I think you're probably right. If not, very classy move from a stand up guy if he didn't think he was capable of pitching to the best of his ability this year to leave that kind of money on the table. Hopefully he'll still hang out around the team and be the strong clubhouse guy that he is.SouthernBoSox said:Maybe they had a deal in the works, informed Dempster, and he decided to retire.
Timing seems a little strange for retirement. I wish him the best. Really good dude.
radsoxfan said:Probably a good thing for the Red Sox. I guess it depends how much you expected from Dempster this year, but given the solid minor league depth, he was not worth 13M to them.
They weren't going to get any prospect of note in a trade, and likely would have had to eat some salary. Now they get his entire salary slot back for nothing. Interested to see if they use it, and if they do, who they bring in.
Obviously it opens up salary room for Drew if they want to go that route, though that of course comes with its own issues. I'm getting more and more excited to see what Xander can do at SS, I just wish I had more faith in Middlebrooks.
It's hard to see how the timing makes sense otherwise.Rasputin said:I wonder if the reporting day physical turned up a significant health problem and he just decided he wanted to go off and deal with it without trying to deal with baseball at the same time.
Except Peavy said yesterday the players are hopeful Drew will be back.Rasputin said:
This just in, a team source has informed Ken Rosenthal that the decision comes after Dempster mentioned signing Drew and Jake Peavy stabbed him in the eye with a spork.
"I don’t feel like I am capable of performing to the ability and standard that I am accustomed to," Dempster said. "I feel it’s in the best interest of both the club but most importantly myself to step away from playing baseball at this time. The time is right. I’m not saying retirement but I definitely won’t be playing this season."
mabrowndog said:
Are the Sox now in the market for more pitching depth at a far lower price tag than Dempster carried? Or will they rely solely on their prospects and current AAAA-type starters?
Corsi said:Except Peavy said yesterday the players are hopeful Drew will be back.
mabrowndog said:Are the Sox now in the market for more pitching depth at a far lower price tag than Dempster carried? Or will they rely solely on their prospects and current AAAA-type starters?
I left Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez off the list for obvious reasons. What's left is a whole lotta mediocre and a metric fuckton of damaged goods.
That might have been a factor as well for Dempster, not wanting to be a long man in the bullpen without a spot in the rotation.Youkilis vs Wild said:Surprised to see the positive reaction in here. The silver lining is the salary, but I think we've all learned that a crowded rotation problem is not a problem at all. I had no trouble with keeping 180 of league average innings on the roster. I'm sure some of the kids can play 6th and 7th starter well, but I was very excited about the luxury of the rotation.
All that said, I think the "they had a trade worked out" theory is probably right, which undermines my point anyway.
mabrowndog said:Rotoworld has a quote up, but no attribution or link:
Youkilis vs Wild said:Surprised to see the positive reaction in here. The silver lining is the salary, but I think we've all learned that a crowded rotation problem is not a problem at all. I had no trouble with keeping 180 of league average innings on the roster. I'm sure some of the kids can play 6th and 7th starter well, but I was very excited about the luxury of the rotation.
All that said, I think the "they had a trade worked out" theory is probably right, which undermines my point anyway.
Corsi said:Can't find the link because I'm on my phone, but Dempster's daughter does have some sort of ailment.
His second child, a daughter named Riley, was born with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, a genetic condition that can cause a wide range of health and developmental disorders.
Experts estimate that as many as 1 in 2,000 babies are affected by 22q, making it second only to Down syndrome in rate of occurrence. But 22q often goes undiagnosed for weeks, months, or ever at all.
22q can manifest itself in 180 different ways, according to the latest studies, from heart defects to hearing loss and learning disabilities. No two children are affected the same way.
Riley did not come home from the hospital for more than two months. She required a tube in her trachea to assist in swallowing and another for food. But she was fortunate that doctors quickly identified what she had.
“We were really blessed to go through what Riley went through with money and with connections and resources that a lot of people don’t have,” Dempster said. “It was always like we felt a little responsibility to help those parents and those kids.”
The mission of the newly minted Dempster Family Foundation became clear. For parents with children struck by a mysterious condition and health care professionals trying to make sense of it, it would soon become a beacon.
