| Ryan, who signed with the Cubs as
a free agent in January 2004, was converted to a closer during
the 2005 season ... during his major league career, the right-hander
has a trio of double-digit victory campaigns - and has surpassed
the 200.0-innings mark three times ... made 121 starts for Florida
from 1998-2002 ... when he was traded from the Marlins in midseason
2002, he was that franchise's all-time leader in victories (42)
and strikeouts (628) ... was a National League All-Star in 2000
- becoming the first Canadian pitcher to go to the Midsummer Classic
since the Cubs' Fergie Jenkins in 1972 ... his career honors also
include being named the MLB DHL Delivery Man of the Month in September
2005, winning the N.L. Player of the Week award in 2001, being
selected as the Marlins' Opening Day starter in 2001 and going
to Japan as part of the major league all-star tour after the 2000
campaign ... was named one of the 99 "Good Guys" in
professional sports by The Sporting News ... received the 2000
James "Tip" O'Neill Award, presented annually by the
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum to the Canadian baseball
player judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team
contribution while adhering to the highest ideals of baseball
... participated in the 2002 All-Star Celebrity Challenge at the
52nd NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles ... his charitable endeavors
in 2003 included assisting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
and Garth Brooks' Teammates for Kids ... following the 2001 season,
he was presented the All Heart Award by the Florida chapter of
the Baseball Writers' Association of America - given to the Marlins
player who best exemplifies the team's commitment to the South
Florida community by making a positive impact and by serving as
a role model for others ... in 2000, he hosted children from the
S.O.S. Children's Village at each of his home starts ... also
in 2000, he donated $10 for every strikeout ($2,090) to the KIDS
THAT CARE Pediatric and Cancer Fund, established to help build
a pediatric bone marrow transplant unit in Miami ... graduated
from Elphinstone Secondary School in Gibsons, British Columbia,
in 1995 - where he played basketball and soccer.
2006 Highlights:
This season was a struggle for Dempster, in his second year as
the closer. He was 24-for-33 in save situations, and matched the
team low with nine losses. He began the year on a high note, continuing
his success from 2005. Dempster converted a club-record 26 straight
save opportunities from Aug. 2, 2005-May 1, 2006. He also converted
12 straight save situations from July 5-Aug. 14, a season high.
Opponents batted .265 off him. Recorded his 300th career appearance
Aug. 8.
2005 Highlights:
Ryan converted 33 of 35 save opportunities in his first turn as
a closer ... also made six starts early in the season, becoming
the first Cub in franchise history to record at least 20 saves
in the same season as making at least one start ... was 4-0 with
a 1.85 ERA in his 57 relief appearances, holding opponents to
a .218 average ... became the eighth Cub in club annals to record
30 or more saves in a single season ... ranked eighth in the National
League in saves and ninth in the league in games finished (53)
... converted a season-high 19 straight saves from August 2-end
of the season, tying Flash Gordon for the franchise's single season
record ... also converted 14 straight chances from May 17-July
23 ... worked a personal- and club-high 21.1 scoreless innings
over his final 22 games ... it was the longest such stretch by
a Cub reliever since Les Lancaster hurled 30.2 scoreless innings
in 1989 ... was named the MLB DHL Delivery Man of the Month for
September, going 13-for-13 in save chances and striking out 19
batters in 15.2 innings on the mound ... batters hit just .189
off the closer ... picked up his 30th save of the season September
23, working 1.0 shutout inning in a 5-4 defeat of Houston ...
earned wins in three straight appearances July 24-27, as the Cubs
won each game in their final at-bat ... earned his first save
of the season (and the third of his career) May 17 at Pittsburgh,
working a scoreless ninth inning in a 4-3 Cub win ... was the
beneficiary of a 10th-inning walkoff homer by Derrek Lee in a
4-3 defeat of the New York Mets on May 11 ... it was his second
win of the season and first as a reliever ... opened the season
in the rotation, making six starts and going 1-3 with a 5.35 ERA
before being shifted to the bullpen. |
