4/17 Demp: “I’m better than that”

Ryan Dempster has given up at least four runs in each of his four starts. That’s not a good trend. He was clearly frustrated after Sunday’s game, in which he served up five runs on seven hits over five innings.

“I’m sick and tired of this,” Dempster said. “I’m better than that. I’ve got to do a better job of giving the team a chance to win than that. I’ve got to do a better job of pitching than that.”

He now has an ERA of 6.84 and ranks among the NL leaders in home runs allowed. And he can’t pinpoint what the problem is.

“I’ve got to do a better job of making pitches and getting people out,” he said. “It’s getting really old. I know they’re professional hitters on the other side and you have to tip your cap to them sometimes but when you throw the ball over the middle of the plate too much, you don’t tip your cap to anybody. You look in the mirror and do a better job.”

Mike Quade wasn’t as upset.

“He’s still feeling his way,” Quade said of Dempster. “It’s not the ‘Demp’ we’re accustomed to seeing. His effort after the first inning was excellent. It seems like there’s one inning. He isn’t sharp overall but then there’s an inning and it was the first today.

“I’d be a lot more concerned if it was a young kid,” he said.

– Carrie Muskat