Riley was born on April 1, 2009, five days before the Cubs started their season. Dempster had to find a way to help care for his fragile newborn daughter while dealing with the travel demands that baseball brings.
“Sometimes the baseball field is a place to get away, but not always,” he said. “The times it was toughest, when I was struggling a little bit, I felt like maybe my emotions, I wore them on my sleeve a little bit.
“I kept it inside for such long time and felt like I needed to get it out, not just for myself but for the other families.”
Corsi said:Can't find the link because I'm on my phone, but Dempster's daughter does have some sort of ailment.
His latest cause is very personal. Ryan and Jenny Dempster’s 10-month-old daughter, Riley, was born with DiGeorge syndrome, a developmental disorder caused by a defective chromosome. She requires nearly constant medical attention.
Her digestive system has been affected. Unable to swallow, Riley spends mealtime tethered to a feeding tube, while another tube in her tiny throat allows for the draining of built-up secretions that could seep into her lungs and impair breathing. It’s her only manifestation of the illness.
“It’s not totally clear why she doesn’t swallow,” said Dr. Donna McDonald-McGinn, a geneticist who studies DiGeorge syndrome at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Riley was examined in October. “It’s not in her brain, and she doesn’t have heart issues. Riley can live with this, but it’s complicated.”
Zero.Rudy Pemberton said:Also- anyone still think there is zero chance of Lackey doing the same thing? If a guy leaves 13M on the table, another will leave 500K.
RedOctober3829 said:What about Nelson Cruz on a pillow contract?
Well, this stymied my giddiness of hearing this news this morning a bit. Best of luck to Dempster and his family.mabrowndog said:
Like the idea of going with our kids to fill in for the eventual "injuries/mid season rest needed" to the starting staff. The only re-tread that kind of has me curious is Johan Santana, but if no one has rolled the dice on him by now he has to be in pretty horrible shape.radsoxfan said:
Maybe they bring in a low cost vet as insurance, but I think they will start the spring with that they have, and only go that route if there are injuries.
It should increase the chances that Workman gets a long look as a starter though.
benhogan said:Like the idea of going with our kids to fill in for the eventual "injuries/mid season rest needed" to the starting staff. The only re-tread that kind of has me curious is Johan Santana, but if no one has rolled the dice on him by now he has to be in pretty horrible shape.
I would be inclined to make Workman the #6 pitcher, starts off at Pawtucket till we need him (side benefit of slowing down his clock). I'm guessing there are many that want him in the pen after his outstanding playoff run.
Then #7-10 starters would be the hottest hand out of: Renaudo, Barnes, Britton, Webster, Wright (reluctantly include him), Owens.
This is where I am. Save the dough for midsession, and figure out what you need then.NoXInNixon said:I'd rather they don't spend that $13M right away. Hold on to it for a while, give the team two months to see how good the kids are and who's going to stay healthy, and if one of the young pitchers steps up to be a solid #6 guy. I'm sure by June there is going to be at least one obviously spot in need of improvement.
bosockboy said:Might explain Ben shopping for another reliever [Madson?]
Workman starting in Pawtucket opens a spot in the pen.
Pen could look something like:
Uehara
Tazawa
Mujica
Madson?
Badenhop
Breslow
Miller
Cot's has them at $148,475 if you subtract Dempster's contract out. This does not include the pre-arb players and benefits.Sox and Rocks said:Now that Dempster's contract is being subtracted, where do the Sox stand in terms of payroll for this year? I did a quick search for this info elsewhere on this site, but couldn't find a thread/post breaking down the payroll (although I'm sure it's around here somewhere).
Its 6-7 tonightmabrowndog said:Just a reminder that tonight is the 2014 debut of Red Sox Live from Fort Myers (6:30 pm on NESN). This will certainly be their lead story line.
Corsi said:Dempster cites disc problem in neck.
Probably not gonna happenBosox4416 said:I think you're probably right. If not, very classy move from a stand up guy if he didn't think he was capable of pitching to the best of his ability this year to leave that kind of money on the table. Hopefully he'll still hang out around the team and be the strong clubhouse guy that he is.
bosockboy said:Might explain Ben shopping for another reliever [Madson?]
Workman starting in Pawtucket opens a spot in the pen.
Pen could look something like:
Uehara
Tazawa
Mujica
Madson?
Badenhop
Breslow
Miller