Cardinals Under Contract: Kyle Lohse

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Contract Terms: Kyle Lohse signed his current contract at the end of the 2008 season. The contract is worth $41 million guaranteed over four seasons and includes a full no trade clause.

2009: $7.125
2010: $8.875
2011: $11.875
2012: $11.875

The Rationale Then: Kyle Lohse became a Cardinal as one of John Mozeliak's infamous "low-hanging fruits" before the 2008 season. His original contract with the Cardinals covered just that season for a discounted salary of $4.25 million plus incentives. Lohse then pitched his way into an extension by helping carry an injury ridden Cardinal rotation in 2008. Many fans wanted Lohse back at the time, but the length and value of the deal looked excessive just a few months later compared to contracts received by other free agent starting pitchers that offseason.

The Outlook Today: After being the anchor of the injury ridden rotation in 2008, Lohse was the one who spent much of 2009 injured. The production that Lohse did provide in 2009 was actually closer to his career statistics than his standout 2008. Lohse's deal is quickly becoming the albatross of the Cardinals rotation in many fans eyes. The full no trade clause is especially troublesome in hindsight and limits the clubs flexibility in the coming three seasons.

Moving Forward: The Cardinals have Kyle Lohse for three more years for better or worse. This contract will expire after the 2012 and is a major reason why 2012 is the year that the Cardinals will have the biggest budget crunch in the near future. If Kyle Lohse can find a way to stay healthy and pitch 180+ innings in each of the next three seasons, he will earn his contract. The Cardinals do not need Lohse to carry the rotation as a top starter like he did in 2008. Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright are the aces of the staff, so Lohse simply needs to pitch every fifth day and provide at least league-average performance. If Lohse's performance cannot meet these baseline expectations, the Cardinals will regret rushing to extend the Scott Boras client one year ago rather than letting the market play itself out.
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