Dempster Denies Listening To Cubs, Dodgers Negotiate

Despite comments from Cubs president Theo Epstein to the contrary, Ryan Dempster said Monday he was not allowed to listen to Chicago's trade talks with the Dodgers last week.

In comments shortly after the non-waiver trade deadline last Tuesday, Epstein seemed to imply that Dempster was listening to negotiations.

"We were on great terms (with Dempster) throughout the process," Epstein said. "We laughed about it and joked about it. In the end he came to our office and heard the conversation with (the Dodgers). He realized, 'OK, maybe that is not going to happen, so let me consider a couple of other places.' The deal (trading Dempster to the Rangers) got done with three minutes left."

Multiple outlets reported that the Dodgers were angry that Dempster was allowed to listen to negotiations.

"I never was listening to the Dodgers and Cubs negotiate this deal," Dempster said. "I was in the other room, and they wanted me there to be informed and also be able to talk about other teams that may come up. They came to me with a couple of other teams, but there was never any deal they had set up. When they came to me eventually with the Yankees and Texas, and it appeared we weren't going to get anything done with the Dodgers, I told them to go ahead.

"At about a half-hour before the deadline, they put me on the phone with Ned Colletti. We had a conversation and it was apparent at that time that regardless of how hard all sides worked, that they weren't going to get a deal done. I told him I definitely wanted to come to the Dodgers, and that I'd be interested in signing an extension, and I told him I wasn't just saying that to try to get the deal done. At that point, we just said goodbye and wished each other well."

Via ESPN

Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Trade Rumor

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