Ryan Dempster allowed four runs in six innings against the Cardinals last night, an outing that is not likely to hurt his trade value. Yesterday we heard that the Dodgers, Tigers, Nationals, and Cardinals all have some level of interest in the right-hander while the Red Sox are likely out. The Cubs want one or two young arms in exchange for their vetreran ace, but it's unclear if he'll waive his no-trade clause to switch leagues. Here are today's Dempster rumors with the latest up top…
- Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that the Dempster sweepstakes is currently down to the Braves, Nationals, and Cardinals.
- The Dodgers are "very unlikely" to trade for Dempster according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). They prefer not to trade prospects for a rental, making Matt Garza a more logical target.
johnsilver
I will be sooo glad when Dempster is finally moved.
No offense to the great site and all guys 🙂
Edit:
As long as it isn’t with a “B” on his cap 🙁
JoeCroninAndRonSanto
How about the the birds? I know its not their logo anymore but…
Natsfan89
So that leaves who? Tigers and Nationals? I imagine how Lannan performs today will have a big impact on whether or not the Nats make a move for Dempster.
brocnessmonster
I imagine one start won’t matter too much…
Natsfan89
It will if Lannan gets shelled.
BitLocker
Do the Dodgers even have a farm to get Matt Garza?
Dodgersarelife
All you guys are uninformed, the dodgers may have the worst farm of position players around but the farm is a top 5 pitching one. Zach Lee, Eovaldi, De la Rosa all in top 100 last 2 years. Guys like Gould and Reed will be in top 100 next year. Ethan Martin is a potential #2, and Webster #3. So yes, if a team wants pitching and only pitching we can give them TONS.Hitting side will be very good in a year or 2. Corey Seager may be one of the best 3rd base prospects in the minors, Yasiel Puig has tons of potential, and players like Alex Santana and JOc Pederson of showing signs of being top hitting prospects. Please study someones farm before making assumptions
mlbscout6
While the Dodgers’ farm system isn’t quite as barren as the op suggested, it is one of the weakest in the league. Of the guys you listed, the only ones I have any faith in are Reed and Martin.
sdsuphilip
I like Gould a lot more than Martin, he easily has the stuff as a top of rotation guy but his mechanics need work. Reed’s a solid safe middle rotation arm.
Dodgersarelife
Gould’s mechanics are terrible and for his size he does not throw nearly hard enough.
Dodgersarelife
Zach Lee is legit in my opinion. I like Reed a lot and think he is a #3. Lee may not be the #1 people though he was but he at worst is a solid solid starter with a strong frame, a future guy who will go 200 innings and keep the team in the game. Martin has the best stuff and is becoming one of the top prospects in the system this year, yet a guy like Webster since his return from the bullpen is more of a sure thing from a starters stand-point.
mlbscout6
Perfectly valid opinion. Just thought I’d give my 2 cents.
sdsuphilip
The only way Martin is a 2 is if he magically fixes his control, he is more likely to be in the pen than be a front of rotation starter. Dodgers have a below average farm. Seager is good but there are quite a few 3B better than him. Joc Pederson is legit but the rest of the position players have huge question marks.
Dodgersarelife
His celling is a 2, if he fixes his control, although I believe Reed is the real deal as a starter. Seager is not the best right now, but once castellanos is gone Segear may very well be the best, the kid is a pure hitter only 3 so in 46 ab.
sdsuphilip
I’m not sure if you are being sarcastic or not, do you really think Seager is a better prospect than Matt Davidson, Javier Baez (he will end up at third), Anthony Rendon, or Mike Olt? Cause he isn’t close in terms of prospect status. Also a small sample size of 46 AB’s in rookie ball won’t help or hurt anyones prospect status but he hasn’t shown any power and has only 3 SO’s is probably a negative thing as it suggests he is a slap hitter. But in 46 Ab’s any number of things can be shown that are really false.
Dodgersarelife
Not now, but i have hope(biased) that he will be one of the best 3rd base prospects in the league. Only 18 and those guys would have already hit their rookie status. And yes, only 3 SO’s is impressive for a guy who is a senior in high school playing against superior pitching, so this small sample size is a valuable stat to me because he was drafted out of HS nearly 2 months ago. That is impressive by any means. No he is not a slap hitter please read the scouting report that projects him to have 25-30 plus home runs. I am not saying Seager is the greatest thing ever but he is likely to surprise a lot of people.
Bryce
Dodgers would be better served using that young pitching to get offensive help.
websoulsurfer
Lee isnt even a #2 and he is best prospect in Dodgers system. Very projectable, very much a #3 type. Doesnt mean he isnt valuable, just that he is not a top of the rotation pitcher.
Neither Martin nor Webster have upside anything above middle to back of rotation. Unless Martin can overcome serious control problems he may never make it as a starter in the majors. He spent most of last season as a reliever.
Webster keeps flip flopping between starting and the bullpen. Not a #3 that is for sure. Both are in 2nd season at AA and with such a shallow farm system that is not a good sign.
websoulsurfer
No they don’t.
esasc4
who wants to trade 2 prospects for 2 months of pitcher who just got shelled?
slyfox1908
Exactly. The statement that last night’s outing is unlikely to hurt his value is clearly false. It’s already turned one team off to him.
asovermann
It’s crazy to assume one start would turn away a team.
asovermann
False, every pitcher has a bad start every once in a while. It makes no difference in his trade value. Look at Greinke’s last two starts, both were terrible.
