Read More: Jake Westbrook (P – STL), Roy Oswalt (P – PHI), Kyle Lohse (P – STL), Carlos Beltran (RF – STL), Rafael Furcal (SS – STL), Albert Pujols (1B – ANA), Adam Wainwright (P – STL), Jaime Garcia (P – STL), St. Louis Cardinals

Starting pitching hasn’t really been a major target for the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason, but Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe is reporting that they’re showing interest in free agent Roy Oswalt. Oswalt is reportedly willing to accept a one-year contract, and teams like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have also shown interest.

Oswalt, 34, spent last season with the Philadelphia Phillies after being a career-long Houston Astro. He only made 23 starts as he battled back issues, but he was effective when he was able to get on the mound. In 139 innings, he posted a 3.69 ERA with solid peripheral statistics, so he can still be a high-quality option even if he’s no longer a top-of-the-rotation staple.

For the Cardinals, interest likely is based on their payroll flexibility. St. Louis has had an expectedly large amount of money to spend this offseason after Albert Pujols’ departure, and while they’ve spent some of it on the likes of Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran, there’s probably still a bit more to spend there. Their current rotation includes Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, Kyle Lohse and Jake Westbrook.

Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Cardinals, be sure to visit Viva El Birdos or drop by Baseball Nation for more news and notes from around the league. Keep abreast of all MLB transactions and rumors at MLB Daily Dish.

ST. LOUIS –

Carlos Beltran and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract pending results of a physical, a move that would fortify the team’s lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols.

The team disclosed the agreement Thursday night and said it expects to make a formal announcement shortly after the holidays.

KMOX, the Cardinals’ flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26 million over two years — the same figure cited by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced by the team.

The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385 on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season. Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot.

Beltran and Berkman are switch-hitters, giving new manager Mike Matheny lineup flexibility.

Earlier this month, St. Louis re-signed shortstop Rafael Furcal to a two-year, $14 million contract and added left-handed reliever J.C. Romero with a one-year, $750,000 deal.

After Pujols signed a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said he expected his team’s payroll to perhaps exceed this year’s total of $110 million.

Allen Craig, coming off an impressive postseason, gives the Cardinals another strong option in the outfield but will miss at least the first month of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Beltran began his career with the cross-state Royals in 1998, three years after Kansas City drafted him in the second round. The switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146 RBIs.

“Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent against the Cardinals for many years,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next couple of years.”

Beltran faced the Cardinals in a pair of NL championship series, in 2004 with Houston and 2006 with the Mets. St. Louis won both series despite several big hits by Beltran.

With a chance to put the Mets in the World Series, however, he struck out to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Carlos Beltran and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract pending results of a physical, a move that would fortify the team’s lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols.

The team disclosed the agreement Thursday night and said it expects to make a formal announcement shortly after the holidays.

KMOX, the Cardinals’ flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26 million over two years — the same figure cited by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to he Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced by the team.

The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBI and a .385 on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season. Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot.

Beltran and Berkman are switch-hitters, giving new manager Mike Matheny lineup flexibility.

Earlier this month, St. Louis re-signed shortstop Rafael Furcal to a two-year, $14 million contract and added left-handed reliever J.C. Romero with a one-year, $750,000 deal. The Cardinals appear to need only a few spare parts to finalize the roster.

After Pujols signed a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said he expected his team’s payroll to perhaps exceed this year’s total of $110 million.

Allen Craig, coming off an impressive postseason, gives the Cardinals another strong option in the outfield but will miss at least the first month of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Beltran began his career with the cross-state Royals in 1998, three years after Kansas City drafted him in the second round. The switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146 RBI.

“Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent against the Cardinals for many years,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next couple of years.”

Beltran faced the Cardinals in a pair of NL championship series, in 2004 with Houston and 2006 with the Mets. St. Louis won both series despite several big hits by Beltran.

With a chance to put the Mets in the World Series, however, he struck out looking to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ST. LOUIS — Outfielder Carlos Beltran and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a two-year, $26 million contract Thursday night.

Beltran, 34, likely will play right field. Allen Craig was penciled in to play right until undergoing a knee surgery that will sideline him for at least the first month.

“Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent against the Cardinals for many years,” Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak said in a statement released by the team. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next couple of years.”

Beltran, a former center fielder and six-time All-Star, batted .300 with 39 doubles, six triples, 22 home runs and 84 RBIs in 142 games with the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. Beltran won Gold Glove Awards from 2006-08.

The switch-hitting Beltran has had injury problems in the past, but if he’s healthy, he figures to be a force in a lineup that will try to recover from the free-agent defection of Albert Pujols to the Los Angeles Angels.

New Cardinals manager Mike Matheny could bat Beltran third or fifth, assuming left fielder Matt Holliday remains in the cleanup spot. Lance Berkman, who played right field last season, will take over at first base for Pujols.

Beltran has a .283 career average with 302 homers and 1,146 RBIs in 1,768 games. His signing makes him a teammate of pitcher Adam Wainwright, who caught Beltran looking at a called third strike to end Game 7 of the National League Championship Series in 2006 when Beltran was with the New York Mets.

The Cardinals went on to defeat the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.

Beltran also had a big series against St. Louis in the 2004 NLCS, that series also was won by the Cardinals in seven games.

St. Louis will be Beltran’s fifth team, following the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, the Mets and Giants.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Carlos Beltran and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract pending results of a physical, a move that would fortify the team’s lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols.

The team disclosed the agreement Thursday night and said it expects to make a formal announcement shortly after the holidays.

KMOX, the Cardinals’ flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26 million over two years — the same figure cited by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced by the team.

The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385 on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season. Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot.

Beltran and Berkman are switch-hitters, giving new manager Mike Matheny lineup flexibility.

Earlier this month, St. Louis re-signed shortstop Rafael Furcal to a two-year, $14 million contract and added left-handed reliever J.C. Romero with a one-year, $750,000 deal. The Cardinals appear to need only a few spare parts to finalize the roster.

After Pujols signed a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said he expected his team’s payroll to perhaps exceed this year’s total of $110 million.

Allen Craig, coming off an impressive postseason, gives the Cardinals another strong option in the outfield but will miss at least the first month of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Beltran began his career with the cross-state Royals in 1998, three years after Kansas City drafted him in the second round. The switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146 RBIs.

“Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent against the Cardinals for many years,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next couple of years.”

Beltran faced the Cardinals in a pair of NL championship series, in 2004 with Houston and 2006 with the Mets. St. Louis won both series despite several big hits by Beltran.

With a chance to put the Mets in the World Series, however, he struck out looking to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright.

ST. LOUIS (AP)—Carlos Beltran and the World Series champion St. Louis
Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract pending results of a physical, a move
that would fortify the team’s lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols.

The team disclosed the agreement Thursday night and said it expects to make
a formal announcement shortly after the holidays.

KMOX, the Cardinals’ flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26
million over two years—the same figure cited by a person familiar with the
negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of
anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced by the
team.

The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385
on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He
likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season.
Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot.

Beltran and Berkman are switch-hitters, giving new manager Mike Matheny
lineup flexibility.

Earlier this month, St. Louis re-signed shortstop Rafael Furcal to a
two-year, $14 million contract and added left-handed reliever J.C. Romero with a
one-year, $750,000 deal. The Cardinals appear to need only a few spare parts to
finalize the roster.

After Pujols signed a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles
Angels, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said he expected his team’s payroll
to perhaps exceed this year’s total of $110 million.

Allen Craig, coming off an impressive postseason, gives the Cardinals
another strong option in the outfield but will miss at least the first month of
the season while recovering from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Beltran began his career with the cross-state Royals in
1998, three years after Kansas City drafted him in the second round. The
switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146
RBIs.

“Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent
against the Cardinals for many years,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak
said in a statement. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive
nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next
couple of years.”

Beltran faced the Cardinals in a pair of NL championship series, in 2004
with Houston and 2006 with the Mets. St. Louis won both series despite several
big hits by Beltran.

With a chance to put the Mets in the World Series, however, he struck out
looking to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against Cardinals right-hander Adam
Wainwright.

———

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.