The St. Louis Cardinals have locked up Allen Craig, their first baseman for the foreseeable future, to a five-year $31 million deal. The Cardinals have a $13 million option for 2018, that could change the contract's value to six years and $43 million. According to reports, the money escalates each year; Craig will earn $1.75 million in 2013, $2.75 million in 2014, and $5.5 million, $9 million and $11 million over the final three seasons.
In 2012 Craig had a breakout season, batting .307, swatting 22 home runs, driving in 92 runs, and posting a .522 slugging percentage despite missing all of April while recovering from knee surgery. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said of Craig, ''I think he's proven he's the type of player that, when he's in the lineup, can make an impact."
Craig's bat is one of the most consistent in baseball-he is a career .300 hitter, with an .863 career on-base plus slugging percentage, and 57 doubles in three seasons. He entered the majors as an outfielder but transitioned to first base smoothly when Lance Berkman went down with an injury. He can play several positions, but with Berkman now departed to the Texas Rangers, he is penciled in as St. Louis' opening day first-bagger. Craig is especially dominant against left-handed pitching, posting a .354 batting average with eight home runs, 11 doubles, and 1.011 OPS against them in 2012. Craig also was tops in the big leagues with a .400 batting average with runners in scoring position.
He also was a key cog in the Cardinals' 2011 World Series win, where he whacked three home runs and robbed Nelson Cruz of a homer in Game 7 with a leaping grab. He tied a major league record with three go-ahead RBI in that World Series.
This spring Craig is raking at a .467 clip with one home run, five RBI, and five runs scored with a 1.352 OPS.
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