The Chicago Cubs and starting pitcher Ryan Dempster have signed a new four year contract ESPN.Com is reporting. The four year deal will pay Dempster $52 million total including a $4 million dollar signing bonus. The contract will pay Dempster $8 million next year, $12.5 million in 2010 and $13.5 million in 2011. Dempster has a 2012 option for $14 million

It is a decent contract, but I would have preferred for it to be around $45 million total and not so backloaded but I can see why Jim Hendry and management did it this way. They had to break the $50 million mark or you know Dempster would have been very serious about leaving Chicago and signing with another team. By back loading the contact, it also lets the team still actively look at trading for Jake Peavy.

Say what Cubs Fans?

The Chicago Cubs announced on Thursday that they would not be re-signing closer Kerry Wood after he has spend the last ten seasons with the team. General manager Jim Hendry said that Wood deserves the three or four year contract that he is asking for but right now the Cubs just can’t give that to him.

To fill Wood’s role, the Cubs traded for Kevin Gregg on Thursday as well. The Cubs will be sending Jose Ceda to the Florida Marlins in exchange for Gregg. Gregg wasn’t that great last year in the closers role so I hope he a setup mane for Carlos Marmol. Marmol needs to be the closer of this team in my opinion.

What do you think Cubs fans?

The news from the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday morning is that the Chicago Cubs have offered starting pitcher Ryan Dempster a four year contract worth $50 million. Dempster can probably get more around the $60-$65 million for four years if he chooses to go out and test the free agent market. Will he stay with the Cubs for the $12-$13 million per year? We should know soon I would expect.

The Cubs rumors are still going around about Jake Peavy. However at this time it looks as if the Cubs will need a third team to get involved if they want to land Peavy. The Padres aren’t excited about the young arms that the Cubs are trying to send to the Padres. Peavy will either land with the Braves or Cubs and we should know before Thanksgiving.

Cubs Rumors