Dempster Will Test Open Market

Gives him plenty of leverage if he does indeed want to return to the Cubs, or with whatever team he decides to sign with.

I still think he signs a Cub though.

The Orioles would be absolute morons if they didn't at least try to make an offer.

I doubt Dempster will take a discount for any team. But, I also think he is not worth annually of $15 million/year for one good year. Dempster will be a Dodger for 4/45 to 50.

Furcal will resign with Dodgers, I will be very surprised if not.

dempster loves the cubs along with wood who signed for much less money to play for the cubs.
if the cubs can sign furcal and move theriot to 2nd base and put derosa in right theyll look even better than last year. they need a shortstop with speed though. theriot is not a shortstop hes a 2nd baseman. furcal would fit good and we already know that hendry just barely missed signing him 2 years ago.

Welcome to Toronto Ryan.

Dempster will be a Cub and I will guess he re-signs with them before the Nov. 13th negotiating period.

I really think Dempster will sign with someone else. Blue Jays, Braves are some places he's going to go. If he does then good luck to him. I agree with Tim Cubs probably don't have enough unless they trade one of their untouchable people like Samardzija, Soto, Marmol, Vitters.
I do like Oliver Perez coming to the Cubs. He's still young and is a left- handed pitcher. I like to see Marquis get traded and Samardzija in the rotation. Have it look like this.
Zambrano
Perez
Harden
Lilly
Samardzija
Anyone else agree?

If your going to spend money on Perez, why not just pay Dempster?

Dempster can go away. Braves need to trade for Maggs. Sign Lowe and Wolf, unless Tigers would pay some of Maggs contracts, then go after Dempster.

Anyone else think that the Jays should pursue him to replace Burnett?

Dynasty,

No one said he was signing with the Yankees. And at any rate, in this case, the Yankees make sense as a suitor. I see Dempster staying in the NL, but the Yankees' rotation is up in the air next year, and they have the money to spend.

I don't see what's so angering about hearing them as a possibility in this case.

You'll hear them as a suitor for almost every decent FA starting pitcher most likely, because the only current locks for their 2009 rotation are Joba Chamberlain and Chien Ming Wang, who's coming off a major injury.

Besides, it's not like we don't hear the Red Sox mentioned in quite a few FA signing/trade scenarios.

Dempster proved in the playoffs he's not an ace and he doesn't deserve ace money. The Cubs should let him walk and sign or trade for a true ace.

Nobody mentions the Blue Jays. They want Canadian content and if the Jays lose out on Burnett, they could sign Dempster who should be slightly cheaper than Burnett.

Forgive me if I am repaeating any or everybody else as I have not read all of the comments, but man this can sure damper or outright drive down the rates on the other blue-chip FA pitchers.....

how about letting dempster walk and picking up brad penny? penny is a better pitcher coming off an injury so his option will probably be declined, use the money you save to sign rafael furcal(speedy) or orlando hudson(high obp) it makes sense

Keep in mind, the Cubs will only be saving about 5 mil on Payroll as that's all Dempster made last season. They won't be signing Furcal for 5 mil. If they let him (Dempster)walk the payroll still has to go up considerably to sign a Furcal.

Dempster is going to look at Ted Lilly's 4/40 contract and say "I deserve at LEAST that much money and at LEAST that many years. They're a similar age and last season Dempster proved he's a better pitcher. I'd say 4/60 isn't unreasonable but 4/45-55 seems more likely. And I think he WILL take a home town discount provided he gets at least 4 years.

JRD actually you are wrong... The Cubs were the leaders to sign furcal but hendry tried to put somthing in his contract about his little drinking habit that his netted him multiple DUI's... dodgers were a surprise... Dempster will be a Cub... Wood will be a Cub...

I think Demp still will sign with the Cubs, this is a scare tactic by his agent to make sure he gets the most out of Hendry even if it is at a slight discount to what he could get on the open market. For the poster who thinks Demp goes to the Dodgers for 4/45 or 50... I couldn't see why Hendry would not match that and Demp would perfer to stay in Chicago. Demp made 5.5 Million last year and with Howry and Eyer off the books, and hopefully Marquis getting moved, the money should be there. Hendry doesn't have to come up with the 12-14 millions a year, Demp was already making significant money so Hendry only needs to squeeze a little more out of the budget to keep him.

JRD,

The Cubs were well ahead of the Braves to sign Furcal before the last deal. The dodgers came in with a higher salary, lower year offer at the last minute, and he took it. Hendry thought he was pretty much a Cub at that point, which I think is why he pulled the trigger to quickly to save face and get Pierre to lead off, giving up Nolasco and Mitre, whom I like.

"They have to choose between Dempster or Woods."

Is that Tiger Woods you are talkinga about? I'm kidding...but I think they can keep em both, but will have trouble signing an impact bat if they do.

I won't be that upset if he walks and they take the two draft picks...but it will make me nervous.

The Braves put in nearly no effort at all in trying to re-sign Furcal... as they did in trying to re-sign Andruw Jones last year. It became a bidding war between the Cubs and the Dodgers. The Dodgers won because they offered slightly more per year with fewer years involved. They also provided Furcal with an "out clause". According to reports at the time, Furcal was minutes away from accepting the Cubs' deal when the Dodgers sweetened their offer to him.

As far as long-term contracts at this point, the only guys that are signed beyond next season are: Lee (through 2010 - 2 years), Lilly (through 2010 - 2 years), ARam (through 2011/option 2012 - 3/4 years), Soriano (through 2014 - 6 years), Zambo (through 2012/option for 2013 - 4/5 years). All the other "long-termers" are guys who have fewer than 4 full seasons under their belt. To me, I see 3 guys there with long-term contracts.

I don't mind seeing Dempster walk, but only if he's replaced with something worthwhile. I do not think he's worth what he will demand after having a career year. I do not think he will repeat that career year. I do think he'll be a fine piece of the rotation to keep around, but I think it'll be around what Lilly provides. I'd much rather prefer to have Peavy, Lowe, Burnett, or Sabathia (won't happen). At this point, I may even prefer Sheets over Dempster. Sheets has shown he can stay fairly healthy the past couple of years... and he's a better pitcher than all but Sabathia and Peavy listed here when healthy.

Hill, with his latest outing in Winter Ball (3 2/3 IP with 4BB and 2 ER) he's still showing his command and control are an issue. Until he can get things under control, he will have no trade value... and no value to the Cubs overall. IF he can get his control back together, then he should be in the rotation... not on the trading block if at all possible.