Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like we play the Cardinals an awful lot this season.
I’ve been meaning to write this huge rant about Ryan Dempster for days, but the smoke coming out my ears keeps obscuring the screen to my laptop. Have you ever tried to write something and had to constantly wipe down the screen? It’s maddening.
Also maddening is Ryan Dempster’s “I’ve earned the right to block the trade” attitude. In a matter of days, Dempster has managed to go from the most popular Cub player to universal pariah on the North Side, and he has no one to blame but himself.ou
Let’s get a few things straight. Has Dempster “earned” the right to block a trade under the 10/5 provision of the Collective Bargaining Agreement? Undoubtedly. Does that mean Cubs fans can’t be upset by the MANNER in which he is choosing to exercise those rights? Absolutely not.
When this season started, Cubs fans knew this team wasn’t going anywhere. We knew from the beginning that losing 100 games was a distinct possibility. We held on to two glimmers of hope to make this season worthwhile: 1) the rise of Anthony Rizzo and 2) being able to get some decent prospects for guys who were playing well. That was the season for us. That was our playoffs. Hoping to come out of this season a little better than when we went in and with less payroll.
It’s been widely reported by many media outlets (and not refuted by anyone in Dempster’s camp) that, as the deadline approached, Dempster provided Theo with a list of teams that he would not block a trade to. First on that list was the Dodgers. Second on that list was, reportedly, the Braves. Why Dempster felt shock, anger, and, most of all, CONFUSION when news of a deal leaked out of Atlanta is beyond me. In my mind, when a player says “I’ll accept a trade here, here, and here. . .” it’s a green light for a GM to go ahead and start dealing. I have no idea how Dempster thought all of this was supposed to happen.
The Braves have since announced that they’ve “moved on” from the Dempster deal. The Dodgers have been reported to be much more interested in Matt Garza than Ryan Dempster. In fact, the Dodgers refused to agree to a deal that would have send Dempster to LA for AA pitching prospect Allen Webster, probably the only thing the Cubs could have gotten in a deal with the Dodgers that would have been better than getting Randall Delgado. So hey, thanks a bunch, Ryan.
Yes, Dempster has his family to think about. Yes, he has a special needs child to consider. However, these are the issues players are supposed to carefully consider BEFORE telling their GMs where they will and won’t go. If Dempster really did put Atlanta on his list of pre-approved teams, then he deserves every bit of derision and disgust he’s getting from Cubs fans.
Meanwhile, Dempster seems to be the only person in Chicago who thinks the Atlanta deal still has legs. He’s stated that he has until the trade deadline to decide. Unluckily for the Cubs, his waiting for the trade deadline has effectively destroyed what was supposed to be a big week of moves. Now that it’s known that Dempster will only go to LA, no other teams are interested and LA holds all the cards. Remember when Theo and Jed kept saying the Cubs were going to be “very active” at the trade deadline? Now. . . not so much.
Dempster has always held himself out as a leader, a team-player, a guy who genuinely cared about the organization and the fans. Yet he’s denied the team the chance to pick up a good young prospect because he doesn’t want to go play for his second choice for two months. If Dempster likes being a big fish in a non-contending pond, if he would rather be known for his (terrible) Harry Caray impersonation than for winning a pennant, fine. But I don’t even want to hear him talk again about his competitive fire, his drive to win, etc. Because any player who really DOES want to win would welcome the chance to pitch for a contender, even if only as a two-month rental.
Ryan Dempster is, by all accounts, a great guy. We’ve all heard that ad nauseum for as long as he’s been here. But good people have petulant moments, too. This is Dempster’s.
Cubs and Cards today at 1:20 pm CT on CSN. It’ll be Lance Lynn against Travis Wood (ugh).
Lineups to come.
I think the likelihood of Garza being traded before the deadline is approaching zero. It sounds like the triceps injury will keep him from being healthy enough to actually throw again before August 1st.
This trade deadline is turning into a big fat fail.
Yeah, this was Theo and Company’s first shot at showing Cubs fans that this is a whole new era.
As much abuse as is being heaped on Dempster (rightly so), if Theo/Jed/whats-his-name are such Baseball gurus, they shouldn’t be hamstrung by one player calling an audible.
