Report: Dempster agrees to terms on 11/18

[Blue W]

I know that hyberbole and negativity rule the day on this site, but some of the responses to this signing are ridiculous. Could we have spent the money better? Maybe- but there are no garuntees there either. But I bet that, if Dempster had won Game 1, people wouldn't be quite so ready to kvetch. I like Dempster and I'm OK with the signing.

[Outshined_One]

Isn't this his first year as a full time starter?

 

First season since 2002 as a full-time starter.

[davearm2]

So because we didn't sign Dempster before the deadline he counts as a Type A signing for us. What are we limited to now? Can we sign another type a?

I'm pretty certain that re-signing your own guy doesn't count against you.

[David]

I'm OK with this. I'm not crazy about it though. It's a HUGE risk IMO. Dempster supposedly worked hard to get to where he was last year, is he going to put the same effort again? I just have a feeling this is a total contract year syndrome situation. Lee did the same thing and now he's nowhere near close to what he was that one year(I'm aware of his wrist injury but he should have been fully healthy by now).

 

Why do people always want to think that when a baseball player struggles, it's because of effort?

 

Frankly, if I'm looking for reasons for the decline in Derrek Lee's numbers the last few years, effort is the last thing I'd try to attribute it to.

[jersey cubs fan]

I think that 13M/yr is pretty good. Would have liked 3 years instead of 4, but that wouldn't have gotten the deal done. IMO Demp left a minimum of 2M/yr on the table to resign with the Cubs. He would have definitely gotten 15M per from someone.

 

I've got to wonder how much his bed crapping in the playoffs cost him.

[CubColtPacer]

So because we didn't sign Dempster before the deadline he counts as a Type A signing for us. What are we limited to now? Can we sign another type a?

 

We should be able to sign at least 2 more A/B free agents, and possibly more than that. It's hard to say for sure because the rules are interpreted in several different ways and hasn't ever really been officially clarified. I can't see the quota being a problem though..the Cubs will still be just fine signing another type A or two (if it be Wood, Howry, or anybody else).

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm OK with this. I'm not crazy about it though. It's a HUGE risk IMO. Dempster supposedly worked hard to get to where he was last year, is he going to put the same effort again? I just have a feeling this is a total contract year syndrome situation. Lee did the same thing and now he's nowhere near close to what he was that one year(I'm aware of his wrist injury but he should have been fully healthy by now).

 

Why do people always want to think that when a baseball player struggles, it's because of effort?

 

Frankly, if I'm looking for reasons for the decline in Derrek Lee's numbers the last few years, effort is the last thing I'd try to attribute it to.

 

It's not just on field effort though. It can be the effort in preperation. The guy can still try just as hard, but is there the same incentive to kill yourself in the training room all winter? Certainly contract years can lead to more work than non-contract, years, which can contribute to discrepency in performance.

 

That being said, my concern with Dempster isn't really effort related, it's just that he's never did what he did last year and I have very little reason to believe he'll do it again. But he can be a decent pitcher for 4 more years.

[Butterscup1679666578]

bad contract is bad

[cubsfan26]

Dempster did work his butt off last year to become a good pitcher. He got himself in great shape, and worked very hard on his pitches. I do believe the effort he made had alot to do with his success last year, and he needs to make a simliar effort this season. Hopefully after finally having a taste of success, he will continue to work hard.

[CubColtPacer]

I think that 13M/yr is pretty good. Would have liked 3 years instead of 4, but that wouldn't have gotten the deal done. IMO Demp left a minimum of 2M/yr on the table to resign with the Cubs. He would have definitely gotten 15M per from someone.

 

I've got to wonder how much his bed crapping in the playoffs cost him.

 

Soto not holding onto that tip might have cost Dempster 10 million dollars this offseason (not blaming Soto..just stating a possibility). The perception is completely different if that changed. But I think he might have gotten the same offer from the Cubs anyway..he just might have had to leave even more money on the table from another club.

[Smack]

I like Ryan and think he can perform pretty well for the next four years. I'm not expecting last year's numbers every year, but I'm glad to have him back and the contract isn't terrible.

[YearofDaCubs]

I'm OK with this. I'm not crazy about it though. It's a HUGE risk IMO. Dempster supposedly worked hard to get to where he was last year, is he going to put the same effort again? I just have a feeling this is a total contract year syndrome situation. Lee did the same thing and now he's nowhere near close to what he was that one year(I'm aware of his wrist injury but he should have been fully healthy by now).

 

Why do people always want to think that when a baseball player struggles, it's because of effort?

 

Frankly, if I'm looking for reasons for the decline in Derrek Lee's numbers the last few years, effort is the last thing I'd try to attribute it to.

It's because people have come out and said that Dempster dedicated himself during the offseason to be a better pitcher and that was the reason he supposedly had a career year.

[nolanwood]

I know that hyberbole and negativity rule the day on this site, but some of the responses to this signing are ridiculous. Could we have spent the money better? Maybe- but there are no garuntees there either. But I bet that, if Dempster had won Game 1, people wouldn't be quite so ready to kvetch. I like Dempster and I'm OK with the signing.

 

I could care less how many games he choked in the postseason. If Jason Marquis put up Dempster's #'s last year, would you be willing to give him 4/50?

[David]

I'm OK with this. I'm not crazy about it though. It's a HUGE risk IMO. Dempster supposedly worked hard to get to where he was last year, is he going to put the same effort again? I just have a feeling this is a total contract year syndrome situation. Lee did the same thing and now he's nowhere near close to what he was that one year(I'm aware of his wrist injury but he should have been fully healthy by now).

 

Why do people always want to think that when a baseball player struggles, it's because of effort?

 

Frankly, if I'm looking for reasons for the decline in Derrek Lee's numbers the last few years, effort is the last thing I'd try to attribute it to.

