Cubs Re-Sign Dempster

As for bad FA signings, the only argument that I can say is to look at contract length. Short length doesn't hurt the team NEARLY as much as long term does. We get Schmidt and Jones off the books next season. How long is Soriano signed for? 6 more seasons? That deal will probably end up looking worse than anything the Dodgers signed because he's going to be around so long. And he's already showing signs of turning more injury prone.

"I mean, yeah, if you want, you can make really opinionated statements saying like, "Edmonds was a major part in the Cubs winning" but there's really no way to prove any of it. "

Sweet Jesus. Just when I think there can't be another stereotypical idiot Cardinals fan out there.

He was more productive in his AB than all but three hitters on your entire team this year, one of which had about 100 AB.

You seriously can't think there's no way to prove that he was a major part of our wins with those numbers. Please educate yourself about this game. Jesus.

Dempster had a 2.86 ERA at home. He only gave up 6 HRs in 129 innings at home. His road numbers were 3.13 ERA and 8 HRs in 77 innings.

I think it's safe to say his home numbers were more of an anomaly than his actual level of talent. ESPECIALLY with Wrigley Field being a hitter's park.

This contract is one that nearly every team would love to sign. Dempster is a good bet to be more healthy than Sheets or Burnett, and outperform any free agent other than CC for the duration of it. Maybe he will, maybe he won't...but the people arguing that the contract is bad should go check in with their GMs, who would probably love to have signed it themselves.

Sheets highest ERA+ was 162, but he hasn't had anything close to it since, and that was in 2004.

Burnett has never had a full season of an ERA+ over 122...and when he did that, it was 2002! Oh yeah, he is about to sign an 80 mil contract!

Lowe was awesome at one point...the year 2000. Last year was his best since, and his ERA+ was 131.

Demster's last year? 151, and he signed a deal for 4/52? How can you not like it???

Also, Fukudome may have only had an OPS+ of 90, but he also was the 2nd best defensive right fielder in the majors, so his value is more than you leave it at with his offense.

How is it that when a team signs a good player the haters have to pop up and talk about how bad of a signing it was? How are dodgers fans knocking it? Like you wouldnt have been happy had your team with no pitching signed him for that price! Cards fans knocking it? Lohse is a better signing?Dempster will get injured? Why dont you worry about your top 2 starters staying healthy for a season before you knock the cubs and dempster.

"And yes, I CAN go by what the stats show"

yes. yes you can. and by doing so you can let those of us that go to games at wrigley regularly (i have a package of ten games a year) know that your familiarity with wrigley is limited to what you read on a stat sheet. do you know about the elevated foul lines along the bullpens? about the sun shadows at home plate during afternoon games? about the setting sun shining directly into the right fielder's eyes under the roof overhang? the odd corners in left and right field? i'm guessing you don't.
the wind at that park makes it 2 different ballparks, and the majority of the time, the wind blows in. for the entire month of april it does, and most of may, and the majority of games through the rest of the summer. for every five games there, one, maybe 2 of those will have the wind blowing out. however, when it does, expect home runs to be elevated. you're good with stats, you know how quickly a pitcher's numbers can get skewed from one bad outing. wrigley on a wind blowing out day gives pitchers nightmares. that's a fact. when the wind blows out, bloated era's are sure to follow.

I think thats 1 more year and 1mm more than i would have went, but im glad hes back. The rotation should be set with Zambrano,Dempster,Lilly,Harden and one of Marquis, Hill or Marshall. I do not see a need for another starter. All the Cubs need now is a Dunn type (lefty with power)or maybe a leadoff hitter and we should be good.

"When the wind is blowing in, the runs scored are further from the mean."

This is supposed to say when the wind is blowing OUT, it is further from the mean...but you get the point.

Not a bad move for the Cubs. Hefty price tag, but with the lack of better alternatives for a cheaper price, and the fact that Dempster will likely at the very least be a good #3.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8813164/Dempster,-Cubs-agree-to-new-4-year,-$52M-deal

back to more important matters, foxsports has the details. it's another backloaded contract with an option attached. i'm not totally crazy about these deals, but i guess it shows that whoever the new owner is will be able to absorb these costs. with the sale of the club coming relatively soon (hopefully) they must have run this and other prospective offseason moves past prospective buyers, don't you think?

ptk420biatch

"Like you wouldnt have been happy had your team with no pitching signed him for that price!"

makes a lot of sense. youre a lame and give cubs fans a bad name.

"I think the market value for these #3-#5 pitchers is out of control. Wen players like Loshe and Silva are netting 7 figure per year deals, something is out of whack."

amid all the cubs vs cards and dodgers fans saying "you suck worse than us" someone makes absolute sense

lights out, striker

Smart move for the Cubs. Demp really showed his worth in the playoffs last year.

This is a no-brainer for the Cubs despite his injury history. He has been healthy for a few years now since his TJ surgery, therefore, I think he's proven himself in that respect. He has great stuff and seems to have found 'it' through conditioning and letting the movement of his pitches do the work (something that Z needs to do with more frequency). The only time he gets himself into trouble is when he tries to be too 'fine' with his pitches resulting in free passes as we saw in the NLDS. I think the contract and length is par for the course.

I know I'm going to get a few negative responses about what I'm about to say but he's great in the clubhouse. Losing him AND Woody would likely result in the need to find a new club identity or personality. This club needs consistent leadership with a stronger backbone to get to the WS.

Wow the Cubs have a lot of players with nick names.
Dempster- Demp
Zambrano- Big Z
Lee- D-Lee
DeRosa-D-Ro
Ramirez- A-Ram
Theriot- The Riot
The used to be Cubs
Wood- Woody
Edmonds plus Johnson- 2 headed monster. ( I know Reed Johnson is stil a Cub)
Samardzija- Shark
I think Fontenot has one too but I can't think of it.