Lohse Signs Huge Deal!!

[love_that_reefer]

Cardinals agreed to terms with RHP Kyle Lohse on a four-year, $41 million contract.
Lohse will receive a $1.25 million signing bonus, $7,125,000 in 2009, $8,875,000 in 2010 and $11,875,000 in each of the final two seasons. He also gets a full no-trade clause. This all for a pitcher who signed a one-year, $4.25 million last March. Lohse's strikeout rate was as mediocre as ever this season. He has improved his command and he's always had pretty good stuff, but he could just as easily be a fourth starter as a No. 3 going forward. Durability is the biggest thing he has working in his favor. Still, we wouldn't want to take our chances on him being worth more than $23 million in 2011 and '12.

OK, so its not that huge of a deal but still sort of shocking since no one wanted him all of last season or at least or least not at the money he is making now. Lohse sent 15-6 with a 3.78 ERA. He was also the only Cardinal to pitch 200 innings. '08 was the first year Lohse has ever won 15+ games and he will be 30 next year. I agree with the author in thinking Lohse won't be worth the money in the final two years but I do think pitching in St. Louis helps. The ballpark favors pitchers and the fans are awesome! Cards need starters and just kept one who lead the team in IP and Wins.

[catman]

Kyle is a young man that needed a home. He has decent stuff and needed a change of coaching to get it to come out better. With the Twins, he would frequently lose focus and blow big leads. Its nice to see that he has overcome this bad habit, at least for the past season.

[Porter]

Welcome the NL's version of Carlos Silva.

Well he might be slightly better.

[CrazyEights]

Welcome the NL's version of Carlos Silva.

Well he might be slightly better.

he might be a lot better.

[CrazyEights]

I like this signing a lot. Lohse would have gotten a big contract through free agency after the season he just had. Most of the season, he was our best pitcher. He was the guy that you were hoping would be on the mound when the Cardinals played against a tough pitcher. Lohse obviously wanted to stay in St. Louis, because he asked his agent to get a deal done with the Cardinals. Not very many players represented by Scott Boras do that instead of testing the market. The backloaded contract will help the Cardinals fill a couple of holes. We have a lot of good young players returning, and a money left to spend on free agency so 2009 looks to be a very promising season.

[Kingdom]

Welcome the NL's version of Carlos Silva.

Well he might be slightly better.

Where'd that comparison come from?
Should have gone with Jeffrey Weaver

[browntown653]

This isn't going to end well.

[CrazyEights]

This isn't going to end well.

As long as the Cardinals resign Dave Duncan, then I believe it will. Without Duncan... then the whole staff will fall apart, and the Cardinals will finish behind....uhhhhhhgggggg...the Reds.

I say pay the man whatever he wants.... just sign him now!!!

[Porter]

Where'd that comparison come from?
Should have gone with Jeffrey Weaver

An average pitcher that had a career year got a contract over 10 million.

Okay he might be better than Silva by a long shot.

Ill just call him Gil Meche.

[CrazyEights]

An average pitcher that had a career year got a contract over 10 million.

It isn't too surprising that he had a career year though. Most average pitchers have career years as Cardinals. For a recent example... look at Todd Wellemeyer. Unlike most of them, Lohse was smart enough to resign with the Cardinals. Others like Suppan, Weaver, and many many others sign big contracts with other teams, thinking they will have the same success elsewhere. The difference is that Dave Duncan isn't on those other teams.