By the time you read this, Gibsons Ryan Dempster will be well into his opening day start for the Cubs in Chicago against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Dempster was named the opening day starter and the Cubs' number one pitcher by manager Mike Quade at the start of Cactus League (spring training) in Arizona. Dempster had a terrific spring and backed up Quade's confidence in him by going 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA. And despite a bit of a shaky start in his final spring outing, a 6-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies on March 27 (Dempster allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts), he said he was looking forward to starting the season at home against Pittsburgh.
"It's a tremendous honour," Demp-ster said in an interview with Yahoo Sports. "There's probably more leading up to it, but once that first pitch is thrown, it's just like any other game. I'm going to treat it like any other start and be prepared."
Dempster made all 34 starts last year and is one of the leaders on the Cubs. He is no stranger to pitching on opening day, as he did it twice when he pitched with the Florida Marlins where he started his career.
The Cubs look to be contenders in the National League Central this season and will be relying on Dempster for stability in the front end of the rotation.
Besides Dempster, Carlos Zambrano and Matt Garza, acquired in the off-season as a free-agent pick-up from the Tampa Bay Rays, form a formidable 1-2-3 combination. Right-hander Randy Wells has been tabbed in the fourth spot with young fireballer Andrew Cashner earning the fifth spot after the Cubs released veteran Carlos Silva last week.
Closer Carlos Marmol has electric stuff, set-up man Kerry Wood, back with the Cubs after a stint with the New York Yankees last season, and left-handed reliever Sean Marshall should provide stability in the late innings and give the Cubs a chance to win a lot of ball games.
With the defending champion Cincinnati Reds looking to repeat, the rebuilt Milwaukee Brewers looking to rebound after a tough 2010 season and the always-tough St. Louis Cardinals, the Central is one of the toughest divisions in baseball.
