Cardinals Sign Mike Leake

The Cardinals were looking for some starting pitching after free agent starting pitcher John Lackey left for the Chicago Cubs. And then they found out starting pitcher Lance Lynn would miss the entire 2016 season due to Tommy John surgery. It took awhile to find a starting pitcher, to me that's because of the free agent market and players wanted to see what similar players were getting with other teams. Well, that ended today when the Cardinals signed free agent starting pitcher Mike Leake.

Leake, 28, signs a five-year contract, with an option for a sixth. Leake's contract is worth $80 million, and the option for the sixth year is worth $13 million, so the total could end up being $93 or $94 million. It includes a full no-trade clause and the option is a mutual option. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1st round of the 2009 MLB draft (8th overall), out of Arizona State. He ended up getting an invite to to spring training with the Reds in 2010, and made their team. His MLB debut was against the Chicago Cubs on April 11, 2010, in which he won 3-1, while pitching 6.2 innings, allowing 4 hits, 5 strikeouts, 7 walks, and 1 earned run. He stayed with the Reds until July 30, 2015 when he was traded to the San Francisco Giants.

Last season, Leake went 11-10 with an era of 3.70, in 30 starts, with 192.0 innings pitched. His best season was in 2013, when he went 14-7, 31 starts, 192.1 innings, with an era of 3.37. Life time against the Chicago Cubs, Leake is 9-2, with an era of 3.15 with 19 starts. And against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he's 8-3, with an era of 3.01 with 24 starts.

Leake has played six seasons in the MLB over those 6 seasons, his career record is: 64-52, 177 games, 172 starts, 4 complete game, 1 shutout, 3.88 era, 730 strikeouts, 275 walks, 1083.2 innings pitched, and a whip of 1.27.

What do you get in Mike Leake? He's a pitcher who isn't an ace type, but he's a middle of the rotation guy, who can eat innings and pitch about 200 inning. He's only pitched 200 innings once so far in his career, which was in 2014 when he pitched 214.1 innings. To me looking at stats, he reminds me of Jeff Suppan. And Leake can also hit for a pitcher, so what's not to like about him?

Mike Leake's stats at Busch Stadium: 2-2 with an era of 3.19, with 1 complete game in 6 starts.

As of right now the Cardinals rotation looks like it will be: Adam Wainwright, Carlos Martinez, Michael Wacha, Mike Leake, and Jaime Garcia, or if need be you could let Leake be the no.2 to take pressure off of Martinez some (Leake was the Reds no.2 starter last season).

Solid pickup for the Cardinals, he was a pitcher I was mainly hoping for on the free agent market. It would be nice if the Cardinals added another bat, but I think their offseason could be complete, unless no one looks good in spring training in the competition for the starting first base job.