Redbird Rants
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Ranking the 10 best contracts in recent St. Louis Cardinals history

By Josh Jacobs

Adam Wainwright # 50 and Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals bump gloves prior to the start of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 10, 2019 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by St. Louis Cardinals, LLC/Getty Images)
Adam Wainwright # 50 and Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals bump gloves prior to the start of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 10, 2019 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by St. Louis Cardinals, LLC/Getty Images) /
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MILWAUKEE, WI – APRIL 16: A St. Louis Cardinals cap and glove rest on the step to the dugout during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on April 16, 2014 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI – APRIL 16: A St. Louis Cardinals cap and glove rest on the step to the dugout during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on April 16, 2014 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images) /

No. 9: Pat Neshek (2014)

Value: +$13.9 million

Signed to a one-year, $1 million dollar flier right before Spring Training, Pat Neshek impressively outplayed his contract by almost $14 million, a difficult task for a reliver based on the WAR stat.

Neshek threw 67.1 innings with an ERA of 1.87, WHIP of 0.79, and being named to the All-Star team. Neshek was a consistent force in a young bullpen headlined by Trevor Rosenthal, Carlos Martinez, Seth Maness, and Tyler Lyons, making him a big reason the club won the NL Central and made it to the NLCS.

Neshek is an excellent example of a low-risk, high-reward signing that paid maximum dividends. Neshek would go on to play for the Astros and Phillies, and received nice pay days due to this impressive season he had put together.

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