Ryan Dempster is making the right call by passing on the World Baseball Classic.
Turns out Dempster is taking some heat from would-be Canadian teammates and others who believe he's showing more loyalty to the Cubs than to his country.
Love Dempster's response. "You're darn right," he told Foxsports.com.
The Cubs invested $52 million in Dempster's right arm. And as I discussed yesterday about Carlos Marmol, a pitcher is infinitely more at risk in a tournament like the WBC than a position player.
Dempster had reconstructive surgery on his right elbow in '03 and was on the shelf for more than an entire season.
His priorities are in order. And he's right to worry about Marmol and Carlos Zambrano. Big Z had dead-arm issues late last season, and game action like the WBC isn't going to help any of these pitchers.
At least it won't hurt Dempster.
Darn right Dempster is doing the right thing. In a recession he is receiving millions of dollars to hurl a little white ball for a team that has not won a World Series since before women were allowed to vote. Canada does not give two craps about baseball, see the now former Montreal Expos and that crap box they played in. How many good player careers were cut short playing on that unforgiving surface of Olympic Stadium? How many good players are being wasted playing in Toronto? If this was the World Hockey Tourni or the World LaCrosse Classic I might understand, but its not. His loyalty should be with the people that have his back, his team. If he went to play for Canada and got hurt then what would that asshat Larry Walker say then? Position players should shut their pie holes. I say only allow minor league pitchers to go, that way the games will be high scoring affairs and more interesting to the baseball virgins.
Demps is the man
He's kind creepy looking
No.
Ryan Dempster is not doing the right thing. You only live once. International experiences like this, and chances to represent your own country don't come up often.
Ryan Dempster is not making the right call by passing on this year's World Baseball Classic.
As he gets older, he will regret it.
So many athletes do.
Not only is Dempster taking some heat from his would-be Canadian teammates he's putting Team Canada in a bind.
What would have / could have been a potent team, now they are only as good as their bats will take them.
Showing loyalty to the Cubs is nice and all, but not partaking in such special events will leave a void.
They really ought to play this thing in November. The weather is no better in March than November, and the healthy players would still be in shape from the regular season. Worried about competing with the NFL? That's silly, most of the WBC games are during the week anyway.
Dempster is definitely doing the right thing, and Marmol is an idiot for not doing the same. It should down to who's paying your bills and supporting your family....the Cubs or Canada? Times are tough, these players need to wake up and smell the coffee. WBC should be only for minor leaguers. Baseball's regular season is tough enough on players, especially pitchers.
Mark my words, Marmol will regret his decision! It will end up costing the Cubs, and us fans!
Dempster has an obligation to his teammates and the club that signs his check, not to mention the fans that pay for it all. The WBC is meaningless. The World Series is not. Good call, Demps.
I agree with MSS. The fault does not lie with the players as much as it is with the scheduling of the event. The reason for Spring training is to get everyone in shape, which implies they're not in full baseball shape. Especially pitchers - why else would they report earlier than position players.
Run the tournament in November when everyone is in shape. Maybe they should have a round robin tournament with the World's best playing the World Series winner in November - That would be something to see.
LOOK IM PUERTORICAN I'AM ONE OF THE BIGGEST CUB FANS YOU WOULD EVER KNOW. DEMPSTER IS DOING THE RIGHT THING CUBS ARE PAYING HIM BIG BUCKS TO STAY HEALTHY.CANADA COULD GIVE A SHIT IF HE HURTS HIMSELF ON THE FIELD AND THAT GOES FOR PUERTORICO,DOMINIQUEN REPUBLIC ALL THESE LATIN PLAYERS NEED TO WAKE UP CARLOS ZAMBRANO,CARLOS MARMOL ETC.
IF YOU HURT YOUR ARM YOUR DONE, YOUR COUNTRY MEN WILL GIVE A PAT ON YOUR BACK AND TELL YOU LOCIENTO. THING ABOUT YOUR FANS AND FAMILY FIRST SKIP THE WBC ITS MEANINGLESS WE NEED A WORLD SERIES
What is this phony patriotism crap?
The World Baseball Classic could have been played once and then forgotten about.
Claiming that Dempster or anyone else owes any country to play in this stupid exhibition because of some fake, whipped up national pride is a reach.
The only people who care about this are the ones with some teenage style inferiority complex.
Grow up already
I agree, that the WBC should be played in Novemeber. MLB can even do like the NFL does with the Superbowl and hold the Series in a warm climate, such as Florida, Mexico, Puerto Rico, or Australia, for example. But IowaCub, what if players from the World Series team wish to represent their country? That may pose a problem.
