By Chris Brown / STL Baseball Today | @cbrown_STLBBT | Nov. 30, 2015, 6:50 pm CT, updated 12/2
For the first time since the Cardinals’ last World Series Championship in 2011, someone other than Tony Cruz is slated to back up Gold-Glove backstop Yadier Molina in 2016, as the Cardinals announced on Monday that they’ve signed free-agent catcher Brayan Pena to a two-year deal.
Although financials of the deal were not disclosed by the team, multiple sources have confirmed Pena will receive a $5 million guarantee, earning $2.5 million each year of the contract.
A veteran of 11 big league seasons, Pena, 33, is no stranger to the NL Central, spending the last two seasons with the division-rival Reds after stops with Atlanta (2005-08), Kansas City (2009-12), and Detroit (2013).
The switching-hitting Pena started 132 games behind the plate in his two seasons in Cinncinati, along with 58 games at first base, hitting a collective .263/.313/.339 with five home runs and 35 doubles over 223 games.
Behind the plate, Pena’s .999 fielding percentage (one error in 715 total chances) was tops among all catchers in the National League. Pena has typically done a good job of limiting the running game, preventing an excellent 43 percent of a would-be basestealers in 2014 before posting an uncharacteristic 18 percent caught stealing rate last season. His career mark stands at 28 percent.
A solid bat with substantial game calling experience, Pena will likely allow the Cardinals to do something they’ve indicated the desire to do for a few years now: build in more regular rest for Molina, who missed the end of the last two seasons due to injuries. As MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch writes, while the team was “content with his ability to cover the catching duties on Molina’s periodic days off, the Cardinals found themselves exposed at the position when Molina missed longer periods of time.”
On joining the redbirds, Pena, a native of Cuba, told Langosch: “I always have been one of those players who will do anything to help my team win. Sometimes you can do more from the bench than on the field. I know my role. I understand my role. And I embrace my role. I know I have a Hall of Famer in front of me. My opportunities will come. All I can do is just be ready and make sure that my teammates know I will always have their back.”
UPDATE 12/2 @ 11:25 pm CT– The Cardinals traded catcher Tony Cruz to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in exchange for minor league infielder Jose Martinez.
Earlier — The timing of Pena’s signing is certainly important, as it comes just two days before the deadline for teams to tender contracts to their arbitration eligible players. Cruz, who has served as Molina’s understudy since 2011, is among those players, and now is unlikely to be tendered a contract before Wednesday’s 10:59 pm CT deadline, which would make him a free agent. Cruz was projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $1 million in arbitration this offseason.
Upon announcing the deal, the Cardinals stated that Pena is “expected to serve as the team’s primary back-up behind the plate,” indicating Cruz’s time in St. Louis is likely over. General manager John Mozeliak told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he’ll look to find an opportunity for Cruz via trade before that Wednesday deadline.
Cruz, 29, is a career .220 hitter with five home runs and 58 RBIs in just over 630 career plate appearances.
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Images via the St. Louis Cardinals on Twitter.
