Lohse signs four-year deal worth $41 million

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. His new 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.

Lohse was a free agent expecting big bucks after the 2007 season, despite a 9-12 combined record with the Reds and Phillies. Nothing materialized and it wasn't until late in spring training that Lohse agreed to a one-year, $4.25 million contract with St. Louis.

With Chris Carpenter sidelined with injuries virtually all season and Adam Wainwright missing much of the middle of the season with a finger injury, Lohse became the de facto ace.

"He really became the glue of what we needed to have happen," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said at a news conference.

Lohse said the lack of interest last offseason was a factor in his decision to re-sign with St. Louis.

"You learn as you go through things," Lohse said. "Obviously there was a little bit of last year that made me want to make sure as we moved through this that I was able to meet my needs."

Lohse turns 30 on Saturday, and Mozeliak said his age and durability were factors in the decision to give him a long-term contract.

Lohse said he was able to remain more consistent this season in part because of better preparation under pitching coach Dave Duncan and manager Tony La Russa. "I've had pretty good runs in the past, but I'd have a couple of games where it skewed the numbers a little bit," he said.

St. Louis' pitching depth is uncertain. 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.

Mozeliak said the team remains confident Carpenter will rebound.

"We like the idea of seeing a Carp, Wainwright, Lohse [rotation]," Mozeliak said.

The Cardinals also have right-hander Todd Wellemeyer, 13-9 with a 3.71 ERA, under contract for 2009. Braden Looper is a free agent and Mozeliak didn't rule out trying to re-sign him.

Mozeliak said that if the Cardinals go after additional starting pitching, it will likely be at the "back-end" of the rotation.