Cards got big bang for buck with Game 1 starter Lackey
ST. LOUIS OK, "dirt cheap" is a stretch when we’re talking about a half million dollars, but in terms of baseball salaries, that’s what the Cardinals got right hander John Lackey for thanks to an injury clause in the veteran right hander’s contract that was given to him by none other than Cubs president Theo Epstein.
Lackey, who will face the Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Division Series Friday at Busch Stadium, made the league minimum $507,500 in 2015 because an injury clause kicked in at the end of a five year, $82 million contract negotiated by then Red Sox GM Epstein due to his missing the entire 2012 season with an elbow injury.
At 36, Lackey has been a rotation life saver for the Cardinals, who lost Adam Wainwright to an Achilles injury http://www.cheapjerseys11.com/ in April (he’s back for the playoffs as a reliever) and Carlos Martinez to a shoulder in September. Michael Wacha, whom Cubs Game 1 starter Jon Lester thought he’d be matched up against, probably lost the nod because of his struggles in September (7.08 ERA).
So Lackey will go against his good friend and former Red Sox teammate Lester in his 19th postseason start. He’s 7 5 with a 3.08 ERA in postseason games for the Angels, Red Sox and Cardinals.
"You hear some guys saying it’s just another game," Lackey said of playoff baseball. "It’s not. You cheap jerseys gotta accept that you’re going to feel something different. You gotta accept that you’re going to be a little more amped up."
After Lackey, the Cardinals will go with Jaime Garcia in Game 2, Wacha in Game 3 and Lance Lynne in Game 4.
Epstein, who added the contract clause when he discovered Lackey’s elbow damage before finalizing that deal, is eager to see Friday’s matchup.
"He’s worked hard to come back from Tommy John and has been a really good pitcher after the surgery," Epstein said Thursday. "He deserves a lot of credit.
