Cubs Sign Dempster to 4 Year $52 Million Deal; I Stop Calling Him "Dumpster"

The Cubs re-signed Ryan Dempster to a 4-year $52 million dollar deal. The deal is structured thusly:

$4 million signing bonus
2009 Salary: $8 Million
2010 Salary: $12.5 Million
2011 Salary: $13.5 Million
2012 Salary: $14 Million (Player Option)

The only thing I love more than this contract and how it's structured is Dempster himself. Taking only $8 million for 2009 leaves flexibility to acquire Peavy and/or a left-handed bat. Although it is a bit back-loaded, the Cubs are clearly trying to win RIGHT NOW. I love it. As of now, our rotation is the same as the one that just won 97 games, with the potential to add Peavy still out there.

In terms of Dempster himself, I am amazed he took this deal. I am no expert on the open market rate for a starting pitcher these days, but it would seem to me that a player of Dempster's caliber would command at least a 4 year, $60 million deal That may even be a little on the low side, since no one knows what C.C. Sabathia and AJ Burnett will be commanding (140 over 6 years and 80 over 5 years are the respective rumored offers to those players). Ryan Dempster is the kind of guy that is a clubhouse leader and also is productive on the field. I love this move and I love this player. Keep it up Jimmy H.

Today's Links

• Why are we giving Larry Hughes minutes? Entitlement for his big contract? I don't like it.
• Top Ten Chicago Sissies from a couple years ago. Some still are, but sissies don't last that long in sports (for the most part)
• McCain mocks himself and Obama in front of Obama. Don't worry, Obama does the same thing. Oh, and Hillary gets mocked too. Good times. Trust me its a good video. Thanks to Real Stadiums Have Roofs for the links.
• In ex-Bears WR news, Bobby Wade thinks Bears fans will boo Berrian this week. I say who cares.
  
• VDN does not like the way his team has been playing so far, and they are working hard in practice to correct it.
• Sounds like the Cubs plan to sign Dempster. But where will the money come from if we get Peavy too?
• The Bears lost a close one, but does that merit the tumble they've taken in power rankings around the interwebs?
  

The Difference Between a Ball and a Strike

Look at these two pictures. Can you tell the difference between pitch #1 in the left picture and pitch #1 in the right picture?











Exactly, none. Well that's what I thought too. But that's not what home plate umpire Dale Scott thought. According to him, one was a strike and one was a ball. That one difference ended up being THE difference. It seemed like at least 5 pitches that Dempster threw in that tragic 5th inning looked like the pitch above on gamecast, and yet they were called balls. Somehow, in the top halves of innings, those pitches were called strikes. Weird. (And by weird I mean bullshit). That is the kind of thing that will drive big Z insane tomorrow. Let's hope whoever is calling the game behind the plate doesn't mess with Z like that. Come on Cubbies, we are still the better team. Stay focused.

Today's Links--Blame The Cubs For Underfunded Schools Edition

• Reverend Meeks protested funding disparity in schools by pulling thousands of kids out of school and making them go to Winnetka. Now he's suggesting the same thing except this time 6,000 kids to surround Wrigley Field during the first playoff game? Come on guy, give it a rest.
• Cubs lost, but Harden looked solid and Hoffpauir is hitting his way onto the playoff roster.
  
• Hugging Harold Reynolds discusses the current Zambrano situation. He hasn't looked great since that no-no 2 years ago, or wait, I guess it was 2 weeks ago. Sure seems like longer.
• Why did the Phillies blow up a package of hot dogs? I'm still not sure.
• Tie Break scenarios for MLB playoffs.
  
• Benson will not be indicted for all that messiness. Who cares I guess.
  
• Mr. Cub is a dad? At age 77? Interesting...
• This is how you shit the bed. Sox lose and get swept out of Minnesota. Ugly.
  
• Should the Bears be limiting Forte's carries? Take a look at the first comment, it lists the max carries by a rookie the last ten years.
• Illini star Martez Wilson wants to be in the NFL...no wait, my bad, he wants to open a convenience store chain?
  
• Lion's new management has one goal--beat the Bears. I know its tough times in Detroit, but shouldn't they dream a little bigger?
• Remember the Bears number 1 pick Chris Williams? Well it looks like he's back out on the practice field.
  
• Dempster is the Game 1 starter.
• Wait, wait, wait, Lou didn't mean he was quitting exactly.
  

Einstein Bagels Cure For Cubs Slump

Don't stress Cubs fans. I know this last week has been a rough go. No one likes getting swept by the Astros, especially at home. Personally I was getting pretty close to the ledge, about to jump, when I was saved. Ryan Dempster was the man to do it. Before you jump Cubs fans, read this. Dumpster has it all figured out:

"We've just got to come to the field and have a good day off [Thursday]," he said, "maybe go get some Einstein's Bagels in the morning, go for a nice run, then have a nice plane flight, go have a nice dinner and go to Cincinnati refreshed and put this behind us and just play well."

Lovely. I wonder what else Einstein's bagels can do. You think it could get me a good job? Will an Einstein bagel convince my girlfriend that this blog isn't ruining our relationship? I don't know for sure, but if the Cubs turn things around, we'll sure know why.