The Chicago Cubs have answered one of the many questions that surrounds their starting rotation this offseason. Ryan Dempster(notes) will return to the Cubs after he elected to exercise a $14-million player option for the 2012 MLB season. Dempster had reportedly informed the franchise of his decision on October 29, 2011.

Dempster didn’t perform well in 2011. While he reached 200 innings pitched for the fourth consecutive season, Dempster’s 4.80 ERA was lower than the average ERA for a quality start (4.50). He finished the season with a 10-14 record and is 62-61 in his career with the Cubs.

Dempster was inconsistent throughout the season. He started the season with an April that featured a 9.48 ERA. Here were his ERA’s in the months that followed: 3.08, 3.13, 4.82, 3.90 and 4.97. His ERA in September was skewed because Mike Quade was overusing him in an effort for him to reach that milestone of 200 innings pitched.

Don’t expect Dempster to remain with the Cubs past 2012. He’ll turn 35 in May of 2012. The Cubs are hoping that Trey McNutt, Andrew Cashner(notes) and Jeff Samardzija(notes) will have become reliable starting pitchers behind Matt Garza(notes) by that time.

Dempster is an example of what Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer must avoid when they target free agents. I don’t believe Dempster is worth half of the $14 million that he’ll receive in 2012. While he’ll probably be the No. 2 starter behind Garza, I don’t project him as anything beyond a middle-of-the-road No. 3 starter on a legitimate National League (NL) pennant contender.

There’s also the possibility that he’s gone before next season’s July trading deadline. Maybe Dempster would accept an early exit from Chicago if he could play for a pennant contender.There’s a good chance that the Cubs won’t be competitive so it’s a plausible scenario.

The Cubs must also decide on whether Carlos Zambrano(notes) will return to the rotation after he served a 30-day suspension after another emotional outburst. It seems much less likely that he’d return. However, he does have another season on his contract. Epstein could react conservatively and get a first-hand view of what he has in Zambrano.

Joshua Huffman grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as a Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs enthusiast. He immediately gained an admiration for Cubs fans after watching numerous games on WGN during the mid 1990s. His favorite Cubs moment was Kerry Wood’s(notes) 1-hitter, 20K extravaganza that was only denied of a no-hitter by Kevin Orie’s defensive blunder. As a Packers and Cubs fan, he suffered through Steve Bartman and “4th & 26″ in a span of three months.

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The slow process of Theo Epstein moving from the Red Sox to the Chicago Cubs continued yesterday as representatives of the teams discussed compensation.

The Red Sox are expected to get cash or two or three minor league prospects in return for Epstein. The quality of those prospects could be tied to how many front office staffers are allowed to accompany Epstein to Chicago.

Epstein’s top assistant, Ben Cherington, and Cubs assistant GM Randy Bush are negotiating the deal, which then would have to be approved at the ownership level.

Once Epstein’s move becomes official, the Red Sox will name Cherington as his replacement. Cherington has been guiding the baseball operations department for much of this month as Epstein dealt with the Cubs and worked out the details on a five-year, $18.5 million deal.

The Cubs’ system is largely bereft of talent, but there are several players who could interest the Red Sox. Outfielders Brett Jackson and Matt Szczur are highly regarded. Right-handers Alberto Cabrera and Jay Jackson are possibilities. Chicago’s top pitching prospect, Trey McNutt, dealt with injuries this season but could be on the table.

There are no indications that the Red Sox will be able to unload a bad contract — ahem, John Lackey — on the Cubs as part of the compensation package.

Epstein’s soon-to-be-official departure from the Red Sox did not come as a surprise to author Seth Mnookin, who spent more than a year embedded in the front office researching his 2006 book “Feeding the Monster.”

He believes Epstein grew tired of the atmosphere in Boston and that his personal ambitions trumped hometown loyalty.

“Theo had two world championships with the Sox. Any kind of similar success with the Cubs, and he’ll go down as one of the most accomplished general managers in baseball history. It’s a hard challenge to turn down,” Mnookin said.

With the Cubs, Epstein is expected to have a position on par with team president Crane Kenney. That was not available with the Red Sox because of the presence of Larry Lucchino.

“He’s hit a ceiling as far as the actual job he can do with the Red Sox,” Mnookin said. “(Red Sox owner John Henry) has enormous respect for Theo and for Larry. Larry is going to be there. What he has done with his end in terms of building the business side and building the fan base is incredible.

“For Theo, what can he do to top what he’s done? Unless they win the Series, the season is perceived as a failure. Unless he can win five in a row or something, there’s nothing he can do to make people stop in street like they did a few years ago. My impression when I was there was that he was frustrated by the expectations that everything would be on a straight upward trajectory.”

Mnookin believes that Epstein’s move is also being made for personal reasons. Friends of Epstein, including NESN’s Peter Gammons, have made the same point.

“It’s a double-edged sword for him, working in Boston,” Mnookin said. “He’s the only GM in the country who can’t have a peaceful dinner out if he wants. Chicago won’t be the same. It won’t be the same storyline in Chicago as it is in Boston. He won’t be the guy who grew up a few blocks from the ballpark.

“The attention, the scrutiny, it won’t be a 366-day thing for him. There won’t be the public expectations and the media expectations.”

© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 28 (UPI) — Nick Hundley and Will Venable homered and combined to drive in seven runs Wednesday, sending the San Diego Padres to a 9-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

The Padres and Cubs ended the season tied for the second-worst record in the National League (71-91) — ahead of only the Houston Astros and their 106 losses.

Hundley hit a three-run homer to highlight a four-run third and Venable blasted a grand slam in the sixth.

