Red Sox sign Ryan Dempster for 2 years 26.5 million

[Superdude]

He had a 43.5% ground ball rate last year, and he's going to have the defensive wizardry of Jose Iglesias (for now) and Dustin Pedroia covering the middle infield for him. I can't see this being a bad thing.

Double plays galore

On another note, I hope we don't handcuff ourselves financially for next offseason if/when Tim Lincecum becomes a free agent.

Lincecum ****ing blows. Seriously he has not even been remotely as good as he once was.

[Nomar]

I'd rather go for Halladay next offseason than Lincecum. I dont care about his age, Doc will be solid until hes like 41.

[j-bay]

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox are confident they are closing in on an agreement with free-agent pitcher Ryan Dempster, according to a baseball source.

There were indications Thursday that the veteran pitcher will not require a third year on his contract to seal the deal, the source said.
The right-handed Dempster turned down a two-year, $25 million offer last week from the Red Sox and a two-year, $26 million deal from the Royals, according to the source. The 35-year-old Dempster was believed to be seeking a three-year deal.

Dempster was a mainstay of the Chicago Cubs' rotation for nine seasons before being dealt to the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline last July. He struggled initially with the Rangers, then reeled off five consecutive wins before tailing off at the end.

Dempster had four straight seasons of at least 200 innings for the Cubs, with whom he had a 2.25 ERA in 16 starts last season before being traded. His stint with the Rangers was his first in the American League after spending nearly 15 seasons in the National League. He broke in with the Florida Marlins and also pitched two seasons for the Cincinnati Reds.

Two stints on the disabled list this past season cost Dempster a fifth straight season of 200 innings. He missed time early in the season with a strained right quadriceps, and in mid-June he was sidelined for 19 games with a strained lat muscle.

Dempster was charged with eight earned runs in two of his first three starts with Texas, but then went 5-0 with a 1.91 ERA in his next five starts, striking out 36 in 33 innings. He wound up with 70 strikeouts in 69 innings for the Rangers, and his 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings with Texas were the most of his career.

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/...se-deal-source

[Caveman508]

please no please.... once he went from NL to AL his numbers dropped

[grandsalami]

RT @Ken_Rosenthal: Sources: Dempster close with #RedSox on two-year, $26.5 million free-agent contract

[Soxfan85]

JennyDellNESN RT @Ken_Rosenthal: Sources: Dempster close with #RedSox on two-year, $26.5 million free-agent contract.

eh

Ken_Rosenthal Dempster and #RedSox are in agreement, pending physical.

So he turns down 2 yrs 25M and agrees 26.5M?

[Sweet_Caroline]

2 years isn't completely awful.

[grandsalami]

eh

Ken_Rosenthal Dempster and #RedSox are in agreement, pending physical.

not that bad of a deal IMO, everyone on the FA market is being overpaid

[j-bay]

@Ken_Rosenthal: Dempster and #RedSox are in agreement, pending physical.

@Ken_Rosenthal: Sources: Dempster close with #RedSox on two-year, $26.5 million free-agent contract

[Superdude]

26.5M eh?

Guess Dempster was holding out for that 500k

[Nomar]

Wow not bad at all salary or years. Very happy with this.

[Nomar]

26.5M eh?

Guess Dempster was holding out for that 500k

Exactly what i was thinking. Getting that 4 bed, 2 bath colonial in the Boston area i guess.

[Lackeyfan41]

Not bad at 26.5 over 2 years. If it is 3 years it is a bad deal, 2 years is good.

Now lets see what they do with Salty.

[B'sCeltsPatsSox]

I think it's a fine. Not really huge about it but it isn't really terrible either.

[bagwell368]

Not bad at 26.5 over 2 years. If it is 3 years it is a bad deal, 2 years is good.

Now lets see what they do with Salty.

No thanks, Salty has be to be dealt.