Wrigleyville23 defends the selection of Ryan Dempster to the All-Star game over Cole Hamels, Chad Billingsley, and Johan Santana, in response to criticism from ESPN.com's Keith Law.

Congratulations to Ryan Dempster, who threw his first complete game in tonight's 7-2 win over the Atlanta Braves since his final start of the 2002 season, which happened to be against the Chicago Cubs. Dempster didn't walk a batter tonight while striking out 11. His 82 game score tied his season-high game score, which he had set in his win over the San Diego Padres on May 15.

Good and bad out of the Winter Meetings in Nashville:

Bad: Felix Pie, Sam Fuld, Tyler Colvin, and Jeff Samardzija are "untouchables," according to Jim Hendry. All four are nice prospects, but why would any of them be off-limits in a trade?

Good: Lou Piniella says that Ryan Dempster does not have a starting rotation spot locked up. Kevin Hart, Sean Gallagher, and Sean Marshall will get opportunities as well.

Bad: Ryan Theriot has locked up the starting shortstop spot for 2008, according to Piniella. If Dempster is going to have competition, why won't Theriot? What harm exists in letting Ronny Cedeno compete for the starting job in spring training?

Good: The Cubs are exploring a trade for Baltimore Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts, reports the Baltimore Sun. Roberts just turned 30 and has had .305, .264, .285 EqA's the past three seasons with good defense. Another Cubs Blog has more on Roberts rumors.

Good: A number of teams are interested in Mark Prior, hopefully driving up the asking price.

Who Knows?: The Cubs obtained Twins relief pitcher Tim Lahey in today's Rule 5 draft. Lahey, 25, had a 3.45 ERA in 78.1 innings in double-A last year, with 56 K's and 33 BB's. Another Cubs Blog has more on Lahey. The Cubs lost swingman Randy Wells, who had a 4.52 ERA in 95.2 innings for triple-A Iowa last year, striking out 101 and walking 41.

There is a lot to digest in Phil Rogers' column in the Chicago Tribune today:

Ryan Dempster is again being told that he will enter the starting rotation. Jim Hendry cites the facts that Demspter won 15 games and went to the All-Star game as a starter. He doesn't mention that those events occurred 6 and 7 years ago, respectively.

But moving Dempster to the rotation frees the Cubs up to offer the closer's role to Kerry Wood as enticement for him to come back. That might work. If it doesn't, the Cubs have Bobby Howry and Carlos Marmol as closer options. Thankfully, Hendry sees the value Marmol offers in the role he played in 2007: "Ideally, I think you'd like to give Marmol another year doing what he did last year, when he could maybe come in and give you two innings at a time and get a little more experience." As Phil Bencomo at Cub Town notes, Wood, Howry, and Marmol are all better relievers than Dempster.

Of course, Sean Marshall is a better starter than Dempster. Sean Gallagher may be as well. But, if Hendry manages to get some team to take Jason Marquis and the $16M the Cubs owe him over the next two years off his hands, Dempster can fill the Marquis role in 2008, for better or worse. (Disclosure: I like Dempster and would love to see him succeed.)

In other news, "Hendry says Piniella will give Felix Pie a chance to become the regular center fielder next spring." At the same time, the Cubs are seeking a regular rightfielder. Neither of those developments bode well for Jacque Jones and Matt Murton.

Last week Cubs.com's Beat Reporter Carrie Muskat fielded a mailbag question about Ryan Dempter. "Without laughing, can you say Ryan Dempster is a good closer? I think this is our biggest weak spot and should be the No. 1 priority in the offseason." Here is a link to the article in question:

http://tinyurl.com/35q5my

In the article, Muskat defends Dempster, quoting his many saves. I really disagreed with the article when I read it, thinking instead of Dempster's 4.5+ ERA. That ERA basically means that he gives up an earned run in half of his appearances. Wow.

The Cubs activated Ryan Dempster from the disabled list today, allowing Bob Howry to return to a setup role. Along with Carlos Marmol, the Cubs now have two solid setup men, though Lou Piniella loses some freedom. Sean Gallagher was optioned back to Iowa.

Many of us long for the day when a manager's management of the bullpen is not dictated by that nefarious of taskmasters: the save statistic. Since Cubs' closer Ryan Dempster has been injured following the game on June 22, Lou Piniella has been freed. The Cubs have won seven of eight since Dempster's oblique injury (in addition to the last game Dempster pitched in). Piniella initially announced that Bob Howry would be the closer in Dempster's absence, as the Chicago Tribune reported. During Dempster's absence, however, three different relievers have notched saves -- Howry (2), lefty Will Ohman (1), and bullet-throwing Carlos Marmol (1).

Read more below the fold.

Ryan Dempster, who was initially supposed to be ready yesterday, and then today, was feeling his strained left oblique even when jogging, was placed on the 15-day disabled list today. To take his spot, the Cubs purchased the contract of their 2002 3rd round draft pick, Billy Petrick, 23, from double-A Tennessee. To make room for Petrick on the 40-man roster, the Cubs placed Wade Miller on the 60-day disabled list.

The Cubs are 4th in the National League in fewest runs allowed per game (4.19). Yet Lou Piniella has decided to throw the pitchers in a blender, open the lid, and allow everyone to fall where they may. Good strategy or no, it makes for exciting times. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Ryan Dempster might be entering the rotation within a week or two. Angel Guzman (0 minor league saves) will soon become the Cubs' closer.

The exact timing of this is unclear. After Sunday's game, Dempster said he was moving into rotation. Then, after a meeting, he emerged and said not yet. But, the move of Guzman to closer "is imminent, according to a source close to the manager."

It bears remembering that Dempster has been a successful starting pitcher in exactly one season, that being seven years ago when he was 23-years-old.

Meanwhile, the ostensible setup men, Bobby Howry and Scott Eyre, have been getting beat up this year, and new bullpen member Carlos Marmol is throwing bullets like no one in the Cubs' pen since Kyle Farnsworth.

(Courtesy of The Sports Xchange) Aramis Ramirez is not looking back. He is looking ahead.

Ramirez opened a three-game series at Philadelphia on Monday night with a two-homer, seven-RBI night, bringing his season totals to 35 homers and 110 RBIs.

Those numbers are respectable, and with an "out" clause in his four-year contract this winter, he could find some huge money on the free agent market.

I'm not sure this is what Jim Hendry envisioned when he was calling triple-A manager Mike Quade at midnight last night asking him who he could send to Houston real quick to start today's game. The answer was Ryan O'Malley. The Cubs' exciting 18-inning win last night (I stayed up, did you?) included the use of today's scheduled starter, Rich Hill, for the final two innings. Angel Guzman also threw three innings. In an attempt to avoid using Hill, Dusty Baker also used Ryan Dempster -- pitching for the third straight day -- for three innings. (Astros manager Phil Garner used poor Dave Borkowski (longest outing of the year: four innings) for six innnigs.)

Scott Eyre, who strained his right hamstring in last night's game, was placed on the 15-day DL to make room for O'Malley.