That made things easy for Wade LeBlanc (5-6), who gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings to get the victory.

Ryan Dempster (10-14) suffered the loss, surrendering all nine runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Starlin Castro and Matt Garza have been bright spots in an otherwise dismal season for the Chicago Cubs.

Castro had two singles to extend his NL-leading total to 206 hits and Garza won his 10th game as the Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 6-2 on Tuesday night in a matchup of 90-game losers. Alfonso Soriano hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning.

Castro has 12 more hits than Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers. On Wednesday, Castro will become the youngest player ever to lead the NL in hits in a season, at 21 years, 188 days. He’ll also become the third Cubs player in seven seasons to lead the NL in hits, joining Juan Pierre (2006) and Derrek Lee (2005).

Castro reached base for the 39th straight game, extending his career-high streak.

Garza, obtained in an offseason trade with Tampa Bay, finished 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA. He had been sick on Monday night and the Cubs sent him back to the hotel.

“Come hell or high water he was going to pitch,” manager Mike Quade said. “It was an excellent effort.”

Soriano homered off the base of the batter’s eye in straightaway center field against Chad Qualls (6-8), giving the Cubs a 4-2 lead. Aramis Ramirez, who homered in the fourth, reached on a leadoff walk before being replaced by Tony Campana, and Bryan LaHair walked with one out ahead of Soriano’s 26th homer.

“A normal human being would have hit that on the ground,” Qualls said. “Soriano hits it 420 feet.”

Garza tied his career high with his fourth straight win. He allowed two runs and five hits, struck out eight and walked two in seven innings.

“It is what it is. I had a chance at the end,” Garza said. “I’m happy the way it ended. I’m not happy we’re not playing in October, but I’m just going to take what I did and let it keep rolling into the offseason and get ready for next season.”

The loss clinched last place in the NL West for the Padres (70-91). They won 90 games in 2010, but took a face-plant this season after trading All-Star slugger Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox in December.

Ramirez hit a drive to straightaway center leading off the fourth against rookie Anthony Bass, his 26th.

Chicago’s Blake DeWitt added a pinch-hit, two-run single in the ninth.

San Diego’s Kyle Blanks hit a two-run double in the second.

Bass, who started the season in Double-A, held the Cubs to one run and five hits in five innings.

“For the most part I was pleased,” Bass said. “I made a couple of mistakes that they hit hard.”

NOTES: Castro extended his hitting streak to 10 games, his fifth double-digit streak of the season. … The season ends Wednesday night when Cubs RHP Ryan Dempster (10-13, 4.53 ERA) faces LHP Wade LeBlanc (4-6, 4.83). Dempster is 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA and 36 strikeouts in his last four starts against San Diego. LeBlanc will be facing the Cubs for the first time. In a 2-0 win at Colorado in his last start, LeBlanc struck out a career-high 10, the most strikeouts by a Padres pitcher this season.

The San Diego Padres went from 90 wins to 91 losses, from a riveting pennant race to a ponderous season largely devoid of highlights.
Starlin Castro had two singles to extend his NL-leading total to 206 hits, Alfonso Soriano hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning and the Chicago Cubs beat the Padres 6-2 on Tuesday night in a matchup of 90-game losers.
The loss clinched last place in the NL West for the Padres (70-91). They won 90 games in 2010, but took a face-plant this season after trading All-Star slugger Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox in December.
“Expectations are high every year for every club, and we’re not excluded from that,” manager Bud Black said. “We had a good year last year. This year we didn’t. It’s disappointing because we felt as though we had a chance to contend with the rest of the clubs. We just didn’t play well enough to do that.”
Castro has 12 more hits than Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers. On Wednesday, Castro will become the youngest player ever to lead the NL in hits in a season, at 21 years, 188 days. He’ll also become the third Cubs player in seven seasons to lead the NL in hits, joining Juan Pierre (2006) and Derrek Lee (2005).
Castro reached base for the 39th straight game, extending his career-high streak.
Soriano homered off the base of the batter’s eye in straightaway center field against Chad Qualls (6-8), giving the Cubs a 4-2 lead. Aramis Ramirez, who homered in the fourth, reached on a leadoff walk before being replaced by Tony Campana, and Bryan LaHair walked with one out ahead of Soriano’s 26th homer.
Ramirez hit a drive to straightaway center leading off the fourth against rookie Anthony Bass, his 26th.
Chicago’s Blake DeWitt added a pinch-hit, two-run single in the ninth.
Matt Garza (10-10) tied his career high with his fourth straight win. He allowed two runs and five hits, struck out eight and walked two in seven innings.
San Diego’s Kyle Blanks hit a two-run double in the second.
Bass, who started the season in Double-A, held the Cubs to one run and five hits in five innings.
“I liked the way he mixed his pitches,” Black said of Bass, who will have a chance to earn a spot in the rotation next season. “We’re seeing improvement in the fastball command. We’re seeing more confidence in the slider and changeup for strikes. We’re seeing a guy with more poise and composure on the mound. A guy who to me, looks like he belongs.”
NOTES: Castro extended his hitting streak to 10 games, his fifth double-digit streak of the season. … The season ends Wednesday night when Cubs RHP Ryan Dempster (10-13, 4.53 ERA) faces LHP Wade LeBlanc (4-6, 4.83). Dempster is 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA and 36 strikeouts in his last four starts against San Diego. LeBlanc will be facing the Cubs for the first time. In a 2-0 win at Colorado in his last start, LeBlanc struck out a career-high 10, the most strikeouts by a Padres pitcher this season.