Cardinals land free agent Ty Wigginton

The St. Louis Cardinals have signed well traveled utility player Ty Wigginton to a two year deal, worth $5 million. Wigginton over the years has played for seven teams, the Cardinals will be his eighth team. Wigginton was drafted by the New York Mets in the 1998 MLB draft, he went in the 17th round, overall pick no.514. Wigginton played for New York Mets from 2002-2004, before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in July of 04. He played for the Pirates from 2004-2005. In 2006 Wigginton signed a one year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, and played for them from 2006-2007, after being re-signed by the Rays to a three year deal. He was later traded to the Houston Astros during the 2007 season, and played for the Astros from 07-2008.

After the 2008 season, he became a free agent again and signed a two year deal with the Baltimore Orioles, and played for them from 2009-2010. Wigginton started the 2010 season on the Orioles without a starting job, he would later end up finding his way into their line up and ended up in the All-Star game for his first time in his MLB career, he batted 248 with 22 home runs, and 76 rbi's He later would end up played for the Colorado Rockies, and the Philadelphia Phillies. His highest home run total came back in 2006 as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, in that season he would hit 275, with 24 home runs, and 79 rbi's (his most rbi's in a season.

What does Wigginton bring to the Cardinals? He brings a right-handed bat off the bench with power for the Cardinals which is something they needed. Wigginton as of now is best at first base, but he can also play third base, a little second base (even though he hasn't play second base since 2010 as a member of the Orioles), left field, and right field. He's also played nine games at shortstop, even though he's never started a game in the MLB level at shortstop. Last season he had to play third base for the Phillies, when their starting third basemen Placido Polanco got injured. So, the Cardinals shouldn't need to over use him at third base, if he does see some time there, due to have Matt Carpenter also, if David Freese needs some days off.

The Cardinals will also use Wigginton to pinch hit also, his career numbers as a pinch hitter aren't great. Can he improve at pinch hitting? That will be the question on him heading into the season. Maybe hitting coach John Mabry and assistant hitting coach Bengie Molina will be able to work with him on pinch hitting, and he could get better as a pinch hitter. After all it seems like players once they become Cardinals, become better pinch hitters. And for his career Wigginton is a career 263 hitter. Wigginton is also said to be a good clubhouse guy, so that should be a plus. Another note to add about Wigginton, the past seven seasons he's hit more than 10 home runs. Wigginton's best batting average came in 2008 as a member of the Astros, when he hit 285, with 23 home runs and 58 rbi's. He's also good at getting on base over his career.

Oh yeah, I wonder if when the Cardinals face the Astros in 2013 if Wigginton gets any boos down in Houston, he was a fan favorite on the Astros and Astros fans got upset when the Astros failed to re-sign him after the 2008 season. If Astros fans do boo him, then they will have fun booing two former fan favorites of theirs in Carlos Beltran and Ty Wigginton.