8 replies to this topic

[SlamminSammy]

Seeing the comments about Dempster wanting to go to LA instead of Atlanta is pretty upsetting.  Dempster has a family with three young children, one of whom has a very difficult disorder to live with.  The fact that he is willing to pack up and leave for his employer should show how much he appreciates the Cubs organization.

According to Rosenthal's sources, Dempster was open to a trade that would help the cubs and his first choice is LA. LA made an offer to the Cubs that supposedly included Gould and Withrow.  I think most people would agree that that trade would help the Cubs and is a reasonable offer. Brett and many others on this website agreed that this would be an acceptable deal. Undoubtedly, Dempster would waive his rights and go to LA in this situation.  The Cubs wouldnt be thrilled but definitely content that the team improved and Dempster would be content knowing that although he would have to move, the Cubs at least got a decent deal and he would be somewhere he had friends nearby that could possibly babysit or be friendly.

But the Cubs wanted more.  And they should if there are better offers to make the team better. That's the cubs job, but not dempsters.  He said he would accept a trade that would benefit the team, he didnt say he would go to the highest bidder, and there is no reason we should expect him to.  I'm sure he knows the Dodgers made an offer and he's already stated he'd rather go there so what is the problem.

Also, even if he did lie, can anyone blame the guy for changing his mind.  We only "know" he would accept a trade through sources so who knows how the source found that out.  Maybe he was just speaking off the cusp and hadn't spoke to his family about it.  Everyone in the comments make it seem like he had this elaborate public statement and list he proclaimed but he didn't.

Dempster owes nothing to the Cubs.  If he didnt pan out when the cubs took a flyer on him, hed be a distant memory by now.  He earned the rights he has by performing and doing everything the cubs asked of him by moving from closer to starter and was a huge part of the 08 team.  For everyone that is mad and throwing a fit over him allegedly not accepting a trade for a somewhat better deal when the cubs are trying to get rid of him, you should be ashamed.

[DaneHuseman]

Well here's why I am upset..

Dempster has earned 10/5 rights so he can veto a trade, which I can respect. The Cubs, however, are not obligated to trade him to the team of his choice, he has not earned that privilege. He is still a Cub and if they don't get an acceptable offer from the Dodgers, then they can keep him and hope to get draft pick compensation. In this scenario, Dempster pitches this year, a year that he is pitching very well and is not likely to have many more seasons of this caliber, for a team that could lose 100 games.

Dempster could instead keep his word that he would accept a trade to Atlanta if it benefited the Cubs and get to pitch for a contender. The package offered by Atlanta was much better than the Dodgers, simple as that. The front office is trying to make this team better and accepting a mediocre offer from the Dodgers (just to make Dempster happy) is not the way to do it.

[SlamminSammy]

Well here's why I am upset..

Dempster has earned 10/5 rights so he can veto a trade, which I can respect. The Cubs, however, are not obligated to trade him to the team of his choice, he has not earned that privilege. He is still a Cub and if they don't get an acceptable offer from the Dodgers, then they can keep him and hope to get draft pick compensation. In this scenario, Dempster pitches this year, a year that he is pitching very well and is not likely to have many more seasons of this caliber, for a team that could lose 100 games.

Dempster could instead keep his word that he would accept a trade to Atlanta if it benefited the Cubs and get to pitch for a contender. The package offered by Atlanta was much better than the Dodgers, simple as that. The front office is trying to make this team better and accepting a mediocre offer from the Dodgers (just to make Dempster happy) is not the way to do it.

He's not demanding a trade by any means. He is just saying that if they are going to trade him, which clearly the cubs want to do, he would like to be traded to the Dodgers. My guess is he would prefer an extension in Chicago but thats not happening.

He didn't make a promise to anyone. All we know is a source said Atlanta is second on his list. Even if he did make a promise, which he didn't what if he changed his mind. Talked it over with the wife, couldnt find a good doctor for his child in Atlanta, or any number of things. Nobody should criticize him for putting the interests of his family before that of the cubs. This decision has a much greater impact on his family than it does for any of us fans so we should just shut up and wait. Would I rather he took the Atlanta offer? of course. Butalso remember that if it werent for Dempsters fantastic performance on the year, there would be no offers on the table for the cubs so he has earned this in every respect.

[scorecardpaul]

Slamminsammy,
I agree Dempster is a man, he has the right to do whatever he wants.
BUT>>> don't come on here and tell me that I should be assamed of myself for something I say. I was mad when Soriano didn't take the trade to Baltimore, and I am mad if Dempster doesn't take the trade to Atlanta. I
am also a man, and therefore I can do whatever I want. I don't really care about Dempster, Sammy, Gracie, or anyone else who is not a CUB. I am a Cub fan, and it is my right to want the Cubs to be better. Go preach your crap to someone else who might care about YOU, because I don't.
Cub fans want what is best for the Cubs. Our only option as a fan is to either be a fan, or not to be a fan.

I am a Cub Fan. the good, and the bad just don't tell me what to be assamed of, because I don't care what you think.

[fromthemitten]

all I gotta say is thank god he's not pitching in Wrigley tomorrow (if he does pitch)

you know how fickle Cubs fans security would have to search every man, woman, and child for rotten vegetables entering the stadium.

nothing against dempster everything against those "fuckin' nickel-dime people who turn up" (as Lee Elia eloquently put it) to Wrigley to hurl racial epithets at underperforming African American outfielders and get into fights in the bleachers

[Whiteflag]

Thank god is right... all the ill will people have expressed against him for exercising his right to veto a trade. Everyone has a right to be upset but to wish him harm is a bit to far, in my opinion. He did great things for this city on and off the field. It's alarming how quickly that is forgotten and media speculation/ hearsay is used to bash him. It's sad.

[fromthemitten]

all I gotta say is whoever leaked this prematurely needs to be hung upside down from a foul pole for the entirety of a game so bored fans can chuck stuff at them. you know that "fun for the whole family" thing ballparks are trying to push

[Spriggs]

People today (media and otherwise) are obsessed with being the first to get a breaking story out there. I suspect almost all people on this message board would have posted the information via this board or some social networking method - if they had access to the same information before the public did. So hanging people wouldn't solve the root of the problem - unless you just hung everyone.

[SlamminSammy]

Slamminsammy,
I agree Dempster is a man, he has the right to do whatever he wants.
BUT>>> don't come on here and tell me that I should be assamed of myself for something I say. I was mad when Soriano didn't take the trade to Baltimore, and I am mad if Dempster doesn't take the trade to Atlanta. I
am also a man, and therefore I can do whatever I want. I don't really care about Dempster, Sammy, Gracie, or anyone else who is not a CUB. I am a Cub fan, and it is my right to want the Cubs to be better. Go preach your crap to someone else who might care about YOU, because I don't.
Cub fans want what is best for the Cubs. Our only option as a fan is to either be a fan, or not to be a fan.

I am a Cub Fan. the good, and the bad just don't tell me what to be assamed of, because I don't care what you think.

This may come as a surprise, but I wasn't talking to you specifically. You can be mad all you want, my point is its simply irrational anger and completely not warranted. Caring more about what happens to an organization more than actual people that have been very valuable to said organization is shameful. Dempster accepting this trade has no effect on your wellbeing whatsoever so saying bad things about him isnt fair. A rational emotion would be disappointment because the interests of the cubs dont match the interests of dempster bt since dempster did nothing wrong, Cubs fans have no reason to be angry.