The Cubs are working hard to move Ryan Dempster and they could trade him by the end of the week. The Dodgers, Tigers, Braves, Red Sox and Nationals have all expressed interest in the right-hander, who can veto any trade. The Dodgers would top Dempster's list of potential destinations, followed by the Braves, Ken Rosenthal reported yesterday. There are only a few teams to which the right-hander wouldn't accept a trade.
Dempster, 35, has a 1.86 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 92 innings for the Cubs this year. He earns $14MM in 2012 — more than $6MM between now and the end of the season — but the Cubs are said to be willing to absorb salary to facilitate a deal. Here are the latest rumors surrounding Dempster, with the most recent developments up top:
- Interest from the Nationals and Yankees isn’t as strong as some reports indicate, Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. While the Dodgers had been considered the favorite to land Dempster, teams such as the Tigers, Red Sox and Braves could still acquire him.
- ESPN.com’s Buster Olney and Bob Nightengale of USA Today both hear the Dodgers are considered the favorites to acquire Dempster.
- The Dodgers are viewed as the favorites for Dempster with the Tigers seen as “strong pursuers” and the Red Sox considered long shots, Joel Sherman reported today.
Pretty affordable contract for a top of the line veteran pitcher. I just would wonder how he would fair in the AL.
Its a given he won`t repeat his 1st half line in the AL
Really? So you’re saying that he’s not the best pitcher in baseball and isn’t going to finish with the league’s lowest ERA? I don’t think anyone thought that was going to happen. Doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s still a stud and a winner who is going to help a contender in a big way.
Don’t understand why the Cubs would be “willing to absorb salary to facilitate a deal.” If he’s that much in demand, then its a seller’s market and the Cubs should get decent prospects plus salary relief. Play it smart Theo and don’t pay any of Dempster’s salary since you probably shouldn’t have to. Now, Soriano, that’s another story.
The more money the Cubs pick up, the better the prospects they can get. That is especially true for teams like the Braves who are on a tight budget. For teams like the Dodgers or Red Sox, they’d rather spend the money and keep the prospects, which is why I’m not sure the Cubs would get the best deal from them.
The more value the Cubs give, the more they can get in return. Theo & Co. are looking for legitimate pitching prospects who will be major-league ready in ~3 years. A half year of Dempster might not be enough to get that without some cash thrown in.
They are willing to eat a majority of his salary to get a better prospects.
Honestly, the biggest benefit is making him accessible to more teams. Granted every team would rather not pay for a player than pay for him, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll give you something better (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t–it also depends on how much cash is involved). But if you can bring in a team who wants the player but CAN’T take the salary, then THAT is going to drive the bidding up and even teams who can absorb it will have to consider upping their offer.
The Cubs have money. If they can use it in any way to get a better prospect they’re going to do it, and that’s exactly what they should be doing.
my guess is they trade him to a team that has not been mentioned in any of these rumors. my guess is the A’s
he has the 10-5 rule. He can block any trade. There is no way he goes from one bad team to another. The teamns that are mentioned are where he’s going.
Dempster has full 10-and-5 rights, so he has to approve any trade. He wants to go to a contender, so no way he accepts a deal to Oakland. I think if he goes to a team that hasn’t really been mentioned, it will be the Angels…they can’t feel good about Santana’s performance or Haren’s back injury.
Have you checked the standings? OAK is a half game out of the WC… Either way, Oakland has a surplus of pitching and probably not the landing spot for Demp. I think he is still LAD or ATL bound.
to heck with Dempster, I want to see the Nats score Greinke…
Go post that on a Greinke thread. Besides he is a head case.
I like him much better in Atlanta than Grenkie. Other than Hudson they have no veteran leadership & he’s a much more affordable option for their middle-of-the-pack payroll.
I am a reasonable cubs fan, but I really think we are going to net a good value return on Dempster given the number of teams in on him and the lack of sellers at the moment. It is equal parts entertaining and hilarious to read both sides of these trade discussions, fans of teams wanting him for less than market value as defined by the history of mid season trades (less a bit for the new CBA rules not granting draft picks to the team that acquires him if he does not resign there at the end of the year), and given his numbers this year. No we aren’t getting Castellanos or something crazy good for him, but we will not be getting the 10th best prospect in a mediocre system either. Remember the Cubs aren’t dealing with a single team here, they will have multiple offers on the table and will be choosing the best, with the tie possibly going to a team Dempster prefers (Dodgers maybe).
He’s a hell of a guy and pitching lights out, I wish him the best and hope he does a nice job for whatever team gets him.
I agree that the Cubs will not get Castellanos for Dempster, but he’s a legitimate possibility with Garza, especially if the Tigers fall any farther behind the White Sox in the AL Central as the deadline approaches.
Interesting points, but I’m not really sure about the “lack of sellers” part. Seems like there is an abundance of starting pitching available this year, more so then any other year, which is just bad luck for the cubs. You have Wandy Rodriguez, Zack Greinke, Anibal Sanchez, Francisco Liriano. Not to mention the possibility of James Shields and Cole Hamels being available as well.
Go Canada! Everybody wants him cause he is a nice Canadian boy. Also, he is kicking rear. lol
I don’t care where he ends up. Sure, I will be happy if the Cubs get some nice prospects but I’ll be thrilled that I’ll never have to watch Dempster’s terrible Harry Carey impression ever again.
How are the Phillies “back into the race?” They are 13 games back in the division w/ 4 teams ahead of them. Even the wild card is a fading dream at this point…9.5 games back and 7 teams between them and a playoff spot. I agree they won’t trade Hamels, but they are not back into the race
My thoughts exactly, ronson1. If it were up to me, I would have let him walk after the choke job. Since we overpaid for 4 more years of him and he’s finally pitching like he should to earn that money(in a contract year…hmmm), hopefully we get a useful piece(s) for this guy and never look back.
We’re fine, it was only 7 walks…
If they want to spend a lot more to acquire those guys that is certainly an option, but its not as if they are the same price as Dempster.
Phillies are back in the race? 10 games under .500, 13 out of the east, and 9.5 out of the wild card (needing to pass 7 teams to get there) is not really in the race…
They’d realistically have to go at least 47-23 over their last 70 to have a shot at the wc… Impossible, no, but highly improbable.
After all he is the sausage king of Chicago.
His Harry Carey impersonation was not bad and was comparable to will ferills.