The last time the St. Louis Cardinals signed a full-time free agent starting pitcher to an offseason contract, Brad Penny agreed to a one-year, $7.5 million contract for the 2010 campaign. The former All-Star seemed to be setting a positive example for the team, until he produced a grand slam that invoked a season-ending back injury less than two months into the season.
Perhaps this injury became the start of a movement through which the Cardinals have consistently pushed pitchers in their own farm system to take on larger roles, rather than acquiring veteran starting pitchers in the offseason.