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Lohse Agrees To $41 Million, 4-Year Deal

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The Associated Press

Published: September 30, 2008

ST. LOUIS - Pitcher Kyle Lohse and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed Monday to a $41 million, four-year contract.

Lohse was 15-6 with a 3.78 ERA this season and led the staff with 200 innings. He agreed to a $4.25 million, one-year contract March 14.

His new deal contract calls for a $1.25 million signing bonus and salaries of $7,125,000 next year, $8,875,000 in 2009 and $11,875,000 in each of the final two seasons. He also gets a full no-trade clause.

St. Louis' pitching depth is uncertain. Chris Carpenter, the 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner, missed nearly all of the past two seasons with injuries. He has been diagnosed with irritation of nerves that feed the muscles in the back of his shoulder.

BLUE JAYS: President Paul Godfrey will leave the team when his contract expires at the end of the year.

"Now that the 2008 regular baseball season has come to an end, I believe it is appropriate to announce this decision in order to give ownership enough time to do a search to find a replacement in time for the start of 2009," Godfrey said Monday.

INDIANS: Catcher Kelly Shoppach, one of the bright spots in a disappointing season for Cleveland, had surgery on his right knee Monday.

The arthroscopic procedure by Mark Schickendantz was termed minor by the club, which expects Shoppach to be fully recovered well before the team opens spring training in February.

PADRES: Announced late Monday afternoon that Manager Bud Black and most of his staff will return in 2009. The Padres finished 63-99, 21 games behind the Dodgers. The Padres say they won't renew the contract of bench coach Craig Colbert. Last week, hitting coach Wally Joyner resigned due to philosophical differences with the front office.

PIRATES: Pitching coach Jeff Andrews and first base coach Lou Frazier were fired Monday by the Pittsburgh Pirates after only one season in their jobs.

RED SOX: Mike Lowell and J.D. Drew took batting practice Monday on an overcast day at Fenway Park. Both could be ready for Wednesday night's opener of the AL Division Series against the Angels.

YANKEES: Closer Mariano Rivera will have offseason surgery on his sore right shoulder but should be ready to throw by spring training.

Manager Joe Girardi said Monday the procedure will shave down calcification of the AC joint on the top of Rivera's shoulder. The surgery hasn't been scheduled, but Girardi said it doesn't appear to be a serious injury and there is no structural damage.

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