Dempster, Cubs Agree to $52 Million, 4-Year Deal

Ryan Dempster made the successful switch from closer to starter this season, winning 17 games and helping the Chicago Cubs compile the best record in the National League.

Once the postseason rolled around, though, Dempster's spring training prediction that the Cubs would win the World Series fell way short when Chicago was swept in the first round for the second consecutive year.

Dempster had a chance to leave as a free agent, but his desire to get the Cubs to the World Series, help them win it all for the first time since 1908 and play in a city where he and his family are so comfortable were all factors in his decision to return Tuesday.

And a $52 million, four-year contract helped convince him, too.

"I never thought sitting there negotiating over 50-something million dollars would be such a hard thing to do," Dempster said. "Ultimately what it comes to, you have to think: What are our chances to win a world championship? I think given as close as we've gotten the last few, I just thought this is where I want to be."

Dempster said he's not worried that he might have gotten a bigger or better deal elsewhere if he'd spent more time on the market. He said there were no other firm offers immediately, but there were several teams that showed interest, including Atlanta, the Mets, the Yankees, Toronto and the Dodgers.

"Was there more money on the open market? I'm sure there probably was. Who knows? Maybe there was five years. You never know," Dempster said.

"That's a question that I'll never be able to answer, but truthfully I don't really even care to know because I'm happy with what I have. It's more money than I could ever dream of getting when I was a kid growing up playing baseball."

Dempster gets a $4 million signing bonus, $8 million next year, $12.5 million in 2010 and $13.5 million in 2011. He has a 2012 option for $14 million.

The 31-year-old right-hander was 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA for the Cubs this season.