Dempster Is 'Backbone' Of Cubs Rotation
CHICAGO (WSCR) Despite his 4.99 ERA and 5-6 record this season, Ryan Dempster might be one of the few Cubs players who draws interest from other teams as the trade deadline approaches.
"This is a guy who, over the last three years, has really gotten it done in the starting rotation," former Cub and current analyst Todd Hollandsworth said on the Danny Mac Show. "I mean, he's a competitor. He takes the ball every fifth day. He goes out there, good, bad, indifferent and he's a guy who fights his way through it."
After moving to the starting rotation after pitching in the bullpen, Dempster quickly became one of the most consistent and dependable starters the Cubs Had. But this season started much differently, Dempster struggled for the first month before regaining his from.
"You think back to April, he posted a 9.00 ERA," Hollandsworth said. "This isn't a guy that, all of a sudden his shoulder is hurting, his elbow is hurting, he needs to take some time off. No, he fights his way through it. ... And he's putting up some great numbers since then. If you remove his April, his ERA is down around a 3.00, where it usually is. And, you know, he's kind of the backbone to this rotation. He's probably slotted, on a good club, in the two or three-spot, probably more like the three-spot, but they count on him heavy, to go out there and give him the innings. And right now they're leaning on him big time."
