Randy Choate (The Big Iguana) Signs With The Cardinals

Randy Choate also known to us as the big iguana has signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark,

who first broke the story on twitter. The contract is for three years in length and 7.5 million dollars.

The Dodgers acquired the 37 year old lefty from the Miami Marlins last season at the summer trade deadline in the Hanley Ramirez trade. In 12 major league seasons, Choate will be pitching for his sixth team.  Choate is known as a “Loogy”, or lefty one out guy. The situational lefty specialist has been dominant against left handers in the past, but has struggled to get right handers out.

Goodbye Big Iguana.-Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

In 2012, Choate pitched in 80 games, while posting a 3.03 ERA. In 36 games for the Dodgers he posted a 4.05 ERA. All total in 38.2 innings pitched, he whiffed 38 and walked 18. 2012 saw him post a whiff per nine rate of 8.8 and a walk per nine rate of 4.2. Choate held left handed batters to a .158 batting average, and a .461 OPS. Right handers however hit .325 with an OPS of .821 off of Choate. In his career, Choate has a career record of 11-11 and an ERA of 4.02. Choate has posted a career 7.7 whiff per nine rate, and a 4.2 walk per nine rate.

The Cardinals were looking for a second lefty to pair with fellow lefty Marc Rzepcczynski in their bullpen, and had been looking at a number of different options on the free agents market. The Dodgers had been rumored to be interested in bringing Choate back, but never made him an offer. With Choate now gone the Dodgers will have to rely on resident left handers Scott Elbert, and rookie Paco Rodriguez as the only lefties in their bullpen in 2013. That is unless they sign another lefty from free agency, or trade for someone. If you remember I had already said goodbye to Choate in an earlier post about the rental Dodgers who were unlikely to return to Dodger Blue in 2013.