Cardinals sign Molina

[wolf stansson]

http://www.stltoday.com/sports

 

The Cardinals and Yadier Molina finalized a contract today that cements the young catcher as a cornerstone of the club and rewards him for his defensive

presence.

 

The club is scheduled to announce a new contract for Molina at an 11:30 a.m. press conference at the Millennium Hotel. The length of the deal will be announced at the time, though the sides have been discussing a multi-year deal in recent days.

 

The deal allows the parties to avoid an arbitration hearing.

 

Molina became arbitration eligible for the first time in his career this offseason, and he seemed headed for a considerable raise.

 

When the team and Molina’s agent exchanged salary figures last week for arbitration, both came in at least triple his previous salary. The team offered $1.85

million, and Molina’s rep submitted an argument for $2.75 million, five times the catcher’s 2007 salary.

 

The 25-year-old catcher has been the Cardinals’ starter at the position since inheriting the role from Mike Matheny after the 2004 season.

 

MLB.com is reporting that it is for four years, no money mentioned.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

hopefully enough to keep them from acquiring someone really good over the next 4 years

[Transmogrified Tiger]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-cardinals-molina&prov=ap&type=lgns

 

$15.5 million, four-year contract.

 

Molina gets a $250,000 signing bonus, $1.75 million this year, $3.25 million in 2009, $4.25 million in 2010 and $5.25 million in 2011. The deal includes a $7 million club option for 2012 with a $750,000 buyout, and the option increases to $7.5 million if he is traded.

[wolf stansson]

LOL.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The Molina threads at GRB are fascinating. For some reason I find the phrase "Best catcher since Matheny" unbelievably hilarious.

[wolf stansson]

The Molina threads at GRB are fascinating. For some reason I find the phrase "Best catcher since Matheny" unbelievably hilarious.

That's why I lol'd.

 

This isn't a bad deal as long as they stay far, far away from that option year and don't block any up and coming better options, but the chasm between Cardinals fans that Molina creates is hilarious and this signing is going to make it worse.

[Rob]

I laughed aloud when I saw this. If we're unlucky, they get a .260 EqA hitter who convinces teams not to run (where they would usually hurt themselves anyways), and is horrible on the rest of defense.

 

It's actually fairly similar to the thought of us extending Theriot for that contract. The service time is a bit off, but still... it's not exactly a move that's likely to make other teams afraid.

[illiniguy]

Isn't Bryan Anderson going to be better than Yadier, like now?

[Rob]

Isn't Bryan Anderson going to be better than Yadier, like now?

 

He could probably use another full year. But after that, Yadier should be a part-time player if TLR knew what he was doing.

[wolf stansson]

Isn't Bryan Anderson going to be better than Yadier, like now?

 

He could probably use another full year. But after that, Yadier should be a part-time player if TLR knew what he was doing.

Lol, say what you want about Tony, but he is the 3rd winningest manager of all-time. Probably knows what he wants to do and why. Whether or not it is right is up for debate.

 

Bryan Anderson needs two more years before he is ready to play everyday at the ML level.

[Rob]

Isn't Bryan Anderson going to be better than Yadier, like now?

 

He could probably use another full year. But after that, Yadier should be a part-time player if TLR knew what he was doing.

Lol, say what you want about Tony, but he is the 3rd winningest manager of all-time. Probably knows what he wants to do and why. Whether or not it is right is up for debate.

 

Bryan Anderson needs two more years before he is ready to play everyday at the ML level.

 

The inventor of the modern closer gets no credit for his ability to manage. Let's just say that he knows how to pick out talented teams.

 

And Anderson does need two full years, but that's just to be ML ready, it could take significantly less than that to be better than Yadier.

[imb]

we laugh, but it's not going to be as funny when we sign ryan theriot to an identical deal.

[cbbryan]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-cardinals-molina&prov=ap&type=lgns

 

$15.5 million, four-year contract.

 

Molina gets a $250,000 signing bonus, $1.75 million this year, $3.25 million in 2009, $4.25 million in 2010 and $5.25 million in 2011. The deal includes a $7 million club option for 2012 with a $750,000 buyout, and the option increases to $7.5 million if he is traded.

 

 

7 million option, but only a $750,000 buyout? That seems low for the buyout.

 

I don't foresee them picking it up, though.

[sneakypower]

i don't see the love for Bryan Anderson. If you're talking about EqA, Pecota has him in the .240.245 range the next few years peaking at .260 (.270/.330/.425) with mediocre at best defense. that's just gross.