According to Ken Rosenthal, the Boston Red Sox have signed pitcher Ryan Dempster to a two-year, $26.5 million dollar deal, pending the results of a physical.
A 15-year veteran, Dempster has pitched mostly in the National League in his career, appearing for the Marlins, Reds and Cubs before being traded to the Rangers in a deadline day trade. Dempster is the owner of a career 4.33 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. In his brief time in the American league, Dempster posted a 5.09 ERA/4.08 FIP/3.86 FIP with 10 homers surrendered in 12 games. Notably, Dempster’s K/9 increased 7.18 to 9.13 in the switch from the senior to junior circuits in 2012, but his walk rate (2.34 to 3.26 per 9) and home run rate (0.78 to 1.30) also rose. Bill James projects Dempster to have a 3.74 ERA and a 3.71 FIP with 172 strikeouts in 2013.
Dempster is a notorious prankster, so I guess the extra half million over the standard Red Sox $13 mil AAV contract handed out this off-season went toward props for new pranks for Dempster to pull on his new teammates.
Categories: Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds Miami Marlins Ryan Dempster Texas Rangers
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I am far happier to see that this is a 2 year deal than if it had been a 3. I'm not exactly thrilled since I doubt he'd be the key piece to a World Series run, be hopefully he'll be a solid pitcher for two more years
The Red Sox would have made the playoffs in 2011 if it had at least one more starting pitcher that peformed at a league average level. The team had too few average quality starting pitchers in 2012. Even if Dempster ends up as nothing more than about a league average quality starter, that significantly bolsters the team. There has been too much focus on acquiring a "number one" quality starter which may not be reasonably available and too little focus on a greater need for the 2013 regular season to have multiple durable starters who pitch well enough to usually give the team a good shot at winning games. If James' projection of Dempster for 2013 proves accurate, that is a good addition for the team.
There could be worse signings out there. I think we needed a MLB average innings eater. I think a complementary signing would be grabbing Sanchez for 4 years, Edwin Jackson for 2-3 years, or Zambrano/Wang on a 1 year cheap deal.
A staff with Lester, Buchholz, Sanchez/Jackson, Dempster, and Doubront (who Bill James loves.) is solid.
I think this is a solid signing and I have no arguments with it. It also pushes Morales to spot-starter duty, and I hope he does grab a few starts as I'm not ready to give him on him there. By the way Cory, I wouldn't anticipate Sanchez/Jackson. You are forgetting Lackey, who has a spot in the rotation.