 

It's not just on field effort though. It can be the effort in preperation. The guy can still try just as hard, but is there the same incentive to kill yourself in the training room all winter? Certainly contract years can lead to more work than non-contract, years, which can contribute to discrepency in performance.

 

That being said, my concern with Dempster isn't really effort related, it's just that he's never did what he did last year and I have very little reason to believe he'll do it again. But he can be a decent pitcher for 4 more years.

 

 

Oh, I agree. There are certain players that are completely worthless and lazy when it comes to preparation and they wind up in bad shape and it definitely winds up hurting their abilities (i.e. extreme cases like Andruw). That said, it's something that fans and writers seem to go to a lot and I just don't think it's a key factor most of the time. In Lee's case, for instance, I'm sure he spends time and puts in the work to stay in shape as best he can. I'm just not sure the ability is there anymore.

 

As for Dempster's workout regimen and hiking in the mountains and crap... who knows how much that actually impacted his pitching, if at all, but I guess it's nice and neat to think that it did.

[Derwood]

DEMPS IS FASS

[cubsfan26]

I think that 13M/yr is pretty good. Would have liked 3 years instead of 4, but that wouldn't have gotten the deal done. IMO Demp left a minimum of 2M/yr on the table to resign with the Cubs. He would have definitely gotten 15M per from someone.

 

I've got to wonder how much his bed crapping in the playoffs cost him.[/quote]

 

 

 

I don't think much at all, I heard the Braves were offering something like 4y at 67m, and I think others had simliar or higher bids. As wild as Dempster was in the playoff game he still was one pitch away, from going 5 scoreless innings. GM's will shake that off, as nerves with starting his first playoff game, because it's not like he was crushed.

[Smack]

I think that 13M/yr is pretty good. Would have liked 3 years instead of 4, but that wouldn't have gotten the deal done. IMO Demp left a minimum of 2M/yr on the table to resign with the Cubs. He would have definitely gotten 15M per from someone.

 

I've got to wonder how much his bed crapping in the playoffs cost him.

 

Soto not holding onto that tip might have cost Dempster 10 million dollars this offseason (not blaming Soto..just stating a possibility). The perception is completely different if that changed. But I think he might have gotten the same offer from the Cubs anyway..he just might have had to leave even more money on the table from another club.

 

Teams evaluating him on one playoff game are pretty dumb. By the same measuere, Sabathia has been absolute garbage in the playoffs.

[YearofDaCubs]

I think that 13M/yr is pretty good. Would have liked 3 years instead of 4, but that wouldn't have gotten the deal done. IMO Demp left a minimum of 2M/yr on the table to resign with the Cubs. He would have definitely gotten 15M per from someone.

 

I've got to wonder how much his bed crapping in the playoffs cost him.[/quote]

 

 

 

I don't think much at all, I heard the Braves were offering something like 4y at 67m, and I think others had simliar or higher bids. As wild as Dempster was in the playoff game he still was one pitch away, from going 5 scoreless innings. GM's will shake that off, as nerves with starting his first playoff game, because it's not like he was crushed.

He was lucky his outing wasn't worse than it was if you ask me. You can't walk that many people and get away with it and It finally caught up to Demp in the last inning.

[David]

So has Peavy.

[jersey cubs fan]

In Lee's case, for instance, I'm sure he spends time and puts in the work to stay in shape as best he can. I'm just not sure the ability is there anymore.

 

Then again, I would not be the least bit surprised to hear that Lee has spent more time on dealing with his daughter's illness in recent offseasons and hasn't had the time to practice as hard.

 

Guys tend to regress, but is that 100% natural aging or is some of that influenced by older financially comfortable players not having the same level of dedication to their training? We hear all the time about guys changing their workout habits to right the ship. That's a pretty strong indication that in some of their off years that dedication isn't there and there is less effort.

[David]

True. Bonds was in insanely good shape in his older years (for obvious reasons) and look how good he stayed.

 

I know steroids = everything out the window, but the point being it's not like his hand/eye coordination went or anything. He was insanely strong and had superhuman recovery.

 

Now that gets me thinking about something else, though. If those types of results (recovery allowing more working out and stronger muscles) could possibly be achieved by using other types of supplements, would that be cheating too?

[Bruno7481]

I think it is encouraging that Dempster was pretty consistent month to month last year. His season wasn't the result of a few hot months.

 

There is going to be risk in any contract, it is a lot of money.

[CubinNY]

Not a great deal, but I'm okay with it.

That's how a feel too.

[RedFlash]

Not a great deal, but I'm okay with it.

That's how a feel too.

 

Same here. Silva got $48 mill over 4, so the fact the Cubs get to keep Demp for additional $4 mill is a decent deal for all parties involved.

[jersey cubs fan]

I think that 13M/yr is pretty good. Would have liked 3 years instead of 4, but that wouldn't have gotten the deal done. IMO Demp left a minimum of 2M/yr on the table to resign with the Cubs. He would have definitely gotten 15M per from someone.

 

I've got to wonder how much his bed crapping in the playoffs cost him.

 

Soto not holding onto that tip might have cost Dempster 10 million dollars this offseason (not blaming Soto..just stating a possibility). The perception is completely different if that changed. But I think he might have gotten the same offer from the Cubs anyway..he just might have had to leave even more money on the table from another club.

 

Teams evaluating him on one playoff game are pretty dumb. By the same measuere, Sabathia has been absolute garbage in the playoffs.

 

 

It's not a matter of evaluating him on one playoff game. But this happens in sports all the time, a guy who comes up big in the playoffs during a contract year is going to draw huge interest, which creates bidding wars and higher contracts. Dempster's knock going into this season was control. He appeared to fix that issue this season, but then reverted in the playoffs. Teams noticed.