevalueofmoney.asp

 

The problem comes up when a team does this irresponsibly, and/or when ownership is changing. Arizona through out a bunch of backloaded deals that won them a World Series, but nearly bankrupted the team.

 

AZ was engaged in entirely different shenanigans involving deferred payments, which are different from backloaded contracts.

 

Link

[Cubzfan64]

I really hope Dempster proves me wrong over the next few years, but when I see a pitcher at age 31 with many stats significantly better than his career averages as a starter, I can't help but worry that the law of averages says he'll revert back towards the mean.

 

I would have rather let him sign with someone else personally. I've seen too many guys have aberation years, get big contracts and then turn around and go right back to the average (at best) player they were before.

 

As I said, I hope Dempster relieves the bad feeling I have about this deal.

[Soul]

There's danger here, but I guess since we just don't have the young arms to replace Demp, we've got to pay. We need more talent down low.

[Derwood]

I've seen too many guys have aberation years, get big contracts and then turn around and go right back to the average (at best) player they were before.

 

 

Adrian Beltre says "hi". Of course, we don't think Dempster was roiding it up....

[SouthSideRyan]

I've seen too many guys have aberation years, get big contracts and then turn around and go right back to the average (at best) player they were before.

 

 

Adrian Beltre says "hi". Of course, we don't think Dempster was roiding it up....

 

Andruw Jones's 2007 asks what you guys are talking about.

[swordsman]

Someone may have pointed this out already but part of the worry about the age of a pitcher (particularly a starting pitcher) has to do with wear and tear on the arm right? Does the fact that Ryan averaged about 78 IP over the previous 3 years ('04-'06 since he was a closer I think) lower his arm age?

[jersey cubs fan]

Someone may have pointed this out already but part of the worry about the age of a pitcher (particularly a starting pitcher) has to do with wear and tear on the arm right? Does the fact that Ryan averaged about 78 IP over the previous 3 years ('04-'06 since he was a closer I think) lower his arm age?

 

I don't think there is any sort of arm age discussion, unless you are talking about a 19 year old that just started pitching having a young arm. Dempster is an old pitcher with lots of miles under his belt. He's been seriously injured and had surgery, plus his workload increased tremendously this past year.

[RedVerbs]

In 2008 this is what pitchers of Dempster's caliber get. I don't know what you people expected. All it takes is one good season, and you're a 12 million a year pitcher nowadays.

[17 Seconds]

In 2008 this is what pitchers of Dempster's caliber get. I don't know what you people expected. All it takes is one good season, and you're a 12 million a year pitcher nowadays.

 

i don't see a single person in this thread who is surprised with how much he got

[javy knows my name]

I heard on ESPN 1000 this afternoon that the offer was 4/52. Don't know why I'm the only one that heard that, but there it is

\:D/

[SouthSideRyan]

In 2008 this is what pitchers of Dempster's caliber get. I don't know what you people expected. All it takes is one good season, and you're a 12 million a year pitcher nowadays.

 

What do you mean, You people?

[erik316wttn]

In 2008 this is what pitchers of Dempster's caliber get. I don't know what you people expected. All it takes is one good season, and you're a 12 million a year pitcher nowadays.

 

What do you mean, You people?

 

What do YOU mean, "you people?"

[Outshined_One]

In 2008 this is what pitchers of Dempster's caliber get. I don't know what you people expected. All it takes is one good season, and you're a 12 million a year pitcher nowadays.

 

What do you mean, You people?

 

What do YOU mean, "you people?"

 

Kirk Lazarus: Everybody knows you never go full [expletive].

Tugg Speedman: What do you mean?

Kirk Lazarus: Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man,' look [expletive], act [expletive], not [expletive]. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho'. Not [expletive]. You know Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, yes. [expletive], maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain't [expletive]. Peter Sellers, "Being There." Infantile, yes. [expletive], no. You went full [expletive], man. Never go full [expletive]. You don't buy that? Ask Sean Penn, 2001, "I Am Sam." Remember? Went full [expletive], went home empty handed...

[imb]

In 2008 this is what pitchers of Dempster's caliber get. I don't know what you people expected. All it takes is one good season, and you're a 12 million a year pitcher nowadays.

 

What do you mean, You people?

 

What do YOU mean, "you people?"

 

Kirk Lazarus: Everybody knows you never go full [expletive].

Tugg Speedman: What do you mean?

Kirk Lazarus: Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man,' look [expletive], act [expletive], not [expletive]. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho'. Not [expletive]. You know Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, yes. [expletive], maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain't [expletive]. Peter Sellers, "Being There." Infantile, yes. [expletive], no. You went full [expletive], man. Never go full [expletive]. You don't buy that? Ask Sean Penn, 2001, "I Am Sam." Remember? Went full [expletive], went home empty handed...

 

yeah, we got it

[SouthSideRyan]

I just knew it was going to get sucked down that road. I've never even seen the movie and I wasn't referencing it.

[imb]

I just knew it was going to get sucked down that road. I've never even seen the movie and I wasn't referencing it.

 

you're not exactly dealing with comedic masters here