Ryan Dempster officially retires from professional baseball

After 16 seasons in Major League Baseball, World Series Champion and former Chicago Cubs hurler Ryan Dempster is officially hanging it up – one year after deciding to take the 2014 season off to spend more time with his family, bypassing a hefty sum of money with the Boston Red Sox in the process.

Dempster, 37, won’t be netting any Hall of Fame consideration given he finished his career one game under .500 at 132-133 as both a starter and a reliever with five teams – including nine with the Cubs – more than any other organization. Although he experienced some rocky times with Chicago during his stint in the Windy City, toward the latter end of his time there, he became a fan favorite – due, in part, for his work in the community.

In four-and-a-half years as a Cubs starter, Dempster totaled just under 930 innings of work – including four consecutive campaigns with at least 200 innings pitched.

From 2004 to 2007, the right-hander worked out of the bullpen for the Cubs, finishing 53, a league-high 64 and 58 games in a three-year span. All of his 87 career saves were converted during his time with Chicago, as well. However, prior to the 2008 campaign, the Cubs converted Dempster to a starter – to stellar results.

The right-hander finished sixth in the National League Cy Young balloting that season, posting an 17-6 record with a 2.96 ERA across 33 starts, totaling 206 2/3 innings of work. Some of his other numbers – including 187 strikeouts and a 1.120 WHIP – were among the best of his career.

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In four-and-a-half years as a starter, Dempster totaled just under 930 innings of work – including four consecutive campaigns with at least 200 innings pitched. He also notched double-digit wins in each of those seasons, becoming an innings-eater for a Chicago team that was near the top of the National League Central standings in several of those years – including back-to-back division titles in 2007 and 2008.

In the midst of a rebuild, with the team under new ownership and a new front office, Dempster saw his time in Chicago draw to a close after a dominant first half in 2012. The veteran 2.25 ERA across his first 16 starts, to go along with a 1.038 WHIP, made him a valuable trade commodity – eventually leading to his trade to the Texas Rangers in exchange for a pair of minor leaguers – including 2014 breakout rookie right-hander Kyle Hendricks.

Following the trade, the right-hander struggled for Texas, going 7-3 but posting a less-than-savory 5.09 ERA.

Prior to the 2013 season, Dempster joined the Red Sox, a relationship that culminated in a World Series title. As noted, he left the second year of his two-year pact with Boston on the table in 2014 in order to spend more time at home.

The veteran finishes his big league career with 2,075 strikeouts – which ranks 64th in big league history.