Wow. I agree that Dempster should skip it, given his recent surgery. But man, close-minded baseball "fans" like you really are going to be the undoing of the game. I put fans in quote because I'm referring to the fan that actually likes the idea/tradition of baseball, rather than the game itself. You're short-sighted attitude is, thankfully, going to become a minority view as the years go by... until the World Baseball Classic comes to mean more than the World Series. Because the country that you hail from will always be infinitely more important than the business that employs you. Like every small-minded critic of the event, you end by saying "lolz, this aint the Olympics or the World Cup." Ummmm.. yes. Yes it is. All three events are seeking to pit the best from each country against each other to determine which country can produce the best athletes in a sport. They're not about which business can buy the best team, which, in the grand scale of things, is devoid of meaning. And finally, yes, all three events (the World Cup, the WBC and the Olympics) were all originally contrived events. Jeez, you think there weren't buffoons like you (ok, I guess history will forget you) back in 1932 who thought the FIFA World Cup was a ludicrous event getting in the way of good ole club football?
I think the WBC is stupid and unnecessary. It figures the worst Commissioner ever (except for that racist Kennesaw Mountain Landis, or whatever his name was) would be all ga ga about it. It puts these high priced players who participate, at extra injury risk for no good reason. Half of the fragile players in this sport get hurt with one thing or another anyway during the season. Do we really need pitchers throwing all out and runners sliding and lunging for balls in early March? And then what happens to these guys during August and September after their premature start? It's bad for the players, the fans, and all fantasy league participants. Dempster is smart not playing. No Cub should play till after they win their first World Series since the Bull Moose Part was in the headlines.
Correction: The Cubs haven't won since BEFORE the Bull Moose Party. Pathetic.
The WBC should not be played in November! After players have endured an entire season/postseason the last thing a player needs is to blow out their arm and not get signed the next year. Plus, the WBC in the spring gives a whole new twist to how you draft your fantasy team.
Events such as the WBC and the Olympics should return to the eligiblity of amatures only but include individuals in the developmaental leagues.
Demptster is doing what's best for him and his career and noone should fault him for that. How many professional athletes would play in those games if the team they were contracted to would not cover expenses for injury resulting from those games and not pay them for time missed during the season as a reult of said injury? Would patriotism win out over a pay check then? Putting a Pro career on hold to serve in the military is patriotism, risking injury to ones career for a chance to wear a gold medal is a self-important ego trip.
Missy-"He's kind creepy looking" Missy, get back to the mall and search for your cute shoes.
"....Not only is Dempster taking some heat from his would-be Canadian teammates he's putting Team Canada in a bind...."
Yeah....why don't you take a month off....go work for VISTA....and drop by your employer's place of business every Friday for your paycheck. See how that works out for you.
My shoes are cute. Thanks! But he's still creepy looking!
Roman responds: Now that was funny.
Thanks, Roman. I try :)
Blah blah blah patriotism. Bud is doing this to make more money for MLB globally so everybody in baseball can become even more loot. Yeah the Cubs pay him but they know there are a hole bunch more paying customers they could tap in say China.
I was going to blast Marmol, and I will in a bit...but Dempster understands who is paying his bills..and his loyalty to his teammates supercedes that of country...He makes his money in AMERICA..He plays for the Cubs...good teammate
Now on to the Latino players..Critical Thinking Nightmares...Case in point...The "Viva Mexico" B.S..exfreakincuse me!?...If my country compelled me to run thru a desert for two days to escape it, the last word you'd hear me put in front of my country's name is Viva...
same thing...
Seeing that none of us are Major League pitchers, we don't have any idea what would be more important...but if I were, playing one game whatever it was (except for the last game to win the World Series) and possibly ending my career versus skipping a game that really doesn't mean anything (sorry Canada...it doesn't)....I wouldn't even have to think about it.
Dempster ain't participating because his arm and should are toast. Last year he threw more innings that he had in any of the previous five seasons (might even have been the last eight).
He will be on the DL a lot this season.
His 7 walk outing in the playoffs was a harbinger of things to come.
Sleep well Cubs fans... sleep well.
Canada has top 3 talent.
j.bay, r.martin, j.morneau, m. stairs, m. teahen, j.votto
pitchers that are not playing
e.bedard, r.dempster, r.harden, j.francis
wat the problem with the WBC? For latin americans who grew up with a passion for baseball this is the only time we can show what our countries can do. The USA teams historically were never interested in international competitions. But I think that american fans will grew on the classic and begin to appreciate it. Clubs are afraid but eventually this will all fade away. Because we as fans want a tournament were players are not controlled by money. You guys who are saying demspters did the right thing, are also the same guys who criticize players for getting paid so much. the WBC i think in 20 years will surpass the world series if it keeps going. in the end we all want to represent our country.