All the dominoes are falling, and if someone’s not careful they’re going to be left without a chair when the music stops playing.
Ryan Dempster reportedly signing with Red Sox for two years
Jamie Squire
Mixed metaphors aside, it looks like the Boston Red Sox won't stand meekly aside in 2013; Thursday, ESPN Boston reports the Red Sox and free-agent starting pitcher Ryan Dempster have agreed on a two-year, $26.5 million contract ...
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 but apparently decided to settle for a two-year agreement.
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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's been quite consistent since shifting back to rotation duties in 2008. He's far from a Cy Young candidate, but if the injuries last season were just a blip, he figures to give the Red Sox 30-odd starts and 200 innings, pitching at least somewhat better than league-average. Is that enough to make the Sox competitive? Not all by itself, no. Dempster probably slides into the No. 2 slot in the rotation, between Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, both of whom were disappointing last season. Dempster obviously helps, but a lot of other things will have to go well if the Red Sox are to score 90-plus wins again.
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