The market for free agent starter Ryan Dempster is dwindling quickly. Here’s the latest on Dempster, who has been connected to both the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs…
- Dempster has received two quality contract offers so far this offseason. The problem? They’re both only for two years, and Dempster reportedly wants three.
- The Boston Red Sox offered two years and $25 million, which the starting pitcher turned down. I suppose the Red Sox could still be in the running for Dempster’s services, especially if he caves down the road on his request for three years.
- The Kansas City Royals reportedly offered Dempster two years at $26 million – which, again, he declined. You can safely speculate that Kansas City won’t be revisiting the Dempster talks. They just finalized a mega-deal with the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire James Shields.
- As mentioned before, the Brewers and Cubs have been connected to Dempster. The Cubs’ rotation is pretty full at the moment – 1 through 5 lines up as Matt Garza, Jeff Samardzija, Travis Wood, Scott Baker, Scott Feldman. Milwaukee could use another starter, but Tom Haudicourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Doug Melvin won’t be handing out a three year deal to a starting pitcher like Demp.
- Peter Gammons tweeted prefers an NL team who plays Spring Training in Arizona on a three year deal.
- Finally, Bullpen Brian looks at the remaining suitors for Dempster and offers some speculation. It will be interesting to see what actually happens down the road.
