Ryan Scott Dempster (born May 3, 1977) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and Boston Red Sox.
Dempster batted and threw right-handed.
He was both a starter and a reliever in his career.
1995
Dempster was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 3rd round of the 1995 MLB draft and began his career with the Gulf Coast Rangers.
He subsequently played for the Hudson Valley Renegades, the Kane County Cougars and the Charleston RiverDogs.
1996
Dempster was traded to the Florida Marlins on August 8, 1996 (with Rick Helling) for John Burkett.
1998
Dempster made his MLB debut for the Marlins, working two innings of relief, on May 23, 1998, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing three earned runs on two hits in that game.
He later made his first start on June 1 against the Chicago Cubs, lasting only 1 1⁄3 innings as he was shelled for five runs while allowing 4 hits (including 2 home runs) and walking 3, to record his first career loss.
After falling to 0–3 he got his first Major League win on June 28 against the Boston Red Sox, when he allowed only 1 run in 7 innings.
He was 1–5 with a 7.08 ERA in 14 appearances (11 starts) that season.
1999
In 1999, Dempster started 25 games and finished with a 7–8 record and a 4.71 ERA.
The following season, Dempster was 13–10 with a 3.66 ERA in 33 starts, including two complete games and one shutout.
2000
On May 7, 2000, he tossed a one-hitter against the New York Mets.
He was selected to the 2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Over the next two seasons, Dempster was 20–20 and had a 4.88 ERA with the Marlins.
2002
On July 11, 2002, the Marlins traded Dempster to the Cincinnati Reds for Juan Encarnación, Wilton Guerrero and Ryan Snare.
In the second half of the season, he was 5–5 with a 6.19 ERA in 15 starts.
2003
In the 2003 season, he made 20 starts (and two relief appearances) and was 3–7 with a 6.54 ERA.
In August 2003, he underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and missed the rest of the season.
2004
After his release by the Reds, he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs on January 21, 2004.
After rehabbing from his surgery, he joined the Cubs on August 1 and appeared in 23 games, all out of the bullpen.
He picked up his first MLB career save on September 15, 2004, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In, after starting 6 games, Dempster was named the closer for the Cubs, replacing LaTroy Hawkins.
He collected 33 saves in 35 opportunities, the best save percentage in the league; in both blown saves, he collected the win.
He is the only Cub and one of just three players ever to both start a game and collect 30 saves in the same season.
2005
On October 1, 2005, the Cubs signed him through 2008 in a US$15.5 million contract extension.
He emerged as one of the team's most consistent relievers in.
At one point, Lou Piniella, the Cubs' manager, was considering promoting Dempster to a starting pitcher.
However, the idea was short lived, as a struggling bullpen forced Dempster to remain as closer.
He recorded 16 saves in 18 opportunities before missing two weeks of playtime on account of an injured oblique muscle.
2008
During spring training in 2008, Dempster's performance resulted in his being designated to the third spot on the starting rotation, with the closer job going to Kerry Wood.
On April 3, 2008, he earned his first win as a home starter since a 2002 win with the Marlins against the Cubs.
On May 15, 2008, Dempster recorded a career high 12 strikeouts in a game.
He pitched 8 1⁄3 innings, and gave up only 6 hits.
On July 8, 2008, he became the first Cubs pitcher in 31 seasons to start 10–0 at home.
Dempster finished the season with 17–6 record, with 2.96 ERA and 183 strikeouts in 201 2⁄3 innings.
Dempster threw sliders 32.9% of the time in 2008, more than any other NL starting pitcher.
Dempster opened the Cubs 2008 postseason campaign against the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 26, 2008.
Dempster accumulated a high pitch count early and, after he was unable to get outs with 0–2 counts twice, he surrendered a grand slam to James Loney and was pulled in favor of Sean Marshall.
In 2008, Dempster led the majors in sacrifice hits, with 19.
