Sanders makes Cards his seventh stop in seven years

ST. LOUIS -- Reggie Sanders joined his seventh team in seven seasons, agreeing Tuesday to a $6 million, two-year contract with the Cardinals.

Sanders, 36, fills a void in the outfield created by the weekend trade that sent J.D. Drew and Eli Marrero to Atlanta. He hit .285 last season for the Pirates with a team-leading 31 homers and 87 RBIs.

He's also played with the Giants, Diamondbacks, Braves and Padres after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Reds.

"My kids are like, 'Dad, what team are you going to play for next year?'" Sanders said. "They're used to it."

Sanders, who gets $2 million in 2004 and $4 million in 2005, said he doesn't know why he's always on the move.

"I've tried to pinpoint reasons why," he said. "I think it's the money situation. They seem to not have enough money to bring me back, then they go and sign somebody else and it's like, 'Wait a minute, I thought you didn't have any money."'

Sanders chose the Cardinals over the Tigers because he didn't want to go to the American League, and he said he received interest from the Dodgers and Padres.

"I think it's going to be an amazing two years," Sanders said.

Sanders' home run total was the second-highest of his career. He batted cleanup for the Pirates and likely will hit sixth or seventh in the Cardinals' lineup.

Sanders likely will play right field. Left field remains a question that could be filled with a platoon of So Taguchi and Kerry Robinson.

The Sanders signing came a day after the Cardinals agreed to $6 million, two-year contract with right-hander Jeff Suppan. He was 13-11 with a 4.19 ERA last year for Pittsburgh and Boston and has pitched at least 200 innings for five straight years.

General manager Walt Jocketty said the Cardinals tried to sign Suppan, 28, before last season and then again tried to acquire him at the trade deadline.

"He is a guy that will definitely add some quality innings to our rotation," Jocketty said. "It's likely that you are not going to sign a more consistent performer who takes the ball every fifth day and gives you a solid 300 starts and 200 innings year in and year out."

Suppan had won five straight decisions for the Pirates, including a pair of shutouts, before he was dealt to the Red Sox on July 31. He was 3-4 with the Red Sox and was left off the roster for the team's first-round AL playoff series, and then added for the AL championship series.

He's looking forward to pitching with a team that won four Gold Gloves and has one of the NL's top offenses.

"I think that's every pitcher's dream," Suppan said. "I can't say how excited I am to be a part of this team."

The Cardinals also agreed to minor league contracts with pitchers Alan Benes and Matt Duff, infielder Wilson Delgado and outfielder Greg Vaughn. Delgado played for the Cardinals last year and Benes and Duff also are back for their second stint with the organization.

Vaughn, 38, is one of 31 players to hit 50 homers in a season. He was released by the Rockies last summer.

Benes, 31, spent parts of the last two seasons with the Cubs and Rangers. He's 29-28 in 115 career games, 70 of them starts. His older brother, Andy Benes, also played for the Cardinals.

Duff, 29, appeared in seven games with the Cardinals. He spent all of last season at Triple-A Memphis, going 4-2 with a 2.62 ERA and three saves.