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Ryan Scott Dempster (born May 3, 1977 in Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada) is a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs in Major League Baseball.

Dempster bats and throws right handed. He has a win-loss record of 56-59 and an earned run average of 4.83 in 247 games (162 starts) [all statistics are through the 2005 season]. He has played for the Florida Marlins (1998-2002), the Cincinnati Reds (2002-2003), and the Chicago Cubs (2004-present). In August 2003 he underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and made a miraculous recovery from the surgery, taking a little under a year to recover from it, coming back in the last half of 2004 to pitch for the Chicago Cubs. In 2005, after starting 6 games, Dempster was named the closer for the Chicago Cubs, replacing LaTroy Hawkins. He collected 33 saves in 35 opportunities, the best save percentage in the league; in both blown saves, he collected the win. He is the only Cub and one of just three players ever to start a game and collect 30 saves in a single season. On October 1, 2005, the Cubs signed him through 2008 in a US$15.5 million contract extension. Dempster is widely known for his laid-back attitude, constantly joking with fans and teammates and is said to be a positive contribution to a team's clubhouse. Dempster's fun and easy-going personality was especially evident when in comments to an Arizona newspaper in March of 2007, Dempster stated that if his career as a closer began to tumble, he would pursue ninja training.

National League All-Star (2000)

Named one of the 99 "Good Guys" in professional sports by The Sporting News.

Tip O'Neill Award (2000)

Played in the NHL All-Star Celebrity Challenge on January 30, 2002.

Ryan is also an aspiring ninja.[1]

• MLB.com: Ryan Dempster
• ESPN.com: Ryan Dempster
• Baseball Reference Dempster's career stats, with loads of other info.
• Yahoo! Sports: Ryan Dempster
• Interview in The Heckler