Dempster relishes closer role
By Paul Sullivan
Tribune staff reporter
June 1, 2005, 12:22 AM CDT

LOS ANGELES -- The one area in which the Cubs have shown the most improvement the last few weeks may be the key to turning their season around.

Since moving into the closer's role for the first time May 11 at Wrigley Field, Ryan Dempster has given the Cubs a psychological boost that's difficult to measure but easy to see.

After Tuesday's late game against Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium, Dempster had converted his last six save opportunities, adapting comfortably into a role he never had been asked to fill before last month.

Nothing can kill a team's morale like an inability to close out tight games, and the Cubs were one of the worst in the majors in that category through the first six weeks.

After several years of having Cubs closers getting booed out of town, could Dempster be the answer to a problem that has haunted the organization since the departure of Randy Myers? Dempster isn't sure if it's a career change or an emergency role, but he knows he likes the feeling.

"It's an adrenaline rush," Dempster said. "I definitely want to do it the rest of the year, and then we'll see how it goes. Physically, I feel good. Mentally, it's going very well.


Dempster as closer is great. Until he starts blowing saves of course . We could use him as a starter now with the injuries, but I want him to keep closing.