Wainwright Locks in 5 Year Extension

Well, we’ve all heard the news. Personally, I was shouting it from the rooftops. Adam Wainwright has officially signed a 5 year/$97.5 million extension with St. Louis, cementing the ace as a Cardinal for the next 6 years (including this year). In an emotional press conference this morning, Waino thanked the fans, the Cardinal organization, his teammates, and his family for their support in getting to this point. He repeatedly mentioned St. Louis and how fortunate he felt to be a part of Cardinal Nation, saying that he felt his heart was in St. Louis.

Earlier this spring, Wainwright alluded to the idea that he would be pleased to spend the majority of his career in a Cardinal uniform.

“Just wearing one jersey is neat, especially where I’m playing. I think about Derek Jeter or somebody like that and you think about the Yankees. It would be really cool if when people thought about my name, they thought about the Cardinals.”

The 31 year old righty may just get his wish, as the Cardinals have now entrusted him with the richest contract ever tendered to one of their pitchers. While some lingering questions about his recovery from 2011’s Tommy John surgery remain, it seems safe to say that the Cardinals have invested in a quality ace who not only possesses the right set of skills and talent but also has become a leadership and mentoring force within the organization. The continued presence of Wainwright in the clubhouse will help continue to build John Mozeliak’s vision of a team that can sustain itself, bringing in fresh new prospects to learn under the tutelage of a seasoned veteran.

Wainwright logged 198.2 innings with St. Louis in 2012, ending the season with a 3.94 ERA and 184 strikeouts. He has been tapped, unsurprisingly, to start the season against Arizona on April 1 and we should see him for the first time this season on the Busch Stadium mound on Saturday April 13 against Kyle Lohse’s new team, the Brewers.

Now that the rotation has been finalized, the final loose ends tied up, and the Opening Night tickets purchased, there seems to be nothing left to say except Go Birds and Welcome Back, Waino!