Cards sign Marquis to 1-year deal

~ The right-hander avoided salary arbitration.

ST. LOUIS -- Pitcher Jason Marquis and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed Tuesday to a $5.15 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.1 million.

The 27-year-old right-hander has a 42-36 record with a 4.15 ERA in six major league seasons. He has gone 28-21 with a 3.92 ERA in two seasons with St. Louis, pitching a career high 207 innings last year.

He went 4-1 in his last five starts with two complete games, including a 6-0 shutout at Washington. A career .237 hitter, Marquis batted .310 (27-for-87) with one home run and 10 RBIs last season, winning an NL Silver Slugger.

Marquis was acquired from the Atlanta Braves with pitchers Ray King and Adam Wainwright in 2003 in for outfielders J.D. Drew and Eli Marrero. He was the only Cardinals arbitration eligible player this offseason.

In addition to his salary, he could earn $275,000 in performance bonuses: $25,000 for 200 innings, $75,000 each for 210 and 215 innings and $100,000 for 220 innings.