What do Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly, Carlos Zambrano, Mark Prior, Jon Lieber, Kevin Tapani, Mike Bielecki and Rick Sutcliffe have in common?
Well sure, they've all pitched for the Cubs, but they're also all pitchers who, over the past 25 years, won at least 17 games in a season for the Cubs. Once. (Greg Maddux did so 3 times)
So on the one hand I understand the Cubs desire to resign Dempster, as announced today, to a 4-year, $52 million contract. He had a great season, going 17-6, with a 2.96 ERA, and though he flopped in the playoffs, such pitching campaigns clearly aren't an every-year occurrence for the Cubs. And as a Free Agent, he probably got from the Cubs what he would've gotten elsewhere.
On the other hand, based on history, he's probably not likely to repeat himself. Though I realize, he's seemingly now fully recovered from a devastating arm injury that derailed his career--at least as a successful starter--several years ago. And he's still only 31.
But like any sensible Cubs fan, I will assume the worst until proven otherwise.
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