NEWSLETTER
The family and I have safely arrived home. The Little Girl vomited all over her car seat at the very outset of the seven hour drive home from Northern Michigan, so, although we arrived safely, our olfactory senses – and our gastric resolve – were tested to their limits.
So, about that Ryan Dempster start. I still don’t think it was the best decision to start him tonight, but, at the same time, what do we really know about where things stand on the trade front? No, there wasn’t much to gain by starting Dempster in terms of his performance (and there was something to lose in the form of injury), but if all the Cubs have received so far are crap offers, didn’t they *have* to start him? They have to keep up the appearance of being willing to keep him, otherwise all leverage goes out the window.
As for the performance, it really wasn’t all that bad. It certainly wasn’t good, but it wasn’t pure crap, either. He had a terrible first inning, and then mostly settled down. It could have been a lot worse, and, even if it had been, I still don’t think it would have impact his trade value. GMs, for the most part, know what they’re getting with Dempster. One crap start – or one brilliant start – from here on out isn’t going to change that.
Oh, also, the Cubs lost to the Cardinals. Crud.
