209 replies to this topic

[Rudy Pemberton]

If you go to the Red Sox team page, you can see his stats.

[czar]

Also, am I crazy or is Fangraphs missing his Boston stats?

Click the link that says "Partial Seasons" just above the season column.

The default is to add his 2007 stats together.

[knucklecup]

So just had a convo with Dempster here at XSport. I tried to make it brief butthe was very approachable and willing to answer really any question I had.

I'll post in detail after I'm done lifting. Crunched for time with the Pats game.

Edit:

Walked up and just said "hey Ryan, my name is Justin. I'm a diehard Red Sox fan and look forward to seeing you in a Sox uniform next season." I somewhat walked away after the hand shake but he asked me a couple questions.

I told him I grew up in Wellesley and he said he had some treatment done there and knows the town well. Said he was looking for a house in the "back bay." I didn't ask for specifics.

I brought up irrational Boston fans and how not everybody thinks that way. He laughed and said he rolls with the punches at this point in his career.

I brought up how I was excited about the rotation and bullpen. He referenced Lackey and Morales initially. Said he expects good things out of Lackey; I agreed stating that adding that extra year at the league minimum makes his contract far more reasonable as well.He said he spoke with Farrell earlier this week and he said Farrell's excited about Lackey this year. Then we moved onto Morales. I mentioned how he had that dominant start against his Cubs in a game I was at on Sunday Night Baseball. Ryan remembered that game and I carried on with how I think he's going to provide some great depth to the rotation. I mentioned how he had 5-6 similar performances before laying an egg in Yankee stadium. He mentioned how he did the same thing in Yankee Stadium.

Then I asked him about the naysayers who say he can't pitch in the AL (left out the part how I was one of those people before he signed). He seemed irritated about this stance almost. He was truly one of the nicest athletes I've ever met, so I don't view it in a negative light. He just seemed defensive when I brought that up. Almost like Brady in that Brady 6 video I watched yesterday.

Said he got shelled in his first couple starts giving up 16 runs (may have said 15 - I need to fact check), struggled against the Angles, got beat up in Yankee Stadium... Then said he was pitching great before late in the season when he had given up three runs in 3-4 innings (again forgetting how many innings and will need to check) before Ron Washington pulled him and the bullpen gave up all the runs they inherited both times further padding his poor ERA.

He went back to the bullpen saying how deep they are there as well. He mentioned Hannahan, Bailey, Miller... I had to drop in Aceves, Breslow being resigned, Tazawa...

He mentioned Napoli and how they spoke to each other recently and how he's got a bone to pick. Says he disagrees wholeheartedly with the reports and thinks he'll have a nice season and be accurately priced next season. I mentioned Beltre and also Drew as similar type situations.

He was gushing about Drew's defense. Said he hasn't been given a fair chance since the freak injury and expects a good season from him too.

I mentioned Boegarts and Iglesias and he knew who they were and what their skills were but quickly stated that he has never seen them play in person.

I referenced the platoon in left with Gomes and how I liked that. He agreed.

I think that's it...

Edited by knucklecup, 20 January 2013 - 05:26 PM.

[SouthernBoSox]

Well, the comment about Lackey's contract is accurate, awesome, and hilarious in this situation. I bet he was thinking "Yea, these people are legitimately insane about this team aren't they?"

[mabrowndog]

He mentioned Napoli and how they spoke to each other recently and how he's got a bone to pick. Says he disagrees wholeheartedly with the reports and thinks he'll have a nice season and be accurately priced next season.

Thanks for the post, but some clarity is needed here:

* Who has the bone to pick? Dempster or Napoli?
* What "reports" is he referring to? The medical diagnosis?
* Who disagrees with those reports? Dempster or Napoli?

[knucklecup]

Thanks for the post, but some clarity is needed here:

* Who has the bone to pick? Dempster or Napoli?
* What "reports" is he referring to? The medical diagnosis?
* Who disagrees with those reports? Dempster or Napoli?

Again, this was brief. It wasn't like I went in depth about the condition of Napoli's hip but to answer your questions...

