Cards & Jason Motte agree on 2012 contract
Team & player avoid salary arbitration
ST. LOUIS, Mo., January 25, 2012 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have agreed to terms with pitcher Jason Motte on a one-year contract for the upcoming 2012 season, thus avoiding salary arbitration.
Motte, 29, went 5-2 with a 2.25 ERA (10th amongst N.L. relievers) and nine saves in his 78 appearances last season, establishing a Cardinals’ single-season record for games pitched by a right-hander. The hard-throwing reliever fanned 63 batters in his 68.0 innings pitched and limited opposing batters to a .202 batting average while right-handed hitters managed just a .162 mark.
Motte, who led the club with 20 Holds, earned the first of his nine saves on August 28. He finished 3rd among National League relievers in saves from that point on and his 1.93 ERA after the All-Star break ranked 10th in the majors.
Motte continued his success in the postseason, leading the team in appearances (12) and saves (5) while posting a 2.19 ERA. He was on the mound for the Cardinals series-clinching wins in both the National League Championship Series and the World Series.
Motte was the last of the Cardinals remaining arbitration-eligible players. The team completed a deal with pitcher Kyle McClellan last week to avoid arbitration.