Cubs shell out $52M for free agent Dempster
Canadian right-hander will earn $8 million US in 2009 as part of 4-year deal
The Blue Jays will not be raising their quota of Canadian players with the signing of free-agent pitcher Ryan Dempster.
Coming off a career-best 17-win season, the right-hander agreed to a four-year contract worth $52 million US to remain with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.
The deal, which includes a player option in 2012, sees Dempster get a $4 million signing bonus, $8 million next year, $12.5 million in 2010 and $13.5 million in 2011. The 2012 option is worth $14 million.
Dempster, from Gibsons, B.C., won 17 games this past season with a 2.96 earned-run average in 33 starts after saving 28 games for the Cubs in 2007.
Last week, the 31-year-old collected four third-place votes in balloting for National League Cy Young Award honours as the league's top hurler.
Dempster was nearly unhittable at home this season, going 14-3 in 20 starts and striking out 114 batters in 129 innings pitched. The 14 home victories fell one shy of fellow Canadian Ferguson Jenkins's Cubs record, set in 1967.
Prior to the start of the free-agent season, there were rumblings Dempster could receive four-year offers and top the three-year, $15.5-million deal he signed in November 2005.
In his most recent start, Dempster allowed four runs (all earned) in 4 2/3 innings to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of a NL Division Series.
He fashioned an ERA nearly a half-run lower at Wrigley Field (2.86) than on the road (3.13) in the regular season.
Saved 87 games of 102 chances as closer
Dempster had elbow ligament replacement (Tommy John) surgery in 2003, but has stayed relatively injury-free since, save for a strained left oblique (rib cage muscle) in 2007.
As the Cubs' closer from 2005-07, he saved 87 games in 102 chances. But after earning a spot in the rotation during spring training, Dempster returned to the starter's role he held with the Florida Marlins and Cincinnati Reds from 1998-2003.
On the first day of spring training last February, Dempster said he thought the Cubs would win the World Series. Instead, they still haven't won one since 1908. Now he'll get another chance to help the Cubs end their long drought.
Last week, Chicago traded for Marlins reliever Kevin Gregg and said goodbye to free agent Kerry Wood. General manager Jim Hendry said the Cubs couldn't give him the long-term deal he deserved because they had more important priorities.
One of those top priorities was re-signing Dempster.
Chicago also has explored acquiring San Diego Padres ace Jake Peavy.
With files from the Associated Press