Dodgers Out On Dempster

Cubs righty Ryan Dempster is scheduled to start tonight at Wrigley Field opposite A.J. Burnett, but a little thing called the trade deadline looms four hours prior to that contest.  As a 10-and-5 player, however, Dempster must approve any trade.  The latest:

• The Dodgers are out on Dempster, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times.
• Straight from the horse's mouth: Dempster told Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com he has expanded his list to include the Yankees and Rangers, in addition to the Dodgers.
• The Dodgers are pursuing starting pitching on multiple fronts, notes Goldstein.
• Money would have to be involved for Dempster to land with the Yankees, and with 90 minutes until the deadline there's been no talk of financials yet, tweets Sherman.  The Cubs are said to like Yankees second base prospect Angelo Gumbs and third base prospect Dante Bichette Jr., but Sherman is not sure the Yankees would do that just to upgrade on Freddy Garcia.  Reports are unclear on whether Dempster would approve a trade to the Yankees.
• Echoing Kaplan, Nightengale tweets that the Cubs are engaged in heavy discussions with the Yankees on Dempster and are still talking to the Dodgers and Rangers.  No one is copping to it on the Yankees' side, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  The Yankees have indeed contacted the Cubs about Dempster, tweet Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, but the teams are not talking seriously yet.
• The Dodgers are not the only team discussing Dempster with the Cubs, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
• The deal is not done yet, tweets Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, as the Cubs really want prospect Allen Webster and are trying to add to Dempster to get him.  Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports concurs: there is no agreement yet.
• The Cubs and Dodgers are "finally closing in on the Dempster deal," a source close to the negotations tells Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio.
• The Dodgers remain focused on Dempster and want him even if they add another pitcher, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  They're also looking at hitters, and money does not seem to be a concern.  Rosenthal notes that the Dodgers have worked on two massive deals over the last several days, both of which are now less likely. 
• There's no evidence of Dempster talk with the Yankees, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
• The Dodgers, Rangers, and Yankees are in play for Dempster, reports David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com.  The Rangers and Yankees stepped up their pursuit over the last 48 hours.  Furthermore, Kaplan says Dempster is willing to approve a trade to any of the three teams.
• Nothing was close late Monday between the Dodgers and Cubs, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
• Dempster "remains adamant that he will only approve a trade to the Dodgers," reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Rosenthal says the Cubs and Dodgers are discussing Dempster and left fielder Alfonso Soriano.  However, if the Dodgers acquire another target in outfielder Shane Victorino, they'd have little use for Soriano.  With only one suitor, the Cubs' only leverage is weak: their alternative is to keep Dempster and make him a qualifying offer in the $12.5MM range after the season, with an eye on scoring one compensatory draft pick if he declines.
• The Cubs and Braves' previous dialogue about Dempster made yesterday's Paul Maholm trade a little easier, Cubs GM Jed Hoyer told reporters including MLB.com's Carrie Muskat.  As the centerpiece of that deal, the Cubs snagged Tommy John-rehabbing pitching prospect Arodys Vizcaino.