Ausome7
Not Verlander
asovermann
Verlander has had 6 less than desirable starts this year, not counting the all star game.
cubs223425
So 1 start convinces teams to look past the previous 14, where he was leading ALL OF BASEBALL in the ERA department (FIP notwithstanding)? He’s been a consistent 3-win pitcher (bottoming out at 2.8 last season, with 2008’s 5.2 the peak), and if he gets in about 26 starts, he shoudl be around 4 wins this season.
Dock_Elvis
By this logic, every team should be vying to obtain Tommy Milone from the A’s because he held the Yankees scoreless and struck out 10 last night.
asovermann
No they would be because Tommy Milone is a solid pitcher, hes never going to be a top of the rotation arm but he is as solid as solid can be for a #3 or #4. He always hits his spots and has fantastic control of his pitches.
Dock_Elvis
That’s my point in not basing judgements on one outing. Small sample size. I used Milone because I watched him pitch last night. He’s solid and has the makings of a nice #3-4 guy like you say. Could have used other pitchers variably. Love them A’s
asovermann
Same here, they really are a good story this year. I can’t wait to see what Dan Straily could do in that roto as well.
Dock_Elvis
I wouldn’t mind seeing Suzuki dealt. The second wild card seems to be shaking up the trade deadline from years past.
Shel K
he wasn’t exactly “shelled” – he had one bad inning, the first – after that settled down for 4 runs over 6 innings. Not a great outing but not something that will totally change people’s minds about him. everyone knows he’s not going to sustain an ERA of 1.86. And scouts also look at maturity, how does a guy regroup after he’s been rocked for an inning – in that sense he probably helped his cause more than hurt it.
BitLocker
Oh boy, gave up 4 runs to a team who’s no pushover. Sure does negate the 0 runs he allowed in his previous 5 starts.
Nuth88
Dwight Howard, Chicago Cubs V.1?
wickedkevin
Well the new CBA sure has killed the idea of trading rentals at the deadline.
Daniel Miller
With Kershaw, Capuano, and Harang pitching well, and Billingsley and Lilly coming back from injury soon, I’m not sure who the Dodgers planned on booting from the rotation if they acquired Dempster.
cubs223425
That’s a good question. Though his FIP has been good, Billinglsey’s ERA is ugly. Lilly’s been hurt, but solid when he’s pitched. Harang’s been pretty nice, but the worst (by FIP) of the bunch. Capuano and Kershaw are certainly not leaving the rotation.
It’s a tough call, but I’d probably have to put either Harang or Billingsley in the bullpen, prefereably the former.
BlueSkyLA
This was always the issue, but I think some of us are interpreting management’s pursuit of starting pitching with the message that Lilly is not coming back soon. His ETA is still uncertain.
karkat
Wherein the Cubs learn that they should’ve had a fire sale six months ago.
Granted, I don’t know how much they could’ve gotten for Dempster after his down year last year, but their overall haul is going to be markedly less since they waited.
Dock_Elvis
I’m inclined to believe they held onto him because they knew there wouldn’t be much of a haul for him to begin with and he was better suited stabilizing their rotation.
karkat
While true for Dempster, I have to imagine the return for Garza is going to be significantly less than what they could’ve gotten in March.
Dock_Elvis
I’m not sure his future role with the club was as defined in March. Lots of scenarios change over time.
ray1
Supposedly the hold up with the Dempster trade is that some teams want the opportunity to sign him to an extension before they trade for him.
tomymogo
I just want the Braves to do something, Dempster, Garza, Liriano, Greinke, anyone of those at an acceptable price is excellent.
mlbscout6
What if, in the most likely scenario, none of those teams offer their aces for what you consider an “acceptable price”.
briankoke
As the Dodgers slip down the standings…
johnsilver
How many times are you going to post that exact same comment, word for word?
briankoke
As many times as I want.
cubs223425
Tough to say which of those 3 teams I would prefer to deal with. All have players worth getting, but it’s all about the overall package. Washington, Atlanta, and St. Louis would all be better options for the Cubs than the Dodgers, whose top prospects have mostly fallen flat (or been unimpressive) this season.
karkat
Wait, the Cardinals are listed as being in “the Dempster sweepstakes”? What world did I stumble into where there’s even a CHANCE of the Cubs and the Cardinals making a trade.
Adam
Doubt the Cardinals deal for him. There would be much more risk for the Cardinals. If they were to give the Cubs any significant prospects and they pan out…will not be good.
Jamespfunk
If the Nats get him I hope Rizzo stays true to what he says and give up nothing of value.
Natsfan89
I’d be ok with Meyer being traded now that Giolito has signed but Rendon and Goodwin should be off limits
Jamespfunk
Rizzo will not trade his #2 overall rated prospect for a rental. I’m a little high on Meyer though since I went and watched him pitch last night and got him to sign a ball.
websoulsurfer
Spoke with several scouts at and after Isotopes/Cubs game and consistently heard Dodgers dont have horses to pull Dempster trade off let alone Garza. Cubs still want a top prospect haul.
slider32
The market for Dempster seems to be one mid level prospect, while the Cubs want 2 prospects. The new CBA has changed everything.
Andrej Milas
Just don’t send Dempster to the cards.. please anyone but the cards.