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| With a slew of players set to become free agents at the end of the season, the Cardinals got to work early by giving ace Chris Carpenter a new, two year contract extension. - Photo courtesy of Getty Images |
The St. Louis Cardinals will have a plethora of free agents hit the open market once the season is over, including high profile players like Lance Berkman, and of course, Albert Pujols.
So rather than wait for open bidding to begin on all of their free agents, the Cardinals organization has evidently decided on putting in place new contracts for their high profile players.
And they started with their work-horse, former Cy Young Award winning ace Chris Carpenter.
According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals and Carpenter have agreed upon a two year, $21 million contract extension that will make the 36 year old ace a Cardinal through the end of the 2013 season.
Prior to the new agreement, the Cardinals retained a one year option on Carpenter's contract that would have paid him $15 million in 2012. With the new structure in place, the Cardinals will save over $4 million on Carpenter in 2012 and lock him up for the 2013 season as well.
From the looks of the agreement, it looks like a potential bargain for the Cardinals.
Carpenter is just 9-9 with a 3.75 on the season, but his record does not indicate just how good the ace has been this season.
As the Cardinals have tried to hang around in the playoff race, Carpenter has been lights out down the stretch and a leader on the mound. He is coming off a complete game shutout of the first place Milwaukee Brewers and has 5-2 record with a 3.59 ERA since the All-Star break.
Considering his age, the contract may allow Carpenter to retire a Cardinal.
And for the Cardinals, they can cross Carpenter off the enormous list of pending free agents and begin looking to secure another of their important, veteran free agents before they hit the market.
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