The Cardinals locked up starting day pitcher Adam Wainwright to a long term deal today that could keep him with the Cardinals through 2013.
Wainwright has done everything the Cardinals have asked him to do. When they won the World Series in 2006, Wainwright was the team’s closer. Last season in a year that saw Chris Carpenter go down after his first start and a pitching staff that was in total disarray, Wainwright did his best to steady the ship going 14-12 and logging 202 innings.
The team originally renewed Wainwright’s contract at just over $448,000, because he didn’t have arbitration rights. Wainwright played the whole situation cool saying that he would just wait his time for when arbitration became available, and didn’t blame the Cardinals for renewing him at his salary. Of course, he knew his agent was working out details for something long term.
Wainwright will help anchor another shaky rotation at the start of this season at least until Mark Mulder (mid-May) and Chris Carpenter (mid-August) can get back on the mound.
