Ryan Dempster named as Opening Day starter
The Chicago Cubs have finally named the Opening Day game starter. On Friday, March 23, the club decided to slate Ryan Dempster as the starter for the game scheduled for 5th April against the Washington Nationals.
There was an incredibly fierce competition for the much sought-after slot between him and Matt Garza. But it was for Dempster to carry the day with the impressive performance he put on display this Spring Training.
Garza will now have the opportunity to pitch the second game. The team manager, Dale Sveum, had his insight and reasons to offer in this regard.
"It came down to giving everybody the opportunity, and they're both throwing the ball really, really well," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "In their last starts, they both threw the ball as well as they possibly could. It was more of a wait-and-see kind of
thing. I can't say there was one reason or anything like that.”
Not that it is the very first that Dempster will have the Opening Day game start. He has done it in the past as well on three occasions.
The starter is pleased with the decision and looks forward to the big game against the Nationals.
"I always enjoy Opening Day, especially at Wrigley," Dempster said. "I enjoy walking to the ballpark and seeing how excited everybody is around there. The atmosphere there is pretty incredible. I don't imagine too many places around Major League Baseball
that are quite like Wrigley Field on Opening Day.”
The decision seems reasonable for the Chicago Cubs considering the performance Dempster has displayed. He was a big roster candidate since the start of the Spring Training. But the competition that involved Matt Garza seemed fruitful too, not only for the
Cubs but also for him.
The avid fans of this competent pitcher await the commencement of the season as they pin a lot of expectations on this player. The Cubs hope that the defence will be ever solid this time round, becoming a big challenge for all the rivals in the league. Dempster,
it goes without saying, will be instrumental in it.
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