The Cardinals addressed an innings-short starting rotation Thursday by reaching agreement with durable free agent righthander Kyle Lohse on a one-year, $4.25 million contract, pending Lohse's passing a team physical this morning.
The move occurred three days after the Cardinals said four of the five pitchers projected as starters during the season could be unavailable for the March 31 opener.
Loshe is a poor man's Jeff Suppan. (Just allow that to sink in for a moment.)
Adding Lohse will improve this rotation. (Just allow that to sink in for a moment.)
Digested that? I'll wait while you attempt to choke down some Pepto Bismol.
Lohse, 29, amassed a 9-12 record and 4.62 ERA while splitting last season between the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies. Just as important, he made 34 starts and worked 192 2/3 innings. The Cardinals investigated trading for him in 2006 before the Minnesota Twins shipped him to the Reds.
"He's got a really good arsenal of weapons," manager Tony La Russa said. "He's gotten our attention before."
Lohse's best seasons came with the Twins in 2002-03, when he won 27 games combined. Just as significant, Lohse worked 201 innings in 2003 and 194 in 2004. He has made at least 30 starts in five of the past six seasons.
The club expects Lohse to report this morning.
Mozeliak took issue with describing the agreement as a panic move.
Would the word "desperation" really improve matters?
UPDATE:
From Cardinals Diaspora:
It’s not a bad move, especially on a one year deal. At this point, warm bodies capable of pitching for 150+ innings are exactly what the Cardinals need. Win now? Pfft. Compete now? Pish posh. We need pitchers to make it through the season, and that’s exactly what this is.
I can't argue with that at all.
But it leaves me wondering as to when exactly we became the Kansas City Royals.
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