Talking Baseball

Ryan Dempster and the Chicago Cubs have come to terms on a four year contract to keep Dempster in a Cubs uniform through the 2012 season.

The deal is reported to be worth roughly $52 million.

Dempster was a member of the Cubs starting rotation in 2008 after spending the previous handful of seasons in the Cubs bullpen as the team’s closer.

Dempster had not been a starter since the 2002 season. He saved 85 games for the Cubs from 2005-2007.

He was acquired by the Cubs in January of 2004 as a free agent.

In 2008 Dempster finished with a record of 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA while making his first All-Star team since 2000.

Dempster rejoins rotation holdovers Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden. The Cubs have also had some discussion with the Padres for Jake Peavy and are considering signing free agent starter Randy Johnson.

The Cubs were 22-11 in Dempster’s 33 starts during the 2008 season.

A couple of different news stories popped up around Major League Baseball on Monday, including the announcement of the National League MVP Award winner.

• Albert Pujols, first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, won his second NL MVP Award on Monday. Ryan Howard of the Phillies finished second. Pujols posted a .357 average with 37 homeruns and 44 doubles. His slugging percentage was .653 and he walked 104 times. Pujols drove in 116 runs in 2008.
• The New York Yankeees will open their new Yankee Stadium against the Chicago Cubs during two preseason games to finish out the Spring Training schedule. The games will take place on April 3rd and 4th.
• The San Francisco Giants signed free agent reliever Jeremy Affeldt to a two year contract worth $8 million. Affeldt is the first of 171 free agents in MLB to sign a contract during the signing period.
• MLB commissioner Bud Selig made an announcement this weekend that if baseball was reinstated as a gold medal sport for the 2016 Olympics that professional players would be made available for selection for the teams.
• Both the Giants and A’s are expressing interest in free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal. Furcal began his career with the Atlanta Braves and recently played for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• The American League Most Valuable Player Award will be announced on Tuesday.

Sunday was one of the quieter days since the free agency period began on Friday.

No one was signed, no trades were made and no one was released.

Doug Melvin, GM of the Brewers, claim the Yankees are overbidding for C.C. Sabathia.

He says that if the Brewers is for $100 million, then why are the Yankees bidding $140 when they can bid $110?

Who knows. An interesting story none the less but not that important.

A trade might be in the works between the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox.

The Tigers need a shortstop and the Red Sox need a starting pitcher so the two teams are discussing the possibility of swapping Julio Lugo for Dontrelle Willis.

That should be an interesting deal if it does go through.

Willis spent the majority of the 2008 season in the Minor Leagues after being acquired by the Tigers from the Marlins before the ‘08 season with Miguel Cabrera.

Willis was 0-2 with a 9.38 ERA in eight games with the Tigers. He was demoted to the minors on June 10th and returned in September. He posted an 0-1 record with an 8.53 ERA in three starts. Willis allowed 25 runs, all earned, in 24 total innings pitched. He also walked 35 and struck out only 18.

The Tigers could offer Boston Nate Robertson in the trade if they are not willing to part with Willis. Both are left handed starters.