From The Associated Press
Pitcher Kyle Lohse and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed Monday to a $41 million, four-year contract.
St. Louis Re-Signed Starting Pitcher Kyle Lohse
Lohse was 15-6 with a 3.78 ERA this season and led the staff with 200 innings. He agreed to a $4.25 million, one-year contract on March 14.
His new deal calls for a $1.25 million signing bonus and salaries of $7,125,000 next year, $8,875,000 in 2009 and $11,875,000 in each of the final two seasons. He also gets a full no-trade clause.
Lohse said he was able to remain more consistent this season in part because of better preparation under pitching coach Dave Duncan and manager Tony La Russa.
“I’ve had pretty good runs in the past but I’d have a couple of games where it skewed the numbers a little bit,” he said.
“He really became the glue of what we needed to have happen,” general manager John Mozeliak said at a news conference.
St. Louis’ pitching depth is uncertain. Chris Carpenter, the 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner, missed nearly all of the past two seasons with injuries. He has been diagnosed with irritation of nerves that feed the muscles in the back of his shoulder.
I’m actually shocked the Cardinals re-signed Lohse, not to the extent that they signed him, but the fact St. Louis hasn’t typically made such big moves to acquire or keep starting pitching.
The Redbirds are still in need of at least one more starting pitcher as they prepare for the 2009 season.
With right-hander Braden Looper set to test the free agent market, the Cardinals rotation as it stands today would be Adam Wainwright, Todd Wellemeyer, Lohse, Joel Pineiro and Chris Carpenter.
St. Louis will have more than $20 million coming off the payroll this offseason and for the first time in years, they’ll have an opportunity to upgrade the club.
With some solid minor league players, especially a dearth of outfielders, the Cardinals are in position to make trades that could strengthen the infield, particularly second base and the bullpen.
I’ll have a season in review post and a look at the Cardinals needs entering 2009 later this week.
