The St. Louis Cardinals haven’t been to the playoffs since 2015, when the Cubs eliminated them in the NLDS. It was a passing of the torch, if you will. Well, they’re not sitting back this offseason, trying to get back to the postseason and have followed up their trade for Cubs-killer Paul Goldschmidt with the free-agent signing of relief pitcher Andrew Miller.
Ken Rosenthal first reported the Cardinals were close on a deal Thursday night and the details of Miller’s two-year contract were released on Friday. Miller, 33, dealt with knee injuries in 2018 with Cleveland and certainly didn’t pitch like his elite former self. Yet, the Cardinals are banking that the lefty can regain his dominant form.
Miller and the Cardinals have reportedly agreed on a two-year deal worth $25 million that also includes a full no-trade clause.
Andrew Miller’s deal with #STLCards, per source: Two years, $25M, plus vesting option, full no-trade clause. Option worth $12M, vests at 110 games combined in 2019-20. Incentives: $500K per year based on appearances. Breakdown: $11M in 2019, $11.5M in ‘20, $2.5M buyout on option.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 21, 2018
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
The $12.5 million average annual value of the contract is slightly above what he was predicted to get in free agency, although it is a few million more than MLB Trade Rumors projection of three years and $27 million.
The Cubs were said to be interested in Miller early in the offseason, but the latest report suggests the front office decided to wait out the reliever market and look for value instead of signing one of the big name relief pitchers.
It’s a good risk for the Cardinals. Only two years and they also need to improve their bullpen. Miller was limited to 34 innings in 2018, which ended up being his worst season since 2011. His velocity went down and again knee injuries plagued his year.
But again, it’s a good calculated risk for the Cardinals, who have to be aggressive after missing the playoffs three years in a row and have seen the Cubs win the World Series in 2016, and just saw the Brewers win the division in 2018.
Yet, this is another reminder that the Cardinals are chasing the Cubs, not the other way around. So, yeah, St. Louis is making a few flashy moves this offseason because they’re tying to catch the Cubs.
Believe me, I know it’s been a horse shit offseason for the Cubs. We were all led to believe that they would 100% be in on Bryce Harper. So far the intention to go after him hasn’t been known publicly and all we’re hoping for is that maybe Harper really is just waiting for the Cubs to get creative to finally sign with them?
We talk about that and why maybe Theo Epstein still hasn’t decided to shoot Addison Russell into the sun on this week’s episode of the Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast.
We’re now on Spotify too!
Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast: #WhiteSox fans getting worried about not getting Machado or Harper? Does #Cubs Theo Epstein have anything up his sleeve after latest Cardinals move?
LISTEN ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://t.co/9yix8nCmujhttps://t.co/6gH1FlUK13https://t.co/jGFs8C6TQr
— ✶ Sports Mockery ✶ (@sportsmockery) December 21, 2018
SUBSCRIBE! SUBSCRIBE! SUBSCRIBE!
