Where’s The Cubs’ Ace?

Will the real Ryan Dempster please stand up.

Where has our ace pitcher gone? What’s happened since his terrific spring? Is there something wrong with Demps?

Only Ryan knows if he’s healthy, of course, but I figure he’s wondering the same things we are about his first five starts this season.

Dempster entered Saturday’s game riding a four-game winning streak against L.A…a run in which he’s gone (4-0) with a 1.05 ERA…surrendering just one unearned run in his last three starts vs. the Dodgers.

But Saturday he gets blown up for seven runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings. That, unfortunately, has been the norm in 2011–five starts, one win and a 7.63 ERA.

-Dempster has allowed no less than four earned runs in each start.
-His other outings included earned runs of 5, 6 & 7.  
-He’s lasted seven innings just once.
-In six spring starts he allowed more than 2 earned runs just once.

Obviously, Dempster’s ugly start is bad, bad news for our Cubbies. No Wells, no Cashner…no Dempster? No chance.