"I think we are going to win the World Series. I really do," Dempster said a little more than a year ago.

But he struggled in the playoff opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers, throwing 109 pitches in 4 2-3 innings. He gave up four runs and four hits - including a grand slam - while matching a career high with seven walks.

That 7-2 loss at Wrigley Field, where Dempster had fashioned a 14-3 record in the regular season, got the Cubs off to a bad start before they were swept away. The quick ouster ran their drought without a World Series winner to 100 years.

"You're never going to forget it, never not remember what happened, but at the same time, it just depends on how you handle it. You use it. Do you let it bother you and get you down or do you use it as something motivating?" Dempster said.

"There will be questions about it all year, but it is a new year and that's the nice part."

The Cubs rewarded Dempster with a four-year, $52 million contract in the offseason and now he's being counted on as one of their mainstays.

"By the end of the year, he was pitching as well as anybody we had," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "He gained a lot of experience pitching out of the bullpen and in the pressure situations ending ballgames."

Dempster is a clubhouse leader. He's personable, does a great impression of late Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray, speaks to everyone and is considered one of the team's best interviews.

"I have a good time when I'm out there. I take my job seriously, but at the same time I realize we're just playing a game and I go out there and have a good time with it all," he said.

He has no headline-grabbing pronouncements this spring. Early in camp, his only prediction was that the Cubs would have a nice breakfast spread the following morning and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch.

But that doesn't mean he isn't thinking the same thing he did a year ago.

"At least believe it, you know. I think saying it is obviously a lot more powerful," he said. "I said it at the time and I stood by it. I liked our team a lot and I really like our team this year."

Dempster was 28-for-31 in save chances in 2007, 24-for-33 the previous season and 33-for-35 in 2005 when he became the full-time closer. Before coming to Chicago, he'd been a starter with the Marlins and Reds. With Florida in 2000 and 2001, he had seasons of 14 and 15 wins.

His days finishing games helped him once he became a starter again.

"I think it allows me to handle situations a little better," he said. "Since becoming a starter and getting in situations, the closer mentality of no-panic mode seemed to help me out."

Piniella said Dempster is a little behind this spring because of a sore neck. Dempster said it's no big deal and he hopes to pitch in an exhibition game next week.

"I'm on schedule," he said. "I'm good. I'm fine."

And he wants to build on last season.

"I feel like I can do it again every year, not just a flash-in-the-pan or a one-time thing. I feel like I learned a lot. I learned how to pitch. I want to continue to get better. That's probably my biggest motivation."

Notes: Geovany Soto will catch two games with the Cubs before leaving to join Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. He'll be in Wednesday's opener against the Dodgers and probably catch four or five innings. Ted Lilly, who plans to pitch for Team USA, will throw for the Cubs in their third exhibition game Friday. ... Piniella, noting how great Alfonso Soriano looks after working out in the Dominican Republic in January, said 30-plus steals would be a reasonable expectation for Soriano, who has 19 stolen bases in each of the last two years. ... Piniella said he didn't have time to get in real baseball shape during the offseasons when he was a player because he had to work real jobs. Those included selling bonds, selling Chris Evert sportswear and working for E.F. Hutton. He also tried landscaping, all part of his plan for the future in case he didn't stick in baseball. He didn't have to worry. The 65-year-old Piniella has been in baseball for most of the last 25 years since his playing days ended. Piniella said he also tried to finish up his college degree in the offseasons. He did OK in biology, but had trouble with one really tough class. "I flunked square dancing and said to heck with it," Piniella said.