Adam Wainwright would like to sign a contract extension with St. Louis this offseason and the Cardinals have expressed interest in working out a long-term deal, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. As the right-hander prepares for the final year on his current contract, he’s beginning to think about his next deal.
“In brief talks with [Cardinals executives] they feel real good about me coming back for a long time, and I want to make that happen,” Wainwright told Goold. “I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t make that happen.”
Wainwright returned from Tommy John surgery to post a 3.94 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 198 2/3 regular season innings in 2012. GM John Mozeliak approached the 31-year-old about contract talks in August, only to hear that he preferred not to discuss an extension during the season.
Wainwright acknowledged that the Cardinals face a “business decision” regarding his future in St. Louis. Matt Cain (six years, $127.5MM) and Jake Peavy (two years, $29MM) are among the right-handed starters whose contracts provide a framework for Wainwright’s next deal. Within a few months, Zack Greinke and Kyle Lohse will have signed deals that will provide further context for talks.
The contracts for Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and Jake Westbrook expire following the 2013 season, so it makes sense for the Cardinals to pursue a long-term deal with Wainwright. It doesn’t appear that Mozeliak will have to make substantive changes to the team this offseason, but retaining the right-hander figures to be a priority. Aegis Sports Management represents Wainwright.
I’d say 5 years, 85 million (17 per). 31 and coming out of an off year should save the Cards about 20 million over the length of the contract.
“an off year”? He just returned from Tommy John surgery. His post all-star numbers were very good and he’ll only get better next year as he continues to recover from surgery.
Couldn’t agree more. His numbers were mostly off because of a poor first half. Not to his fault though, he was pitching with a surgically repaired elbow, so he had to relearn everything pretty much. Wainwright will be fine. He turned in a great season post tommy john.
Wainwright for Andrus make it happen
No thanks.
Ha! A staff ace who has averaged 17.5 wins, 220 innings pitched, and a 2.99 ERA over his last 3 years. Keep dreaming.
Quoting wins and ERA isn’t a good way to state an argument about pitchers.
I do agree though that Wainwright isn’t going anywhere,
Wainwright is a great pitcher signed cheap for one year, Andrus is a 24yo 4WAR SS signed cheap for 2 years. The Cardinals have about 8 SP options in 2013, and could sign more cheap to play with that coaching staff and defense, I wouldn’t want to bet on Furcal’s health, or on Kozma’s weird jump above his MiLB track record. Andrus is an excellent defender high OBP SS who the Cards could realistically keep for 10 more years. Andrus through age 24 is remarkably similar to Furcal (.275/342/.353 132SBfor Andrus, .281/.347/.382 89SB for Furcal) I am not saying it would be easy for either team but it would help both.
Teams that plan on competing for a Championship don’t just trade away their best pitcher because he’s not under contract as long as the guy they are trading for. The Cardinals have a better chance to win it all in 2013 with Adam Wainwright at the top of their rotation and someone from within at SS than they do with Andrus at SS and sticking someone else in Wainwright’s rotations spot. It’s a simple as that. Not happening.
That may be true and I think they could potentially get Andrus for say Lynn and Jenkins leaving them with the better option having both. Wainwright is 5 years younger than Carp was this year and a lot more durable if they can get it done for say the Holliday contract they should do it.
I would hope that doesn’t happen. A 25 year old power arm who looked very good in the rotation this year and is under control for 5 more years. I’d rather take my chances just signing a good defensive SS and keeping the good pitching if the cost is going to be taking a good arm out of the rotation.
with Miller, Rosenthal, Kelly and Martinez all ready to go Lynn isn’t exactly expendable they could get by without him
They could maybe get by without him but Kelly is the only one that has proven anything in the rotation out of the pitchers you mentioned and his upside is maybe a #3 starter. With Lohse leaving, Carpenter getting up there in age, Garcia having shoulder problems……I think it would be a mistake to trade away someone who has proven he can handle the rotation. Carpenter, Westbrook, and Garcia will all be gone in 2 yeras so there will be plenty of room in the rotation and it’s not like all of the prospects are going to turn into an Ace.
I’m fine with trading from the pitching depth for a SS, but I think it would be a mistake to trade away someone that they will be counting on in 2013.
Wins? Why do you care about wins for a pitcher? If a pitcher only allows one run, but his own team doesn’t score, he still doesn’t win.
