The Cardinals have reached agreement with free agent shortstop Cesar Izturis on a one-year contract, industry sources confirmed Friday, suggesting that the club will sever ties with three-year incumbent and 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein.
Izturis underwent a team physical this morning in Venezuela as the last detail before the deal was finalized.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Izturis, 27, became a free agent when the Pittsburgh Pirates declined to exercise his option for 2008.
The National League
Cardinals sign Cesar Izturis
Cardinals sign Cesar Izturis
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bigboy1234
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Cardinals sign Cesar Izturis
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mizzoupacers
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Time to plan the parade route. 
Shortstop has been discussed at great length recently over at vivaelbirdos.com. Hard to disagree with the position taken there on Izturis: he's no great signing, and it seems more sensible to just give Brendan Ryan a shot at it--maybe he'll be good!--but so long as we're only into Izturis for one year and not too much money, no real harm done.
At least Isturis should be a defensive upgrade. All those six-hop singles up the middle last year were beginning to drive me nutty.
We're probably going to have to buy or trade for a real shortstop sooner or later, unless we want to wait five years for Kozma to develop.
I continue to pin our hopes on next winter, when we wave bye-bye to Encarnacion, Edmonds, Mulder and company and will have a lot of payroll freed up to shop somewhere besides the discount aisle.
Shortstop has been discussed at great length recently over at vivaelbirdos.com. Hard to disagree with the position taken there on Izturis: he's no great signing, and it seems more sensible to just give Brendan Ryan a shot at it--maybe he'll be good!--but so long as we're only into Izturis for one year and not too much money, no real harm done.
At least Isturis should be a defensive upgrade. All those six-hop singles up the middle last year were beginning to drive me nutty.
We're probably going to have to buy or trade for a real shortstop sooner or later, unless we want to wait five years for Kozma to develop.
I continue to pin our hopes on next winter, when we wave bye-bye to Encarnacion, Edmonds, Mulder and company and will have a lot of payroll freed up to shop somewhere besides the discount aisle.
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mizzoupacers
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I've seen a report saying we signed him for one year, $2.85 million.
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Ehh, seems like a bit too much for a guy with a career OPS under .700. But no big deal, the important thing is that it's only for one year.
link
Ehh, seems like a bit too much for a guy with a career OPS under .700. But no big deal, the important thing is that it's only for one year.
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bigboy1234
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mizzoupacers wrote:I've seen a report saying we signed him for one year, $2.85 million.
link
Ehh, seems like a bit too much for a guy with a career OPS under .700. But no big deal, the important thing is that it's only for one year.
The only problem I have with the 2.85M is of course and it always comes back to this with me, is that you can't sign Kyle Russell for less than 2M, but you can sign someone who is below replacement level for 2.85M.