1. That's not a direct quote from Ryan but that's the impression I got from him when he was discussing his conversation with Napoli. To answer your question, Napoli had the bone to pick. Or at least is telling his teammates that while an injury could happen, he's not currently feeling any pain in his hip.

2. I brought up the three reports that I read an article about. That he got a second and third opinion that agreed with the Red Sox assessment of the hip. And that Napoli doesn't agree with it. Or again, he's at least stating he has no pain in his hip at this point in time.

3. Well, both. Napoli does. And from Ryan's convo with him, he expects big things from Nap in 2013.

[mabrowndog]

Great, thanks.

Most athletes who are currently asymptomatic would probably disagree with doctors, more out of denial than anything else. Not even the players' union finding no grounds for a grievance would change his mind. Hopefully that translates to a motivated guy raking the crap out of the ball.

[SoxLegacy]

Hey, thanks for sharing this --very cool!

[redsoxstiff]

So just had a convo with Dempster here at XSport. I tried to make it brief butthe was very approachable and willing to answer really any question I had.

I'll post in detail after I'm done lifting. Crunched for time with the Pats game.

Edit:

Walked up and just said "hey Ryan, my name is Justin. I'm a diehard Red Sox fan and look forward to seeing you in a Sox uniform next season." I somewhat walked away after the hand shake but he asked me a couple questions.

I told him I grew up in Wellesley and he said he had some treatment done there and knows the town well. Said he was looking for a house in the "back bay." I didn't ask for specifics.

I brought up irrational Boston fans and how not everybody thinks that way. He laughed and said he rolls with the punches at this point in his career.

I brought up how I was excited about the rotation and bullpen. He referenced Lackey and Morales initially. Said he expects good things out of Lackey; I agreed stating that adding that extra year at the league minimum makes his contract far more reasonable as well.He said he spoke with Farrell earlier this week and he said Farrell's excited about Lackey this year. Then we moved onto Morales. I mentioned how he had that dominant start against his Cubs in a game I was at on Sunday Night Baseball. Ryan remembered that game and I carried on with how I think he's going to provide some great depth to the rotation. I mentioned how he had 5-6 similar performances before laying an egg in Yankee stadium. He mentioned how he did the same thing in Yankee Stadium.

Then I asked him about the naysayers who say he can't pitch in the AL (left out the part how I was one of those people before he signed). He seemed irritated about this stance almost. He was truly one of the nicest athletes I've ever met, so I don't view it in a negative light. He just seemed defensive when I brought that up. Almost like Brady in that Brady 6 video I watched yesterday.

Said he got shelled in his first couple starts giving up 16 runs (may have said 15 - I need to fact check), struggled against the Angles, got beat up in Yankee Stadium... Then said he was pitching great before late in the season when he had given up three runs in 3-4 innings (again forgetting how many innings and will need to check) before Ron Washington pulled him and the bullpen gave up all the runs they inherited both times further padding his poor ERA.

He went back to the bullpen saying how deep they are there as well. He mentioned Hannahan, Bailey, Miller... I had to drop in Aceves, Breslow being resigned, Tazawa...

He mentioned Napoli and how they spoke to each other recently and how he's got a bone to pick. Says he disagrees wholeheartedly with the reports and thinks he'll have a nice season and be accurately priced next season. I mentioned Beltre and also Drew as similar type situations.

He was gushing about Drew's defense. Said he hasn't been given a fair chance since the freak injury and expects a good season from him too.

I mentioned Boegarts and Iglesias and he knew who they were and what their skills were but quickly stated that he has never seen them play in person.

I referenced the platoon in left with Gomes and how I liked that. He agreed.

I think that's it...

After yesterday it was nice to read something positive...May it be true...

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

It's definitely cool of Dempster to be so chatty. I think more pro athletes are like this than most people know - as long as they're not instantly recognizable stars who have to deal with a lot of autograph seekers, they probably often don't mind talking shop with people who are knowledgable about the business side of things.

I also tend to like guys who understand that what they're doing is a job and they approach it like any other white-collar professional. Sounds like that's Dempster's approach and that bodes well for a starter who'll at least approach each start with preparation and a plan. Can't ask for much more than that.