Ex-Cubs P Dempster backs off remarks about St. Louis being 'boring'
Ryan Dempster, shown here channeling Harry Caray in 2016, says St. Louis isn't boring after all.
St. Louis still boring? Not according to Ryan Dempster.
Dempster, who pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 2004-12, and Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant criticized St. Louis last month, calling the city "boring" in a talk show-type setting at the Cubs Convention.
It did not go over well with the Cardinals and, in particular, catcher Yadier Molina, who called them out in an Instagram post in which he said "only stupid players and losers make comments like the ones made by bryant and dempster."
Nearly a month later, Dempster is backing off his comments about St. Louis.
‘‘There’s tons of really fun things to do in St. Louis,’’ he told the Chicago Sun-Times, citing the Gateway Arch, a Cardinals game and Mike Shannon's restaurant -- which, Dempster was informed, is now closed.
The former big leaguer told the newspaper that his and Bryant's comments were made in an environment that invited hyperbole.
"When you’re in a comedy setting, a late-night talk-show setting, in a room full of about 3,000 Cubs fans, you’re allowed to have a little bit of fun," he said.
‘‘I know that there was some stuff said by Yadi,’’ Dempster said. ‘‘But listen: Anybody who’s ever talked to me about St. Louis and the Cardinals knows that I’ve always said I thought they’re one of the best franchises in baseball. They play the game the right way. The St. Louis Cardinals fans are amazing fans, and that’s never changed."
At the time of the flare-up last month, Molina said, “It will carry over to the season." We'll find out the first week of May, when the Cardinals and Cubs play for the first time in 2019.
