When was the last time....

[Schwarber Fan]

Ryan Dempster had a 1,2,3 save????

[MadDog]

dont actually know wen it was. didnt put down the date.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

Doesn't matter to me. As long as he gets the save, I'm happy.

[Schwarber Fan]

Doesn't matter to me. As long as he gets the save, I'm happy.

 

ya I guess, he just doesnt seem like a quality closer to me (better than LaTroy Hawins though)

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

Yeah, he's not going to be a lights out fireballer like Billy Wagner, but he's still getting it done. Until he proves otherwise, I think he should be the closer of this team from now on.

[johnnyba99]

I thought he did his job perfectly last night. He came in with a runner on 1st and 1 out and got the first guy to hit a grounder that could've been two, but they didn't turn it. So he got the next batter to hit another double play ball that wasn't converted. Not entirely his fault he got into that jam last night.

[neely crenshaw]

after 2 years of jobo, hawkins, merker, remlinger, wellmeyer, farnsworth, mitre, wuertz, fox, even go back to ole six fingers...and i do not care what they look like or how nervous i get, we have blown very few saves(1 by dempster-and we won that game) at least we feel like we have a chance to win with our closer in rather than the feeling of dread we used to have!

[gus_dog]

after 2 years of jobo, hawkins, merker, remlinger, wellmeyer, farnsworth, mitre, wuertz, fox, even go back to ole six fingers...and i do not care what they look like or how nervous i get, we have blown very few saves(1 by dempster-and we won that game) at least we feel like we have a chance to win with our closer in rather than the feeling of dread we used to have!

 

IIRC, Dempster has blown two saves, but got the win both times.

[Electron Blue]

Doesn't matter to me. As long as he gets the save, I'm happy.

 

First of all, I think Dempster is clearly the best option we have at closer right now, and that he should be stuck with unless he absolutely loses it, but . . .

 

I think the attitude in the quote above is similar to how Dusty felt when JoBo and Hawkins were stuggling so bad at times. They were getting hit hard and were giving up runs, but weren't necessarily blowing saves. I won't call Dempster a Very Good closer just because of an impressive save %. He's struggling in the role, whether his save stats indicate it or not.

[gus_dog]

Doesn't matter to me. As long as he gets the save, I'm happy.

 

First of all, I think Dempster is clearly the best option we have at closer right now, and that he should be stuck with unless he absolutely loses it, but . . .

 

I think the attitude in the quote above is similar to how Dusty felt when JoBo and Hawkins were stuggling so bad at times. They were getting hit hard and were giving up runs, but weren't necessarily blowing saves. I won't call Dempster a Very Good closer just because of an impressive save %. He's struggling in the role, whether his save stats indicate it or not.

 

I haven't seen Dempster really get smacked around like those guys were. It seems to me Dempster's struggles have come (for the most part) because of walks and/or poor team defence.

[Electron Blue]

Doesn't matter to me. As long as he gets the save, I'm happy.

 

First of all, I think Dempster is clearly the best option we have at closer right now, and that he should be stuck with unless he absolutely loses it, but . . .

 

I think the attitude in the quote above is similar to how Dusty felt when JoBo and Hawkins were stuggling so bad at times. They were getting hit hard and were giving up runs, but weren't necessarily blowing saves. I won't call Dempster a Very Good closer just because of an impressive save %. He's struggling in the role, whether his save stats indicate it or not.

 

I haven't seen Dempster really get smacked around like those guys were. It seems to me Dempster's struggles have come (for the most part) because of walks and/or poor team defence.

 

I would agree with that. Except, I want a closer who has great control. In many save situations, giving up a walk automatically puts either the tying or winning run on base.

 

Last night, I think he did about as well as he could have, given the team's defensive struggles in the 9th.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

I look at the end result. At the end of the day, that's all that matters. He isn't getting smacked around to the point where he's blowing leads. He's doing a consistently decent job at closing games.

 

When Kerry Wood is healthy and starting, he's lights out. But he walks a ton of guys and puts runners in scoring position. Does that make him a bad starter? No, he finds ways to get out of it consistently.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

It might just be because I'm paying more attention to it, but Dempster seems to be the man when it comes to throwing double play balls in the ninth. Whether or not Neifi wants to touch the bag or not is a different story. :wink:

[gus_dog]

It seems to me Dempster's struggles have come (for the most part) because of walks and/or poor team defence.

 

I would agree with that. Except, I want a closer who has great control. In many save situations, giving up a walk automatically puts either the tying or winning run on base.

 

Last night, I think he did about as well as he could have, given the team's defensive struggles in the 9th.

 

I agree, the walks are maddening.

 

I was about to pull my hair out last night - giving them extra outs in the ninth!!!! #-o

 

To Dempster's credit, and this is what I like about him closing, he does not seem to get rattled at all. I really like his approach. If he could do a better job of minimizing walks, he would be very good. I feel that now, he is a little better than average, and alot better than what we had tried in that role.

[Electron Blue]

I look at the end result. At the end of the day, that's all that matters. He isn't getting smacked around to the point where he's blowing leads. He's doing a consistently decent job at closing games.

 

When Kerry Wood is healthy and starting, he's lights out. But he walks a ton of guys and puts runners in scoring position. Does that make him a bad starter? No, he finds ways to get out of it consistently.

 

Well, that's fine - I get what you're saying.

 

The difference between Wood and Dempster, though, is a track record. Wood as a starter has shown that he can take a little abuse (hits, walks, etc. . .) and still win the ballgame. He's shown this to be his style over the last six or so years. But Dempster as a closer hasn't proven to me that he can take the abuse yet. Sure he's converted 17/19 or something, but I don't think that's entirely out of the realm of luck. Right now, I am looking at his struggles of control and wonder if he can continuing saving games at that ratio. All-in-all, I'm very satisfied with his performance (esp. since he's new at it), all I'm saying is that his struggles indicate he may not be cut out for a single inning of do-or-die pitching.

