The Royals have been major players in the free agent market, making a big run at Andruw Jones while signing Jose Guillen, but they did lose David Riske to the Brewers.
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Ryan Dempster is proving many people wrong, including me.
When Dempster was all but given the number three spot in the rotation, I wondered why Cubs’ management thought he would succeed pitching 6+ innings in a game when he frequently struggled to pitch one strong inning as a closer.
When similar questions were raised by the media, Manager Lou Piniella and GM Jim Hendry would frequently state that Dempster had one of the best converted save percentages in the league last year, succeeding 28 out of 31 attempts. I thought that logic was somewhat short-sighted, however, considering he also had 7 losses and nearly as many hits given up as innings pitched.
Another common argument in favor of inserting Dempster into the rotation was his familiarity and success in the role. From 1998-2004, Dempster was a starting pitcher with the Marlins, Reds, and Cubs, until the Cubs converted him into a closer in 2005, after he recovered from Tommy John surgery. That argument seems reasonable, especially if the phrase “previous success” is used loosely. His best year as a starter was in 2000, when he went 14-10 with a 3.66 ERA.
But more important than proving people wrong, he is providing the Cubs with some much needed stability in the starting rotation while Ted Lilly and Rich Hill continue to struggle. Heading into April 15th’s start against Aaron Harang and the Cincinnati Reds, Dempster is 1-0 with a miniscule 0.69 ERA. Admittedly, the season is very young, and Dempster only has two starts under his belt. It’s the way he has commanded the strike zone, kept hitters off-balance, and his renewed sense of confidence that have been most impressive.
He doesn’t have an overpowering fastball, typically topping out at around 90-92 MPH. What seems to be different this year is the movement on his ball. On several occasions, he has carved up left-handed hitters with pitches that start out at the hitter's hip, and then darts back over the inside corner, reminiscent of a Greg Maddux pitch.
Dempster also is featuring his straight change and curve more often, instead of over-relying on his split-finger fastball. In terms of “mound presence”, he looks much more comfortable and confident than he ever did as a closer. He’s working quickly and consistently getting ahead of hitters in the count.
Last year, Dempster was the player Cubs' fans “loved to hate”, even getting stuck with the not-so-flattering nickname “Dumpster”. This year, that nickname may need to find the trash. So far, it has been a redeeming year for Ryan Dempster.
