Cardinal advent calendar, Day 8: Kyle Lohse
| B-Ref name | ky loh |
| Contract Status | Signed through 2012 |
| 2009 stat | Threw a changeup more often than any Cardinal starter (13.2 %) |
| Career stat | Top four most similar pitchers through age 30: Jeff Suppan, Joel Pineiro, Sidney Ponson and Todd Stottlemyre — all pitchers who have pitched for the Cardinals under Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan |
| 2010 Projection | 4.46 FIP (Bill James) |
| Quote | I guess I timed something right this time." — on signing an extension as season ended |
When the Cardinals re-signed Lohse to a four-year, $41-million extension before the 2008 season ended, it seemed like a good deal to some at the time. In the midst of rotation uncertainty, the team gained a known quantity in the unspectacular but solid and, most importantly, healthy righthander (John Mozeliak cited "his age and his durability" as reasons). But with Scott Boras representing him, Lohse got the better end of the deal in the first year as he posted a 4.48 xFIP and only 0.8 WAR, worst since his rookie year. He felt a pop in his right knee and had an MRI after an awkward play at first base on April 23, but it was a strained forearm that put him on the shelf. He injured it May 23, but didn’t go on the DL until he reinjured it, perhaps trying to come back too soon on June 3. He returned a month later but was ineffective the rest of the year … Lost some effectiveness on his changeup, his best pitch, down from 2.90 to 1.81 runs above average per 100 pitches … After his cousin died in an accident this summer, Lohse marked his initials in the mound dirt each time out … The mixing up of the final letters pronounced in his last name is an example of metathesis in linguistics.