I would not be surprised to see Jim Hendry flummoxed by an unforseen wrinkle, but (I thought) The Theos would be better than this.
We’re arguing about this on WTF right now:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wrigley-talk-friday/2012/07/27/wrigley-talk-friday
I agree with what you said, Julie especially the part about Demspter listing Atlanta as a choice. He should have only listed Atlanta as a choice if he meant he would go to Atlanta,not as a “filler” for his list of teams to agree to for a trade. I think Dempster believes his press, that he is so valuable that the Braves will put up with his antics. Also, and this may be mean of me, he might think his charity work earns his special treatment in the trade markets.I also am surprised that Theo and co did not have a plan B for these trades. That is not what I would have done if I was a GM- I would have had a plan B,C,D because that’s what teams do. Players get hurt,get arrested, retire,etc. You should keep your lists of players/prospects you are interested updated and work out alternatives,(like multiple team trades) to get the players you want for your organization. So there is plenty of blame for both Dempster and management on this one…
I’m going golfing. Keep me updated on the score.
Yes’m.
Bottom 3: Cards 6, Cubs 6
RizzOMG homer in the bottom of the first.
I’m just guessing here, but I’d wager the wind might be blowing out at the Friendly Confines today.
Did’nt the Cardinals just go ahead? I’m switching between the game on the computer and a live-blog of the opening of the Olympics going on now…
Yeah, 8-6 Cardinals, middle of the fiveth.
Gross.
9-6 Cards, top 8.
Even grosser.
Cubs score 113 runs in the bottom of the 8th (including 24 grand slams in the inning) to take the lead 120-9.
Marmol coming in to close it out.
And blows the lead….
I with I had 100 thumbs to stick up you for that comment.
Stick up for you.
You know what I mean.
Hey, I have an idea.
Can somebody with a Twitter account and/or access to local media “leak” the story that the Cubs wouldn’t trade Dempster to Atlanta or the Dodgers on a dare, not for a million zillion dollars?
Maybe RD will get so insulted that he’ll demand an immediate trade.
Twitter is ruining the Opening Ceremonies for me. Spoilers left and right.
I’m reading the live blogs since NBC is going to cut up the opening anyhow. It’s great-so far the Guardian is reporting that whomever is narrating it for NBC has confused Kenneth Branaugh playing a Victorian politician with Abe Lincoln. Currently they are going through the history of British music,apparently. Mr. Bean,OO7,& JK Rowling also appear. I predict NBC will keep cutting away to give us those warm and fuzzy profiles of the US athletes…
Matheny is a babe.
There, I said it.
AJ & Spellcheck will be jealous now…
I think we all know that I think Spellcheck looks like a foot with long hair.
I think you just like his hair:
http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Metheny,_Pat/gallery/PRZ-006938/
LOL. WTF?
Were you not talking about Pat Metheny?
Did you miss WTF today? You can listen here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wrigley-talk-friday/2012/07/27/wrigley-talk-friday
Or download from iTunes.
Is any other channel showing the London Opening Ceremony besides NBC? Seacrest is going to be among the commentators, and I can tell from what actually happened the West Coast won’t get to see most of it…
NBC and it’s sibling stations have pretty much a monopoly on the Olympics in this country.
Jed/Theo/&What’s-his-name would not be the 1st baseball gurus brought to their knees by the enigmatic pieces of the Cubs puzzle. At times when I read that phrase “It’s a Way of Life”,I wince a little.
On the selfish side,with Demp and Garz in the fold still(if there are no trades) I have reasonable chance to hit 75 victories on my over/under bet.
Anyone want to talk about the Opening Ceremonies over here? Twitter is a big pile of fail tonight.
The afghan flag carrier was cute.
Yes he was.
Still not on here in loser California. Hoping NBC won’t ruin it totally,but pretty sure they will…
What is there to spoil? There are a bunch off people walking around a track with a really ridiculous model carrying the most bizarre, awkward, hideous name placards over their shoulders. They all look like they are on their way to milk their Holsteins.
I hope they sell a broadcast of the opening,as I followed the live blog, and NBC has cut this to shreds. I wish I had known that Deadspin had a live streaming link….