Dempster Finally Got A Win, Time To Play Let's Make A Deal
By Rob Winn in News on Jun 6, 2012 7:20PM
Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster threw seven shutout innings against the Brewers Tuesday, bouncing back after allowing six runs in his last start. With the trade deadline approaching and more than half the league within five games of first place, it seems that Dempster will be moving soon.
Although Dempster has a full no-trade clause in his contract, he is not expected to turn down a deal that would send him to a playoff contender. No one is expecting a Dempster trade to bring back the next Alex Rodriguez, but for a Cubs organization desperate for legitimate prospects he could help restock a depleted farm system.
A possible landing spot could be the Yankees, who have been looking for pitching since the beginning of time and now employ Dempster's former pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Another spot could be a return to the Cincinnati Reds, who are leading the NL Central but will probably need some pitching help to really make a run in the playoffs.
Even though Dempster is coming off his first win since last year, he has pitched well without much run support and his 2.59 ERA makes him attractive to numerous contenders. Considering he's in the final year of his contract, a team looking to catch lightning in a bottle would probably be willing to part with a few unproven prospects for a chance to win the World Series.