[TB_11]

Ryan Dempster had a 1,2,3 save????

 

July 27th against the Giants he went 1-2-3 for the win - that game we needed it since it was tied in the top of the 9th when he came in.

 

For a 1-2-3 save you have to go all the way back to June 28th against the Brewers. He got Carlos Lee to ground out to end the game, preserving a gem thrown by Zambrano (8IP, 3 hits, 3BBs, 6 SOs).

 

Not all that surprising that it's been a while given his 1.58 WHIP.

[Backtobanks]

I look at the end result. At the end of the day, that's all that matters. He isn't getting smacked around to the point where he's blowing leads. He's doing a consistently decent job at closing games.

 

When Kerry Wood is healthy and starting, he's lights out. But he walks a ton of guys and puts runners in scoring position. Does that make him a bad starter? No, he finds ways to get out of it consistently.

 

I agree with you, but everyone wants to argue this same point when I defend Maddux. People bring up WHIP and ERA and say a starting pitcher's W/L record isn't the best way to judge him. Well, if you look at all those special stats, Maddux and Dempster both suck, but the bottom line is Maddux finds a way to win and Dempster finds a way to save the game.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I look at the end result. At the end of the day, that's all that matters. He isn't getting smacked around to the point where he's blowing leads. He's doing a consistently decent job at closing games.

 

When Kerry Wood is healthy and starting, he's lights out. But he walks a ton of guys and puts runners in scoring position. Does that make him a bad starter? No, he finds ways to get out of it consistently.

 

I agree with you, but everyone wants to argue this same point when I defend Maddux. People bring up WHIP and ERA and say a starting pitcher's W/L record isn't the best way to judge him. Well, if you look at all those special stats, Maddux and Dempster both suck, but the bottom line is Maddux finds a way to win and Dempster finds a way to save the game.

 

Unless he's gone south since I last checked, Dempster had very good peripherals in the closer role.

[Backtobanks]

I look at the end result. At the end of the day, that's all that matters. He isn't getting smacked around to the point where he's blowing leads. He's doing a consistently decent job at closing games.

 

When Kerry Wood is healthy and starting, he's lights out. But he walks a ton of guys and puts runners in scoring position. Does that make him a bad starter? No, he finds ways to get out of it consistently.

 

I agree with you, but everyone wants to argue this same point when I defend Maddux. People bring up WHIP and ERA and say a starting pitcher's W/L record isn't the best way to judge him. Well, if you look at all those special stats, Maddux and Dempster both suck, but the bottom line is Maddux finds a way to win and Dempster finds a way to save the game.

 

Unless he's gone south since I last checked, Dempster had very good peripherals in the closer role.

 

Dempster for the season: 1.58 WHIP & 3.98 ERA

Career: 1.56 WHIP & 4.92 ERA

Last 7 days: 1.67 WHIP, 3.00 ERA, & .357 BAA

 

I hope Dempster keeps on saving games, but I do think that the walks and hits he gives up are eventually going to catch up to him in the closer's role. That's why I would love to get Wagner.

[Fred Hornkohl]

Dempster seems to be doing better in the relief roll.... but those walk rates are still scary.

 

04/04 - 08/17        IP    H    R   ER   BB    K   HR    PC  BB/9   K/9  HR/9  WHIP   ERA
Dempster  (SP)     34.7   41   23   22   22   38    3   620  5.71  9.87  0.78  1.82  5.71
Dempster  (RP)     37.7   30   12   10   21   30    1   634  5.02  7.17  0.24  1.35  2.39

overall            72.3   71   35   32   43   68    4  1254  5.35  8.46  0.50  1.58  3.98

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Dempster seems to be doing better in the relief roll.... but those walk rates are still scary.

 

04/04 - 08/17        IP    H    R   ER   BB    K   HR    PC  BB/9   K/9  HR/9  WHIP   ERA
Dempster  (SP)     34.7   41   23   22   22   38    3   620  5.71  9.87  0.78  1.82  5.71
Dempster  (RP)     37.7   30   12   10   21   30    1   634  5.02  7.17  0.24  1.35  2.39

overall            72.3   71   35   32   43   68    4  1254  5.35  8.46  0.50  1.58  3.98

 

That WHIP has taken a hit in the last month, good thing it hasn't hurt us yet.

[Fred Hornkohl]

That WHIP has taken a hit in the last month, good thing it hasn't hurt us yet.

 

Indeed.

 

Dempster             IP    H    R   ER   BB    K   HR    PC  BB/9   K/9  HR/9  WHIP   ERA
05/11 - 07/20      25.7   13    4    4   10   23    1   382  3.51  8.06  0.35  0.90  1.40
07/21 - 08/17      12.0   17    8    6   11    7    0   252  8.25  5.25  0.00  2.33  4.50

05/11 - 08/17      37.7   30   12   10   21   30    1   634  5.02  7.17  0.24  1.35  2.39

[Brian]

I love that he's keeping the ball in the park, 1 since becoming a reliever (and that was a solo shot with a 3 run lead).

[SCCubbieFAN]

Anyone else notice on the replay of the first attempted DP that the runner was so far away from second as he slid toward Perez to break up the DP that he did not even touch the base? Could that have been called interference even tho Perez missed the base?

[Fred Hornkohl]

Anyone else notice on the replay of the first attempted DP that the runner was so far away from second as he slid toward Perez to break up the DP that he did not even touch the base? Could that have been called interference even tho Perez missed the base?

 

Yes, it could have.