A pitcher can no hit, yet not get a win. That’s how useless that stat is.
Innings pitched and ERA are legit stats though.
Nope. Wainwright means way too much to the team. Now if you want that trade to work, i’d consider Matt Holliday instead. They need an outfielder (assuming Josh Hamilton leaves) and we have Oscar Taveras coming up VERY soon. In the meantime keep Matt Carpenter in Left, so we can get his bat in the lineup everyday. Not only do we know shed more payroll to have more flexibility when it comes to signing Wainwright, but also we fixed the middle infield for many seasons to come: Kolten Wong at 2nd Base and Elvis Andrus at Short Stop.
What? What does Matt Holliday have to do to get St. Louis off of his back? He is one of the most consistent players in the game. While I’m as excited about Taveras as anyone, RF will be plenty open for him in 2014 and he’ll be the first called-up for any OF injury in 2013.
But Holliday has been over 5.0 WAR in every season in St. Louis. At $17MM/yr for 4 more years, his contract isn’t bad. It wouldn’t be crazy to think he stays productive through most of the contract(he’ll be 36 when it ends). You’re not just going to find someone to replace that production in the middle of the line-up.
I don’t think trading Holliday works for the Rangers, considering he gets paid close to 17 million a year. For that money, they could resign Hamilton (or at least have a decent chunk of it available)
except
that hamilton wants 25 million a year not 17 so no you can’t sign hamilton for that.
I am a Cards fan and I would love to see Andrus wearing the birds playing alongside Freese and Wong but this is not a smart deal. I would go Matt Adams since we have a more versatile Craig who hits pretty much the same maybe less power but he has an RBI instinct and a Single A Righty for Andrus It sounds like a deal I would take if I was Texas especially if they lose Hamilton
No way Texas takes Adams in an Andrus deal, maybe Craig but no chance of Adams
Not happening. There’s really no point in creating a hole to fill a hole. If the Rangers are wanting major league players in a trade, the Cardinals probably aren’t a match. Perhaps, the Cardinals would match up better with the Indians for Cabrera with some of the young pitching.
Andrus is too pricey. Meaning, you would have to give up lots of prospects to get him.
Rangers should find a club that has too many outfielders or too many bullpen pitchers, but in need of a good SS/good leadoff guy.
Cincinatti should trade for Andrus and David Wright and make a run for it.
Andrus more so than Wright, although I personally probably would be intrigued by the idea of having a great OBP guy like Wright as a leadoff hitter, instead of a traditional speed bullet like Andrus (now in second spot with the Rangers).
Make it happen!!! He and Yadi together are the heart and soul of the Cardinals! Keep it in tact!
If the price is right, go ahead. Otherwise, trade him this off season. Cardinals have plenty of arms coming up.
I believe Wainwright to be worth 18-21 mil the first year of an extension, then perhaps somewhere around 15-16 for the next two years, and 10 mil the final two, if we’re talking a five year deal.
So 55-59 mil/5 years. A lot of money, but he should be able to produce.
A 48 mil deal for 4 years would be a good deal for both parties.
If the deal goes north of 60 mil, Cardinals should walk away.
ummm…. by your math over 5 years, 18+16+16+10+10 = 70. we are looking at 5 years 80-100 million, and that’s fair market value
The Cardinals have about $54MM coming off of the books next year, they absolutely have to get Wainwright locked up. Had a nice year coming off of Tommy John surgery. Discount or not, this deal must get done.
They don’t have to lock him up at all. Look at the talent in the Cardinal pitching staff. There’s no reason Cardinals can’t do like Tampa, and rely on their own young arms, and let their older vets walk if the price is too high.
If you walk into a negotiation with the frame set that you absolutely have to sign a player, you’re handicapping yourself.
Waino would be a great asset, sure. But only at the right price.
Mozeliak has done an awesome job the last couple of years, fans should have a little faith in the guy. If he lets Waino leave, then that’s probably the smartest decision.
Did anybody else laugh when they first read that a 6 year $127.5MM contract and a 2 year $29MM contract are both frameworks?
No. I thought that was pretty accurate. Wainwright has an injury history but not as much as Peavy. Read into years offered there. So he should not expect Cain money or years but more something in the middle area. Probably 4 years at around 17-18 AAV or the median of those two contract values if you break it down into years and AAV components.
I think they should sign him 5/130 it would work for both sides