Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
The St. Louis Cardinals were just one win away from reaching their second straight World Series in 2012.
On Friday afternoon, the Cardinals decided not to go to arbitration with a pair of relievers in Edward Mujica and Mitchell Boggs. Both 28-year olds did a wonderful job last year and deserved extensions as they were – and are – pivotal to the Cardinals bullpen success.
This was no surprise to anyone who follows the MLB even remotely closely, as the Cardinals have not taken a player to arbitration since 1999. Boggs and Mujica were not about to buck that trend as they are content with the deals they have received and cannot wait to begin.
Boggs will get a head-start on Mujica as he was chosen to represent Team USA at the World Baseball Classic. Boggs deserves the nod as he threw in a 78 games last season. Hopefully, the WBC does not hinder him as he pitched in a career-high 81 innings in 2012, including last seasons grueling postseason.
As for Mujica, he will enter his first full year in St. Louis as he was dealt to the club last July 31st from the Miami Marlins.
It was a tale of two teams for Mujica last year as he was lights out for the Cards in 29 games, but had an ERA in the fours while with the Marlins. He pitched in the postseason as well, yielding just two earned runs in 7.2 innings.
Look for this tandem to be setting up victories for the Cardinals all season as closer Jason Motte shows no signs of slowing down after a 42 save season in 2012.
